About APIThe Mission of the Association for Pathology Informatics is to promote the field of pathology informatics as an academic and a clinical subspecialty of pathology. Specific AimsThe data sets used in pathology informatics include clinical tests, anatomic pathology reports, image files, telepathology data, and large scale experiments including gene, proteomic and tissue array studies. The Association will support advances in the field of Pathology Informatics through research, education, scientific meetings, and through electronic and printed communications. The Association will develop standards for reporting, transferring, storing, and merging confidential and other pathology-related information. The Association will play an active role in legal, ethical, social, regulatory, and governmental issues related to pathology informatics, and it will also seek to develop relationships with other professional societies and industry partners that share similar interests and goals. What We DoPathology Informatics involves collecting, examining, reporting, and storing large complex sets of data derived from tests performed in clinical laboratories, anatomic pathology laboratories, or research laboratories in order to improve patient care and enhance our understanding of disease-related processes.
Why API?
Pathology Informatics has been increasing in importance as the demand for, and development of, information systems and technology continue to address healthcare industry needs. Beginning with the collection, processing, and analysis of patient specimens, the field of pathology, as a whole, generates significant amounts of data that require careful interpretation and reliable distribution to fulfill the core mission of supporting patient care. API and its meetings are regarded as incubators for new ideas and technological applications. Not only does API host meetings that showcase advanced research, it also fosters a community for thought-leaders and stake-holders, both practitioners and vendors, in pathology informatics to explore and challenge the boundaries of what is available in digital pathology, IT systems, and artificial intelligence for existing hospital and laboratory institutions. API appreciates that progress is made through close partnerships. API is also constituted by individual volunteers, many of whom are leading Pathologists and researchers uniquely positioned to identify, implement, and promote cutting-edge projects. Many of our volunteers, speakers, and attendees are decision-makers sitting ”in the room” when budgets are written, proposals are reviewed, and decisions are made. Recent API Achievements
Brief History of Association of Pathology Informatics (API)The Association for Pathology Informatics (API) was founded in 2000 by a group of pathologists interested in defining pathology informatics as a clinical subspecialty within pathology by way of education. API continues to support this educational mission by:
API previously co-sponsored two major national meetings each year: Advancing Practice, Instruction and Innovation through Informatics (APIII) and Lab InfoTech Summit. APIII was hosted and organized by the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine under the direction of Dr. Michael Becich. Lab InfoTech Summit was hosted and organized by the Pathology Education Consortium under the direction of Dr. Bruce Friedman. API has also sponsored or conducted numerous educational workshops in conjunction with the College of American Pathologists, ASIP, and AMP. API has sponsored pathology resident travel awards to the APIII and Lab InfoTech Summit meetings in order to foster interest in pathology informatics as a discipline among pathology trainees. API has published a comprehensive set of learning objectives and skill sets for training in Pathology Informatics for pathology residents to encourage the integration of a high quality informatics experience within pathology residency programs (Henricks et al, Arch Pathol Lab Med 2003; 127: 1009-1018). Organization Background:(API) was organized in 2000 as a part of Universities Associated for Research and Education in Pathology (UAREP), a 501(c)(3) organization that subsequently dissolved in 2002. At that time, the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP), another 501(c)(3) organization, agreed to take over the management of API and a formal agreement between these organizations was signed in February, 2003. This relationship was dissolved in December, 2008 after the API membership voted to establish a separate, self-governing 501(c)(3) organization. The Department of Biomedical Informatics and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine agreed to provide office space and support staff until API could become financially independent. The University of Michigan and University of Colorado have assisted in providing and hosting API’s Web site and Listserv. API was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in September, 2009 and received approval of status as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. ContactThe API is staffed by Nova Smith, Beth Gibson, Rebecca Boes, and Grace Chae. Rebecca Boes is the web developer for the API website, Beth Gibson works at the University of Michigan which also provides support for the Pathology Informatics Summit, and Grace Chae supports a variety of projects at API. Please e-mail or call Nova Smith, Grace Chae, or Governing Council members for specific information about the Association for Pathology Informatics. Nova Smith, Senior Conference Manager Grace Chae
Conference Manager and CME Coordinator
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