What is pathology?
A specialty of medicine concerned with the study of the nature and causes of diseases through examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids and whole bodies (autopsies)
The analytical work of a pathologist is one component of a total testing cycle which includes pre- and post-analytic processes
Pathologists interpret changes seen in tissue specimens (e.g., biopsies, surgical resections) to provide a diagnosis and/or diagnostic information that informs clinical decisions about treatment and management
Pathologists practise in hospitals, private community laboratories and public health laboratories.
Scope
Our program applies to all providers of surgical pathology and all facilities where surgical pathology service is performed. It includes the analytic aspects of surgical pathology and excludes forensic pathology.
A list of the four quality management program components can be found on the About Us page.
Stakeholder Engagement
Our success depends on feedback from key stakeholder groups interested in quality pathology, including patients, service users, providers, facility leadership, professional organizations and health system leaders. Through presentations, meetings, webinars, webcasts, teleconferences, in-person and online consultations, newsletters and letters, we engage with these groups to obtain their input on our implementation plans and activities.
The Pathology Provincial Quality Committee also provides feedback and direction on the Partnership’s implementation activities. Members include:
- Dr. Kathy Chorneyko, Provincial Lead
- Pathology regional leads
- Community lab and hospital leadership
- Patients and service users
- Allied healthcare professionals
- Pathology professional organizations
More information about our program and the Quality Management Partnership as a whole can be found on the Resources page.