140: How Are Pathologists in Japan Using AI and Digital Tools? Podcast with Dr. Robert Osamura

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Can you still call it “digital transformation” if you’re scanning slides and still tethered to glass?

This special episode, recorded at USCAP and sponsored by MUSE Microscopy, features Dr. Robert Osamura from Japan. We explore how digital pathology is being implemented across Japanese hospitals, how regulations shape adoption, and where AI and tools like MUSE could fit in a geographically complex healthcare system. We also discuss the real-world utility of direct-to-digital tools for intraoperative diagnostics and how AI is changing confidence, not replacing pathologists.

👉 Tune in for an insightful conversation bridging tradition and innovation in digital pathology.

⏱ Highlights with Timestamps

• [00:00] Starting digital pathology with glass is still required
• [02:00] Dr. Osamura’s current practice in a community hospital near Tokyo
• [03:30] Everyday use of digital pathology for biopsy cases
• [04:30] Technical and logistical advantages of digital images
• [05:45] How Japan’s island geography benefits from digital workflows
• [07:15] Government regulations: dual review (glass + digital)
• [08:40] Adoption challenges and culture around microscopes
• [10:00] The psychological shift away from glass reliance
• [11:30] Potential use cases for MUSE technology in Japan
• [13:20] Direct-to-digital for frozen sections and rapid diagnosis
• [15:00] Hospital-to-hospital collaborations in Japan
• [16:30] Reimbursement and scanner costs as limiting factors
• [17:45] AI as a confidence enhancer, not a replacement
• [18:45] Future of pathology as more patient-centered

Episode Resources:

https://musemicroscopy.com/

#sponsored #musemicroscopy #USCAP

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