Pathologists: Vital Members of the Patient Care Team

Why Patients Should Get to Know ThemWhat: For many Americans, the word “pathologist” brings to mind television shows from the past and present, such as “CSI: Crime Investigation” and “Quincy M.E.” Yet, many are unaware that 70 percent of all decisions about a patient’s diagnosis, treatment, hospital admission, and discharge rest on the pathologist’s report. Who are pathologists and why are they important? Pathologists are specialists in disease diagnosis and prevention. They are physicians who use laboratory tools to identify the cause and access the development of disease.