Singapore General Hospital and Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, have announced that they will work together to establish the Singapore General Hospital Digital and Computational Pathology Center of Excellence. The SGH Center of Excellence aims to advance pathology practice by implementing a fully digital histopathology workflow and deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to increase productivity and enhance patient care.

Located within SGH’s Division of Pathology, one of the largest pathology laboratories in ASEAN, the Center of Excellence aims to establish ASEAN’s first fully digitized histopathology laboratory by expanding its digital pathology capabilities for primary diagnosis, training, and R&D with the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution. Both SGH and Philips will also work closely on other diverse areas, including streamlining of the histopathology laboratory’s digital workflow.

Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution enables pathologists to review and interpret digital images of surgical pathology slides prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. This technology replaces the need for traditional glass slides to be viewed under a microscope, and facilitates referencing and storage. Ultimately, digital images allow the application of computer-aided image analysis with AI.

A recent study, conducted by SGH and Philips, revealed that full digitization of SGH’s histopathology laboratory with the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution has the potential to save over 12,000 hours every year.

Through the optimization of digital pathology at SGH, the hospital will be able to further its research in AI. AI-based tools can aid pathologists in diagnosing diseases such as cancer, which is the leading cause of mortality in Singapore, and empower them to face the current challenges in pathology. The increasing number of cancer cases, an aging population, and rapid advances in personalized medicine have resulted in significant increases in the complexity of pathological diagnostics and the workload of pathologists. AI will allow pathologists to focus more on challenging tasks and unusual cases that require a higher degree of expertise and skills. 

“Digital pathology will enhance the quality and efficiency of a histopathology laboratory,” said Diederik Zeven, General Manager, Health Systems, Philips ASEAN Pacific." 

Image Caption: Philips-SGH signing ceremony (Left to Right) Mr Diederik Zeven, SVP & GM, Health Systems, Philips ASEAN Pacific; Professor Kenneth Kwek, CEO, SGH, & DGCEO (Organisational Transformation and Informatics), SingHealth; Professor Tan Puay Hoon, Chairperson, Division of Pathology, SGH Ms Caroline Clarke, EVP & Market, Leader, Philips ASEAN Pacific (not in picture)