Table 5.

Telepathology portal access comparisons

	General telepathology portal occasional user (asynchronous upload)	Custom/client telepathology portal large volume (imaging streaming)
Pro	Simple, easy to use; readily available to submit consultation requests	Support of large consult volumes
		Real-time consultations; no need for image transfers
	Does not require any setup at the client site	Custom logic (case routing, historical data) and custom data for specialty pathology areas
	No specific IT-level engagement needed	Bar coding, specimen identification automation to minimize risk of mislabeling
		Workflow and hardware optimization
	No direct cost to implement
	With web-based collaboration tools, a highly interactive experience is possible
Con	Limited automation; requires more user intervention	Implementation cost is higher
		Requires project level engagement between clients to resolve IT connectivity issues and installation of software at the remote site
	Potential long file upload times for whole slide images
	Limited ability to organize information; no custom data