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In AP systems marketplace, software comes and grows

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February 2017—Software for anatomic pathology has evolved mightily since 1987, the year that CAP TODAY set sail on its maiden voyage as a monthly publication.

During that year, HL7 was founded and the Co-Path system, then the flagship product of Collaborative Medical Systems, made a terrific splash on the small exhibit floor at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. From that meeting of the International Academy of Pathology (now the vigorous and lively United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology) until today, we’ve witnessed a dramatic change in the field. Gone are the days of classifying AP systems as microcomputer based or minicomputer based, as are many company names that appeared in CAP TODAY’s inaugural AP systems product guide in 1988, including, among others, SMS, Rubicon, and the aforementioned Collaborative Medical Systems, whose Co-Path product eventually transformed into offerings from Cerner and Sunquest.

The list of features offered on AP systems have morphed as well through the decades with the addition of numerous capabilities, some of which involve LOINC, barcodes, and clouds. In keeping with the pace of change in the marketplace, CAP TODAY has added to the AP systems product guide, in recent years, categories such as business analytics, Web-based inquiry of reports, and support for molecular testing and reporting.

As a significant segment of the medical information systems marketplace, AP systems have supported, led, and sometimes followed industry developments. With the growth of precision medicine and advances in computing technology in general, continued growth is a given, perhaps at an even faster pace.

CAP TODAY profiles 25 anatomic pathology information systems from 22 companies. The data presented for each company are based on vendors’ responses to a questionnaire. We encourage anyone interested in purchasing an AP system to verify the information presented, particularly a company’s claims of offering innovative features.[hr]

 

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