| Dec. 9, 2004
MGHS, UPHCN
receive prestigious award from the Michigan Cancer Consortium
Two MGHS physicians play leading roles in standardizing pathology
reports statewide
Marquette
General Health System and the Upper
Peninsula Health Care Network have received a prestigious award
from the Michigan Cancer
Consortium.
The two healthcare entities are a “Spirit of Collaboration 2004” award
winner for their work on the Michigan Basic Pathology Lexicon Project. Their
goal was to improve the efficiency, completeness and quality of Michigan
pathology reports for breast, colorectal and prostate cancer
by producing a field-tested
basic lexicon, i.e. standardizing the terminology and identification of tumors.
The lexicon template is currently being evaluated at numerous statewide facilities.
Volunteer pathologists have pilot tested the lexicon template and provided
feedback. As a result, the project has fostered further collaboration with
pathologists, tumor registrars, and other professionals across the state.
Dr. Aaron Scholnik, an oncologist/hematologist on staff at Marquette General,
headed the Lexicon Committee and served as its Principle Investigator.
Dr.
Aaron Scholnik
“The Michigan Cancer Consortium and the Michigan Department of Community
Health identified the lack of common terminology in reporting cancer pathology
as a major area for improvement,” explained Dr. Scholnik, a member of U.P.
Hematology/Oncology Associates in the Peninsula Medical Center.
“We surveyed most of the pathology labs in Michigan, and researched how
they reported breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. Then, working with multiple
healthcare institutions, insurance companies, the state cancer registry and others,
we developed a basic lexicon — common terminology among all healthcare
institutions — for reporting pathology for common cancers in Michigan.”
Dr. John Weiss, an Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist at Marquette General,
developed the computerized templates to utilize, Dr. Scholnik said.
Dr. John
Weiss
“Having two people instrumental in this project — Dr. Weiss and myself — speaks
well for our institution,” Dr. Scholnik said. “As a result of this
project, pathologists throughout the state are evaluating a computerized template
for reporting pathology.”
Dr. Scholnik said the next phase of the project will be to collaborate
with state health economists and health system administrators to determine
if
having a common pathology report will increase efficiency while decreasing
the costs
associated with cancer care.
“If the Lexicon project is successful,” he said, “the pathology
reports will be so standardized they can be processed more efficiently at reduced
costs for the public.”
The Michigan Cancer Consortium (MCC) consists of a dedicated group of public,
private and voluntary organizations committed to reducing the human and
economic impact of cancer in Michigan. Membership in the Consortium is
open to any
organization whose mission is not in conflict with the MCC's priorities.
Besides MGHS and the UPHCN, a number of state healthcare institutions
participated in the project, Scholnik said.
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