Dutch health tech company Royal Philips today introduced its new enterprise-wide digital pathology platform called IntelliSite.

The product features a suite of scalable software tools designed to streamline workflows, enhance diagnostic confidence, facilitate collaboration, integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and increase the efficiency of pathology labs, Philips said in its announcement.

IntelliSite can be deployed in labs both small and large with its ability to conduct multi-layer slide scanning. It can also optimize pathology workflows by integrating into laboratory information systems and with its image management system that allows for multidisciplinary case reviews.

In addition, Philips boasts “superb image quality and advanced algorithms” that assist pathologists in diagnosing and creating care pathways.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Digital tools are becoming increasingly prevalent in healthcare as their potential to advance medicine gets uncovered.

Areas such as pathology and laboratory services are particularly ripe for technological development for its ability to aid in imaging, diagnosing and understanding disease biology, according to Laboratory Investigation.

Experts anticipate that laboratories will increasingly add these digital capabilities to improve their workflow and clinical processes, according to Diagnostic Histopathology.

"Integrated diagnostic capabilities are a cornerstone to a precise diagnosis and personalized care pathway selection for oncology patients and only when data and specialties work together in harmony can the ultimate promise of care be realized,” Louis Culot, general manager of Oncology Informatics at Philips, said in a statement.

“That’s why bringing together multiple pieces of the healthcare continuum – like radiology, pathology and genomics – is the key to a new paradigm of diagnostic precision. By providing pathologists the interoperability and connectivity to share high-quality images and diagnostic insights across networks, Philips Digital Pathology Suite positions them as key stakeholders in the data-driven healthcare systems of the future.”

THE LARGER TREND

Known for its health tech products, Philips has released a number of new offerings this year.

Back in February, it launched the Philips Medical Tablet, a portable monitoring kit designed to help clinicians remotely monitor larger patient populations during emergency healthcare situations, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company followed that up at HIMSS21 by debuting two new products for its HealthSuite, including one focused on patient flow capacity and a second zeroing in on the acute care telehealth space.

Then, earlier this week, Philips released a set of tools to help children prepare for MRI scans, including a gamified mobile app and a handheld educational tool kids can use to scan stuffed animals so they understand the procedure better.

Aside from its product launches, Philips has been in a number of mergers and acquisitions this year. It scooped up connected medical device company Capsule Technologies in January and then sold off its Aging and Caregiving (ACG) business to Connect America in July.

Others in the digital pathology space include PathAI, which recently acquired Poplar Healthcare Management; Paige, which scored FDA de novo clearance for its AI that helps detect prostate cancer; Proscia, which landed $23 million in Series B funding last year; and Deep Lens which brought in a $13.65 million Series A round in 2019.