Excellence in Service to Patients

The unwavering goal of the Pathology group at Massachusetts General Hospital has always been excellence in service to patients – accurate diagnosis, communicated effectively and efficiently – and the highest standards in research and training.

Today’s Mass General Pathology Service builds on over 200 years of experience.  Internationally known for excellence, we have grown substantially: annual volume exceeds 12 million clinical laboratory tests, 87,000 surgical specimens, 42,000 cytopathology specimens, and 30,000 blood transfusions. Our unwavering goal has always been excellence in service to patients – accurate diagnosis, communicated effectively and efficiently – and the highest standards in research and training. 

The field of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine – at Mass General and beyond – has entered an era of exhilarating, unprecedented expansion. We are committed to full participation in two exciting areas that are transforming medicine:

“Big Data”: As the branch of medicine that generates vast amounts of patient data/information, Pathology is well-positioned to interpret it. We are bringing sophisticated artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced decision-support tools to medicine, using technology to develop ever-better testing that catches health problems early.  Here’s an example: MGH Pathology Experts Forge New Mode of Diagnosis. Our vision is that Pathology’s success with these computational approaches will liberate front-line healthcare providers from having to focus on the computer screen, allowing them to spend more time interacting with patients.

Personalized Medicine: A close understanding of genes’ effect on health, integrated with all other information about an individual patient, opens the door to more accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment. Working side-by-side with clinicians at Mass General Hospital and around the world, Pathology faculty are deeply immersed in translating scientific discoveries to develop new tests and medications that are already improving patients’ lives. Read this story to learn how.

These initiatives are just part of the Mass General Pathology story.  I invite you to join us as we write the next chapters of medicine, and thank you for your interest.