| Abstract: | Histopathology is facing an incipient crisis due its anticipated inability to meet diagnostic demand. One possible way round this problem is the adoption of some of the emerging computer-assisted diagnostic solutions that are capitalising on the expansion of digitised services by alleviating pathologists' workloads. While some of these have been limited to making academic headlines, others have been developed in partnership with industry and are ready to make the transition into clinical testing and adoption by healthcare systems. Given the potentially huge impact of such new technologies on patient diagnoses, it is appropriate to consider the role of patient and public involvement (PPI) in this setting. Unlike other more patient-facing areas of research where PPI activities are well established, pathology is a distinct discipline, traditionally with limited patient interaction and therefore limited scope for PPI activity. We explore the benefits and drawbacks of PPI engagement in digital pathology computer-aided diagnostics and map out PPI's role in appraising the merit of new solutions from a conventional research and development framework. However, our standpoint extends to attributing it a wider, more specialised and authoritative advocacy role in subsequent technology regulatory review and adoption by healthcare services. |
