CAPcast from the College of American Pathologists

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 [email protected].

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