Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : July 3, 2024 10:50 AM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr. Geetanjali Gupta, Director—Technical Operations & Quality Assurance Redcliffe Labs
5 Common Pathology Myths Debunked: The Truth Revealed
Pathologists are integral members of the healthcare system, playing a crucial role in diagnosing diseases, guiding treatment decisions, and ultimately saving lives. These medical professionals are often referred to as the 'detectives' of the medical world, utilizing their expertise to unravel complex medical mysteries and provide accurate diagnoses. From examining tissue samples to interpreting test results, pathologists are at the forefront of modern medicine, contributing significantly to patient care and treatment outcomes.
Pathologists work tirelessly to serve the important part of healthcare, but people don't even know them; thanking them is a far-off thing. People seldom wonder what happens behind the scenes when your doctor recommends a blood or urine test. Pathology plays a vital role in healthcare, and it's important to understand the expertise pathologists bring.
Dr. Geetanjali Gupta, Director Technical Operations & Quality Assurance Redcliffe Labs, is a seasoned pathologist with more than 14 years of experience, shares insights on common misconceptions about pathology and highlights its crucial impact on effective patient care.
Fact Many might believe pathologists are overlooked specialists. However, the truth is quite different. Pathologists play an essential role in the diagnostic industry, and clinicians, surgeons, and other medical professionals working on the front end always appreciate their contribution to the healthcare industry. Their findings influence a staggering 70% of medical decisions!
Doctors often rely on pathologists' expertise and call them "the doctor's doctor." While they may not directly see patients, pathologists play a crucial role in healthcare. Their knowledge of diagnosis is essential for determining the best course of treatment.
Fact- General practitioners or GPs are your primary care doctors, not pathologists. You see them for your routine health and physical checkups for different health concerns. Pathologists, on the other hand, are specialists who work in laboratories. They analyze samples like blood or tissue to diagnose diseases. Clinicians or General practitioners use the diagnosis results pathologists provide to define a personalized patient treatment plan.
The bitter truth is that most patients don't even meet the pathologists. They just give their samples at the laboratory, or after the growth in the diagnosis industry post-COVID, even sample collection can be booked from home, and then the patients just wait for their reports. Pathologists are the doctors who work at the back end to serve the healthcare industry.
Fact The demand for pathologists is quite strong! In the financial year 2023, the clinical chemistry/pathology segment had the highest market size, valued at 2.6 billion U.S. dollars in India. The total pathology market size was also 7.5 billion U.S. dollars for the same year.
Pathologists have always been in high demand in the pathology market in a country like India, where the population is the highest. Those pursuing the career already know this, and students preparing for this highly responsible career should not worry about their future. The average salary of MD pathologists ranges between 3 to 20 LPA and above, based on their experience.
Fact Artificial intelligence (AI) is making waves in healthcare and various other fields, but it cannot replace human expertise. AI, if used to support improvisation of turnaround time, accuracy, assistance, and convenience, can bring out the best results, but it is undoubtedly not a replacement. We at Redcliffe Labs leverage cutting-edge technology to assist highly experienced MD pathologists, ensuring accurate diagnosis, AI results, as per the present advancements, cannot be 100% credible but can be an enabler for faster processes and improving efficiency.
Fact While blood tests are a significant part of pathology, the field has a broader spectrum. Pathologists analyze all kinds of tissues and bodily fluids, including urine, semen, saliva, sputum, feces, and tissues extracted via biopsy or surgery. Besides routine tests, genes are evaluated for specialized tests to diagnose genetic disorders.
Also, blood tests are underrated. A blood test can do much more than understanding the commoner, from a general evaluation of your health vitals to predicting a health disorder based on existing health conditions, family history, and other parameters.
Fact: Although Medical Laboratory Professionals perform autopsies, this is just a small part of their work. They primarily analyze tissues, DNA, blood, and other bodily fluids to diagnose various health issues, from a simple blood count to severe health issues like cancer. In the absence of accurate diagnosis, several patients do not receive the necessary treatment, and many of them even have to lose their lives. So, the work of pathologists is significant in all conditions when someone is healthy, to predict a health disorder, to diagnose an existing health condition, to analyze the efficacy of treatment, and even after death.
Pathologists, the often-underrated heroes of healthcare, deserve a brighter spotlight. Pathology and Radiology are the backbone of medicine, analyzing tissues and fluids for accurate diagnosis and contributing to over 70% of medical decisions. Pathologists provide the foundation for effective patient care, supporting the clinician in saving lives and spreading smiles.
