Digital pathology is transforming diagnostic workflows across hospitals, enabling greater precision, efficiency and collaboration
Quirónsalud, Paris Saint-Joseph and Marie Lannelongue hospitals have partnered with Philips to implement digital pathology solutions that eliminate location-based limitations, ease storage infrastructure concerns and have prepared the hospitals for future innovations.
Transforming pathology at Quirónsalud
Quirónsalud is the largest hospital group in Europe, with more than 80 hospitals and medical centers in Spain alone. Quirónsalud began its digital pathology journey in 2017, partnering with Philips to implement a fully digital workflow in four hospitals it manages in Madrid.
Currently, 38 pathologists utilize this fully digital pathology solution, generating over one million whole-slide images (WSIs) annually. With more than 5.6 million WSIs stored in a cloud-based system totaling over 6.4 Petabytes, the infrastructure supports the entire diagnostic workflow – from image acquisition to remote reporting.
Dr Juan Pablo De La Fuente Escobar, Head of Service at the Hospital Universitario General de Villalba and Director of the pathology department at all four hospitals, spearheaded the digitization of pathology services, aiming to simplify workflows and enhance diagnostic precision and efficiency. “Digital pathology is no longer just a tool – it has become the foundation of how work is organized and how collaboration takes place,” he said.
Because digital access enables diagnostic workgroups across hospitals, cases are now grouped by organ system and assigned to the most appropriate specialists, regardless of location. This model enhances diagnostic quality, workload management, and continuity of care.
Partnership with Philips continues
In 2021, the University Hospital of Guadalajara, one of the hospitals managed by Quirónsalud, underwent a comprehensive digital transformation under the leadership of Dr de la Fuente. As a result, the hospital now processes approximately 27,000 samples annually, supported by 11 pathologists. The collaboration with Philips included installing dedicated fiber-optic infrastructure and independent network cabinets to ensure system stability.
“Philips supported server configurations, monitor selection, and scanner workstation design, positioning themselves as a true partner. Their involvement ensured full integration into the diagnostic workflow,” Dr de la Fuente said.
In 2023, Quirónsalud continued to evolve its multisite network, upgrading infrastructure and optimizing the system. Stakeholders, including IT, imaging, cybersecurity, and Philips, defined a model with the laboratory information system (LIS) at the center. “This enabled cross-site diagnostic teams based on subspecialties, improving diagnostic quality and operational flexibility,” Dr de la Fuente pointed out.
Paris Saint-Joseph and Marie Lannelongue Hospitals: Accelerating efficiency
In 2021, Paris Saint-Joseph and Marie Lannelongue hospitals also partnered with Philips to digitize their pathology departments. The two sites share a technical platform that supports over 200,000 stained slides annually. The digital transformation emphasized image quality, minimal staffing, ergonomic IMS usability and IT coordination with Clinisys.
Julien Adam, MD, PhD, head of the pathology department, explained how the hospitals approached the digital conversion. “Scanner testing was conducted on-site to evaluate image quality, scanning speed, and failure rates. Pathologists were involved in IMS selection, ensuring high acceptance and engagement,” he noted.
“Philips provided an integrated solution, acting as a single partner for the entire project,” he said. “The hybrid system combining physical and digital slides yielded significant time savings in biopsy analysis and case discussions.
Looking ahead: Integrated diagnostics and cloud architecture
Dr Adam noted that digitization and cloud archiving ease clinical collaboration. Integrated diagnostics represents the next step, combining pathology and radiology data for better disease characterization. Digitization of all pathology images could enhance tumor analysis and surgical margin assessment. Structured diagnostic meetings may improve clinical decision-making and patient management,” he explained.
“Another key advancement is enhancing collaboration across sites and specialties. With all our images stored in the cloud and accessible via a unified platform, we’ve been able to build true subspecialty-based networks. Regardless of location, cases are assigned by organ system, improving diagnostic quality and operational flexibility. Finally, cloud architecture has helped reduce technical complexity. By eliminating local storage dependencies, we’ve achieved a fully scalable infrastructure that is also compliant with all legal and regulatory requirements.”
Technology plus expertise
Achieving digital excellence in pathology requires more than technology – it demands a strategic transformation of workflows, infrastructure, and collaboration. Transitioning from analog to digital pathology is a complex process, and success depends on the ability to scale effectively and integrate seamlessly across the enterprise.
Philips supports this transformation with an open, enterprise-wide platform designed to accommodate AI integration and future innovation. Its role extends beyond technology provision; Philips serves as a trusted partner throughout the entire journey.
With deep expertise in workflow consultation, change management, training and transition support, Philips works alongside institutions to ensure a smooth and sustainable shift to digital pathology. Its integrated approach helps organizations optimize performance, enhance diagnostic quality and unlock new possibilities for collaboration and scalability.
Partnering with Philips means gaining a reliable ally before, during, and after your digital transformation – one committed to helping you reach digital pathology excellence.
Results are specific to the institution where they were obtained and may not reflect the results achievable at other institutions. The information presented represents the views of the institution and the speaking physicians, and not those of Philips.
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.
