The Evolution of Integrated Diagnostics into Integrated Diagnostic Centers

In a recent post (see: A Call for the Development of Integrated Diagnostic Centers), I posted an abstract of a lecture that I will be delivering at the 42nd annual Congress of the Brazilian Society of Clinical Pathology (Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia Clínica; SBPC) on July 3, 2008, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In it I emphasize the idea that pathologists, lab medicine specialists, and radiologists should collaborate to develop physical or virtual integrated diagnostic centers (IDCs) to which patients can be referred with early symptoms of disease or for wellness/preventive medicine consultations. In these centers, diagnostic specialists would use the most advanced imaging modalities and in-vitro laboratory testing to quickly arrive at the correct diagnosis. These patients would then be referred to clinicians for treatment. This idea is the logical outgrowth of the concept of integrated diagnostics (see: Siemens' Pursuit of an Integrated Diagnostics Portfolio) and the early health model, both of which have been addressed extensively in Lab Soft News. It is also closely related to the merger/conversion of pathology, radiology, and lab medicine into the new specialty of diagnostic medicine. I am now posting the entire lecture here (see: Integrated Diagnostics Emerges as Key Element in Healthcare) and would welcome any comments from readers about any of the ideas contained in it.