Peninsula Health has unveiled a pioneering Post-Endoscopy Pathway that automates the review of endoscopy and histopathology results, sharply reducing the risk of missed cancers and getting patients into specialist care faster.
The system, the first of its kind in Australia, was developed within Peninsula Health’s gastroenterology unit and is already delivering results.
“The brief that we set ourselves at the beginning of this project was, ‘How can we make it as difficult as possible to miss anything important?’” said Associate Professor Marcus Robertson, Head of Gastroenterology at Peninsula Health.
He noted that even with diligent manual reviews:
“when you are performing thousands of procedures each year, inevitably it raises the possibility that some will get missed.”
A Smarter Way to Track Results
The system, designed by gastroenterologist Dr Kim Be, automatically matches histopathology reports with their corresponding endoscopy reports. It then scans the combined data for keywords that may signal malignancy. If detected, the program instantly sends an email alert to the clinical team.
Importantly, the process does not rely on artificial intelligence.
“We explored whether we could utilise modern technology – NOT artificial intelligence – to automate a time-consuming and manual process to benefit our patients,” A/Prof Robertson said.
Tangible Benefits for Patients
Since its introduction, the pathway has cut the time from cancer detection to specialist treatment by 43 per cent.
This has been achieved through closer collaboration with surgical teams. “An appointment is made available for the patient at the very next specialist clinic,” A/Prof Robertson explained, ensuring that treatment can begin sooner.
Better Communication With Patients and GPs
The pathway also includes weekly virtual clinics where cases are reviewed. From these sessions, personalised letters are generated for both patients and their GPs—confirming results have been checked and offering tailored advice.
“Patients and GPs appreciate getting personalised advice after an endoscopic procedure,” A/Prof Robertson said, adding that similar models could be extended to other parts of the health service.
Funding Secured for Expansion
To support the pathway, Peninsula Health has secured a $100,000 grant to fund a dedicated endoscopy nurse three days a week.
“Peninsula Health is offering a state-of-the-art Gastroenterology service to the local community… our goal is that, wherever possible, we can inform patients that ‘We can offer this service here’, so that patients don’t have to travel far to get the care that they need,” A/Prof Robertson said.
