Palomar Pomerado Health System installs NeoPath's AutoPap 300 QC System for Pap smear rescreening; laboratory will use system to rescreen all of its negative Pap smears.ESCONDIDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 1996--Palomar Pomerado Health System (PPHS PPHS Planned Parenthood Health Systems ) has installed the AutoPap(R) 300 QC System and expects to begin providing automated Pap smear Pap smear or Papanicolaou smear Sample of cells from the vagina and cervix of the uterus for laboratory staining and examination to detect genital herpes and early-stage cancer, especially of the cervix. Developed by the Greek-born U.S. resreening services by March 1. The laboratory, among the first to adopt the new technology, will use NeoPath's AutoPap 300 QC System as part of its quality control procedures to improve the accuracy of Pap smear testing. "We have studied data that support the use of two computerized cytology cytology (sītŏl`əjē), in biology, the study of the structure of all normal and abnormal components of cells and the changes, movements, and transformations of such components. rescreening devices -- the AutoPap 300 QC System and PapNet -- and selected the AutoPap 300 QC System to be part of our quality control process for every negative Pap smear we evaluate," said Jerry Kolins, M.D., the laboratory's medical director. "We are extremely pleased to be able to offer this leading-edge technology that will increase the accuracy of Pap smear testing and provide for early detection of cervical cancer Cervical Cancer Definition Cervical cancer is a disease in which the cells of the cervix become abnormal and start to grow uncontrollably, forming tumors. ," he said. "We are currently the only health system on the West Coast to offer this service for women." The Palomar Pomerado Health System is a non-profit California Hospital District and is recognized as a leader in gynecological gynecological /gy·ne·co·log·i·cal/ (-kah-loj´i-k'l) gynecologic. cytology. It covers an area of nearly 800 square miles in North Inland San Diego County with a population of 379,000. PPHS includes the 333-bed Palomar Medical Center Palomar Medical Center (PMC) is located in Escondido, California. PMC is operated by the Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) District. Move To The ERTC - Palomar Medical Center West , 96-bed Palomar Continuing Care Center, 124-bed Pomerado Hospital, 149-bed Villa Pomerado (a skilled nursing facility skilled nursing facility n. Abbr. SNF An establishment that houses chronically ill, usually elderly patients, and provides long-term nursing care, rehabilitation, and other services. ), the Community Blood Bank, Pomerado Rehabilitation Outpatient Services, Elizabeth Hospice, Home Health Services, an Educational Center and a Health Foundation. The Pap smear is the best screening test for the early detection of precancerous precancerous /pre·can·cer·ous/ (-kan´ser-us) pertaining to a pathologic process that tends to become malignant. pre·can·cer·ous adj. conditions and cervical cancer. The AutoPap 300 QC System is a quality control device that rescreens Pap smear slides initially classified as normal by a trained cytotechnologist cy·to·tech·nol·o·gist n. A technician trained in medical examination and identification of cellular abnormalities. cytotechnologist a medical laboratory technologist specializing in cytology. . In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted NeoPath approval to market the AutoPap 300 QC System based on clinical trials that showed the device significantly reduces the false negative rate of Pap smear testing in U.S. clinical laboratories. The AutoPap 300 QC System is the only fully automated system indicated for quality control rescreening of Pap smear slides. The AutoPap 300 QC System, developed by NeoPath Inc., is a medical device that integrates proprietary high-speed image processing computers, video imaging technology and sophisticated image interpretation software to capture and analyze the thousands of microscopic images from a Pap smear slide. NeoPath Inc. developed the AutoPap 300 QC System in pursuit of its goal to help eradicate cervical cancer worldwide. The company's core expertise is in the research, development, and commercialization of technologies to automate the interpretation of medical images. The company, with headquarters in Redmond, Wash., has approximately 120 employees. CONTACT: Palomar Pomerado Health System Kathleen Maher, 619/675-5131 or NeoPath Inc. Volker Kettering, 206/869-7284 or EvansGroup Public Relations Steve Bryant, 206/270-4664 |
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