CAPcast

CAPcasts are now available on cap.org and the MyCAP app: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/podcasts Download MyCAP for iOS and Android: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mycap-cap-member-app/id1575620028 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.cap.member.app You can also subscribe on the following podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/capcasts/id1279391140 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/161134c5-94fd-460e-87ef-18cc27f8003c/capcasts

World Cancer Day is recognized around the world on February 4th to raise awareness of and encourage the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer. To commemorate World Cancer Day, Gladell Paner, MD, FCAP, chatted with M.E. de Baca, MD, FCAP, and Gail Vance, MD, FCAP, about how the CAP is addressing barriers to health equity through the Cancer Protocols, Council on Informatics and Pathology Innovation, and the CAP Foundation Global Pathology Committee. Learn more about the CAP Foundation: https://foundation.cap.org/ CAP Foundation 2023 Webinar Series: https://brnw.ch/CAPF2023Webinars

This month we'll look at a prior authorization rule that could pave the way for legislation to reduce burdens on clinicians, a grant awarded to the CAP to improve healthcare communication, action on Medicare cuts, and more. We'll also sit down with Anna Tart, MD, FCAP, to talk about why the CAP no longer supports 'excited delirium' as an official cause of death.

Jason Scapa, MD, FCAP, Chair of the Digital Content Committee talks with Andrew Bellizzi, MD, FCAP, Past Chair of the Immunohistochemistry (IHC) Committee and current IHC Committee Member Gregory Bean, MD, PhD, FCAP, about the latest update to HER2 Breast Cancer Testing Guidelines. Issued in June 2023, the CAP and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) have reaffirmed the 2018 "HER2 Breast Testing Guideline Focused Update" in response to the results of the 2022 DESTINY-Breast04 trial. CAP HER2 Guideline: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cap-guidelines/current-cap-guidelines/recommendations-for-human-epidermal-growth-factor-2-testing-in-breast-cancer

This month we'll take a look at efforts to mitigate recent Medicare cuts, digital and cybersecurity news in the health care sector, and more.

So you have a job offer. Now what? If you're a senior trainee or new-in-practice pathologist navigating contract negotiation for the first time, this episode is for you. Jennifer Woo, MD, FCAP, and Esther Yoon, MD, FCAP, from the New-in-Practice Committee chat with Practice Management Committee members Moira Larsen, MD, MBA, FCAP, and Cedric Bailey, DO, FCAP, about their contract negotiation advice and experiences. This episode is a collaboration between the New-in-Practice and Practice Management Committees and is one of two episodes on job searching tips.

Biobanking of human biospecimens has a long history. In the last two decades, several best practices have been developed, resulting in better-quality specimens. Jim Vaught, PhD, Editor Emeritus of the Biopreservation and Biobanking journal, joins the podcast to talk about the new era we are entering where new markets and technologies will result in new approaches to collecting, processing, and storing samples. Learn more about the CAP's Biorepository Accreditation Program: https://www.cap.org/laboratory-improvement/accreditation/biorepository-accreditation-program

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Dibson Gondim, MD, FCAP discuss implementing digital pathology at UofL Health. Dr. Gondim shares the challenges and easy wins that the University of Lousiville experienced during the process and how artificial intelligence will continue to impact digital pathology in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is part of a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation. For more information about digital pathology, visit the Digital and Computational Pathology Committee resource center: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/councils-committees/digital-pathology-topic-center

This month we'll review the 2024 Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and what it means to you as well as a grant for the CAP's work to promote effective communication in health care. We will also sit down with Dr. Mark Synovec to discuss what happened at the most recent AMA meeting and what it means going forward.

In this CAPcast, Mary Edgerton, MD, FCAP, talks with experts in the field of cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment: Lara Harik, MD, FCAP; Stephen Edge, MD, FACS, FASCO; Donna Gress, RHIT, CTR; Veronica Klepeis, MD, PhD, FCAP; and Eric Daley, MS, PA (ASCP). The group discusses how the CAP's Cancer Protocols are created and used, the difference between Cancer Protocols and electronic Cancer Protocols, and the future of synoptic reporting. More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols. For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org.

Interviewing for your first job as a pathologist might seem intimidating. But this is an opportunity to not only showcase your abilities but to find out if the position and practice setting are a good fit for you and your career goals. Neha Varshney MD, FCAP, FASCP, from the New-in-Practice Committee, chats with Practice Management Committee members Karim Sirgi MD, MBA, and Jeremy S Ditelberg MD, FCAP, about their job interview advice and experiences. This episode is a collaboration between the New-in-Practice and Practice Management Committees and is one of two episodes on job searching tips.

In this special CAPcast episode, CAP Foundation President Eva M. Wojcik, MD, FCAP, talks with CAP Foundation board member Sara Herbek, Esq, and CAP Board member Diana Cardona, MD, FCAP. They share their personal connections to the CAP Foundation and discuss advocating for your own personal health and the work the Foundation is doing for pathologists and patients. Learn more about and donate to the CAP Foundation: https://foundation.cap.org/

As leaders in the medical laboratory, pathologists are important gatekeepers to the highest value use of ancillary testing techniques for patient samples. So, how can a pathologist prepare for questions on molecular tests before they come? In this episode, Jennifer Yoest, MD, FCAP, author of the new Clinical Pathology Improvement Program case Choosing a Molecular Test: Techniques Decoded, shares her thoughts. Register for the case: https://education.cap.org/content/2023-cpip-k-case-11-molecular-%E2%80%93-choosing-molecular-test-techniques-decoded

The liquid biopsy has rapidly emerged as a method to minimize the amount of tissue needed for testing, making it a less invasive and safer alternative to more traditional procedures. As it continues to evolve, liquid biopsies offer exciting new options in the practice of pathology. In this episode, Maria Arcila, MD, FCAP, and JinJuan Yao, MD, FCAP, discuss the development of this new diagnostic tool. CAP Precision Medicine Resource Center: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/precision-medicine CAP and AMP recommendations on validation of cell-free DNA assays: https://www.jmdjournal.org/article/S1525-1578%2823%2900219-2/fulltext

We sat down with the newly inaugurated CAP President Dr. Donald Karcher to discuss the CAP's legislative priorities and how advocacy by CAP members can advance the profession.

In this CAPcast, Mary Edgerton, MD, FCAP, talks with experts in pancreatic cancer research, diagnosis, treatment, and patient advocacy: Paula Kim, co-founder of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN); Ariban Maitra, MD, FCAP, Nilo Azad, MD; Ralph Hruban, MD; and, Fatima Zelada-Arenas, Senior Director of Research and Education at PanCAN. More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols. For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org. For more information about PanCAN, visit https://pancan.org/.

This month we'll be looking at the excellence of the CAP's proficiency testing, add-on services responsible for Medicare cuts, excited Delerium and more. We'll also sit down with Matthew Foster MD, FCAP to go over what CAP members advocated for, how it was received in Congress and how members can get involved in the future.

This episode features a conversation with Oksana Volod, MD, FCAP, editor and co-author of the new book, Whole Blood Viscoelastic Assays in Clinical Diagnosis: An Illustrated Case-Based Guide. A comprehensive resource on viscoelastic testing for pathologists, clinical laboratory scientists, and other health care professionals, the book addresses hemostasis, physiology, conventional assays for its assessment and their advantages and disadvantages, and therapeutic agents used in patient management. Link to purchase: https://estore.cap.org/OA_HTML/xxCAPibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10044&item=840358&sitex=10020%3A22372%3AUS&ebsprd=WJncyDZVZ6m4qcbiT9v8wUATre&ebsprd_pses=ZG071176E1693C695511D97E6D9DA8E80D42444F9B903B3D8BAEBAF82F68EE18E4992B0C09AC3887DBBF2969DE58D1A84D762ED3554A3608AE

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Diana Cardona, MD, MBA, FCAP, discuss implementing digital pathology at Duke Health. Dr. Cardona shares the challenges and easy wins Duke Health has experienced so far in the process and where she sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is part of a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation. For more information about digital pathology, visit the Digital and Computational Pathology Committee resource center: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/councils-committees/digital-pathology-topic-center

Artificial intelligence, also known as AI, is streamlining processes within health care, particularly related to diagnosing and managing patient care. In this interview with Becker's Healthcare, M.E. (Doc) de Baca, chair of the College of American Pathologists' Council on Informatics and Pathology Innovation, discusses the complexities of integrating AI into patient care, considering the practical, ethical and collaborative aspects that need to be addressed for effective implementation and improved patient care.

October has been recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month for nearly four decades. In this CAPcast, Mary Edgerton, MD, PhD, FCAP talks with Regina Barzilay, PhD, Ross Simpson, MD, FCAP, Timothy Law, MD, and Patient Advocate Rebecca Seago-Coyle. The group discussed what's on the horizon for breast cancer research, how it will impact patient outcomes, and the role of pathology data in these efforts. More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols. For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org.

The digital transformation of pathology is underway, and laboratories increasingly need equipment and software that enables the use of innovative diagnostic tools such as machine learning/artificial intelligence. To implement any of these diagnostic tools, laboratory leadership must take several pre-analytic considerations into account. Matthew Hanna, MD, FCAP, authored a new case on this topic for the Informatics Essentials for Pathologists Program. In this episode, he shares insights on the prerequisites necessary for a successful digital pathology system implementation. Link to the case: https://education.cap.org/content/2023-icbe-b-pre-analytic-best-practices-successful-digital-pathology-implementation-0

This month we'll discuss efforts to improve Medicare payments for pathologists, advocacy wins with UnitedHealthcare, name changes for cytotechnologist. We also sat down with Pam Wright, Senior Director for Economic and Regulatory Affairs at the CAP, to discuss this year's Practice Expense Survey and go in depth on what the survey is, why it's important and how it's results can help pathology practices.

Artificial intelligence is an exciting technology impacting the practice of pathology. When applied to the area of precision medicine, especially to treat oncologic disease, even more frontiers open for providing better patient care. This episode, a joint effort between the CAP's Personalized Health Care Committee and its Digital and Computational Pathology Committee, features Dr. Marilyn Bui and Dr. Eric Walk discussing machine learning developments and the future of AI in precision medicine. Visit the CAP's Precision Medicine Resource Center for more resources, including Dr. Walk's article on the use of machine learning to predict patient outcomes and the best course of treatment: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/precision-medicine

Srividya Sathiyamoorthy, MD, MS, FCAP, shares her personal journey to wellness after dealing with years of musculoskeletal pain and offers advice to other pathologists about the importance of seeking help and advocating for yourself. Dr. Sathiyamoorthy is also a member of the CAP's Wellness Project team, which will be hosting a Wellness Lounge at the upcoming CAP23 Annual Meeting. Stop by to get a preview of a Heartfulness Meditation and upper body workout session, geared specifically towards pathologists.

CAP's Biorepository Committee member Nalin Leelatian, MD, PhD, joins the podcast to talk about neuro biorepositories and how the CAP's Biorepository Accreditation Program (BAP) improves the quality and consistency of biobanks. For more information about BAP, visit https://www.cap.org/laboratory-improvement/accreditation/biorepository-accreditation-program

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In this CAPcast, Mary Edgerton, MD sits down with pediatric cancer experts to talk about their work as it relates to the updated Pediatric Cancer Protocols released in September 2023. More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols. For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org.

This month we'll examine advocacy to prioritize Medicare payment reform in Congress, efforts to strengthen enforcements of payment decisions under the No surprises act, the critical research done by the CAP to study pandemic-era laboratory supply shortages, and more. We'll also speak with Dr. Glenn Ramsey of Northwestern medicine about the importance sickle cell disease awareness and the fight to ensure adequate treatment and care for all those impacted with the condition.

Retirement may be years away, but it's never too early to start planning and saving. Abdul Abid, MD, a member of the New-in-Practice Committee talks with Brian Truscott, a certified financial planner and wealth management advisor who shared his tips on retirement plans, debt repayment, and investment considerations for early career pathologists.

We asked three real-life forensic pathologists to watch “Autopsy Turvy,” an episode of the TV show “Psych” (season 6, episode 14) and fact-check the truth from the fiction. Featuring Michelle Aurelius, MD, FCAP, Anna Tart, MD, FCAP, and Natasha Grandhi, MD, FCAP, of the CAP's Forensic Pathology Committee, this is the second installment in a series of CAPcasts where pathologists react to how forensic scientists are portrayed in TV and film.

August is Appendix Cancer Awareness Month. In this CAPcast, Mary Edgerton, MD sits down with Katie Hagen, MD to talk about appendiceal carcinomas and how the Cancer Protocols support patient care and treatment when it comes to GI tumors. More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols. For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org.

In the practice of clinical medicine and clinical pathology, novel technologies often disrupt existing paradigms in diagnostic medicine to improve patient care through more timely and accurate lab results. In his new book, Disruptive Technologies in Clinical Medicine, author Frederick Kiechle, MD, PhD, FCAP, discusses some of these technologies and their impact in practice. This CAPcast with Dr. Kiechle gives listeners a preview of what's covered in the book, which is out now and available for purchase on the CAP's estore via the link below. https://estore.cap.org/OA_HTML/xxCAPibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10045&item=840356&sitex=10020:22372:US.

This month we'll look at Senate efforts to strengthen laboratories for future pandemics, the potential burdens of post-market surveillance in AI software, and new digital pathology CPT codes developed by the CAP. Later, we'll hear some highlights from the proposed 2024 Medicare physician fee schedule.

July is Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Awareness Month. Sarcomas are rare cancers in which malignant cells form in the bones or soft tissues. In this CAPcast, Mary Edgerton, MD sits down with Julie Fanburg-Smith, MD to talk about bone and soft tissue tumors and how the Cancer Protocols support patient care and treatment. Dr. Edgerton is the chair of the Pathology Electronic Reporting Committee and Dr. Fanburg-Smith is a member of the Cancer Committee. More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols. For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org.

The Cancer Protocols help ensure that all pathology reports contain the necessary data elements for optimal patient care. Cancer registries also depend on the protocols for accurate standardized data collection. Lara Harik, MD, FCAP, a pathologist at Emory University Hospital talks with Peggy Adamo and Andrea Sipin-Baliwas to continue the conversation about cancer registries. Peggy is a public health analyst for the NCI SEER program and Andrea is the director of registry operations for the Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program. Listen to part one here: https://soundcloud.com/pathologists/understanding-cancer-registries More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols. For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org.

In June 2023 the American Medical Association held its annual meeting in Chicago. Physicians across the nation gathered to discuss issues regarding their specialty and the field of medicine as a whole. We sat down with Joe Sanfrancesco, MD, FCAP, to recap some of the highlights from the event.

Platelet refractoriness can be life threatening for thrombocytopenic patients. Penn State Health pathologist Melissa George, DO, FCAP, and pediatrician Sarah Kesterson, MD, authored the new Clinical Pathology Improvement Program course on this topic. In this CAPcast, they discuss how narrowing the differential diagnosis for poor platelet transfusion response is critical to guide appropriate management and product selection. To purchase this case, please visit the CAP's estore: https://estore.cap.org/OA_HTML/xxCAPibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10139&item=848356&sitex=10020:22372:US

Pop culture's fascination with forensic science is fueled by TV shows and movies like "CSI," "Law & Order," etc. They offer the general public front-row access to otherwise off-limits crime scenes, autopsies, and trials. The entertainment value and popularity of these shows are undeniable, but their accuracy is up for debate. We asked three real-life forensic pathologists to watch an episode of the ABC show “Body of Proof” and fact-check the truth from the fiction. Members of the CAP's Forensic Pathology Committee, Michelle Aurelius, MD, FCAP, Jonathan Eisenstat, MD, FCAP, and Natasha Grandhi, MD, FCAP, joined us for the first in a series of CAPcasts where pathologists react to how forensic scientists are portrayed in TV and film.

This month, we'll review some of the highlights from the annual AMA meeting in Chicago, look at why the CAP is opposing a name change for cytotechnologists, and more.

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP and Jochen Lennerz, MD, PhD, FCAP discuss implementing digital pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital and the creation of the Pathology Innovation Collaborative Community (PIcc). Dr. Lennerz shares the challenges and easy wins Massachusetts General experienced during the process, where he sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years, and the importance of regulatory science. This episode is part of a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation. For more information about PIcc, visit: https://pathologyinnovationcc.org/ For more information about digital pathology, visit the Digital and Computational Pathology Committee resource center: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/councils-committees/digital-pathology-topic-center

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP and Sam Terese, president and CEO of Alverno Laboratories, talk about the implementation of digital pathology in an integrated laboratory network. Sam shares the challenges and easy wins Alverno experienced during the process and where he sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is the second in a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation. For more information about digital pathology, visit the Digital and Computational Pathology Committee resource center: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/councils-committees/digital-pathology-topic-center

This month, we'll talk about the CAP's communication with CMS on surprise billing, efforts to pin Medicare pay to the inflation index and more.

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Matthew Hanna, MD, FCAP talk about the implementation of digital pathology at their institution, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. They talk about the challenges and easy wins they experienced during the process and where they see digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is the first in a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation. For more information about digital pathology, visit the Digital and Computational Pathology Committee resource center: https://www.cap.org/member-resources/councils-committees/digital-pathology-topic-center

The Cancer Protocols help ensure that all pathology reports contain the necessary data elements for optimal patient care. Cancer registries also depend on the protocols for accurate standardized data collection. Lara Harik, MD, FCAP, a pathologist at Emory University Hospital sits down with Mildred Jones, Certified Tumor Registrar and liaison for the National Cancer Registrars Association for the CAP Cancer Committee to talk about the basics of cancer registries. More information about the CAP Cancer Protocols: https://www.cap.org/protocols-and-guidelines/cancer-reporting-tools/cancer-protocols For questions, please email us at CancerProtocols@cap.org.

This month, we'll look at the FDA's newest proposal on blood donations, as well as plans from the CMS to improve hospital equity. Later we will be sitting down with Dr. Victoria Jones and Dr. Eric Loo of Dartmouth Health to talk with them about their experience at this year's Pathologist Leadership Summit.

The EAC is largely responsible for health care policy that affects the coverage, payment, and overall value of pathology services. In this podcast, Jonathan Myles, MD, FCAP, chair of the Council on Government and Professional Affairs spoke with three leaders of the EAC: Ronald McLawhon, MD, PhD, FCAP, who chairs the EAC; Theresa Emory, MD, FCAP, Vice Chair of the EAC, and Jan Nowak, MD, FCAP. They each discussed a wide range of issues and different policies that allow pathologists to be paid, as well as the payment challenges pathologists face in the future.

Just released, the new Color Atlas of Flow Cytometry offers a full range of hematolymphoid disease cases, highlighting disease categories and disease entities that may be difficult to diagnose in clinical practice. The new book can benefit students, medical technologists, and practicing pathologists, explains lead author, David Dorfman, MD, PhD, FCAP in this CAPcast interview. To purchase this book, please visit CAP's estore: https://estore.cap.org/OA_HTML/xxCAPibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10044&item=747354&sitex=10020:22372:US

This month we'll examine the White House Budget Proposal and what it means for the pathology workforce and pandemic preparedness, why the CAP and other organizations are calling for Congress to pass an inflation-based fix to Medicare payments, and more. We'll also will sit down with CAP President Emily E. Volk, MD, FCAP, to discuss her recent meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus, including key takeaways from her conversation and how the CAP can engage with policy to create a more equitable.

As Women's History Month 2023 wraps up, we're joined on this CAPcast by CAP President Emily Volk, MD, FCAP, and Lacey Durham, MD (@PathDoctorMD on TikTok). Dr. Volk and Dr. Durham talk about a variety of topics, including gender diversity in pathology, positive changes in health equity, and early career advice for women.

The AMA, CAP, state pathology societies, and state medical societies promote the interests and well-being of pathologists. In this CAPcast, Susan Strate, MD, FCAP, and Tiffani Milless, MD, FCAP, share reasons why pathologists should get involved in advocacy at both the state and federal levels. Their discussion serves as a preview to the Finding Your Place in Organized Medicine course, taking place at the 2023 Pathologists Leadership Summit. For more information, visit pathologistsleadershipsummit.org/.

Why Mitigating Risk of Cuts on Capitol Hill is so Important This Year by College of American Pathologists