Diagnostic laboratory leaders view digital pathology and artificial intelligence (AI) as pivotal to advancing precision medicine. This perspective comes as organisations across the sector prioritise modernisation and seek trusted partners to support their transformation, according to new research.
The 2025 Laboratory Leadership Report, based on a survey conducted by The Dark Intelligence Group on behalf of Proscia, captures insights from 360 senior professionals representing independent, hospital, and academic laboratories around the world.
Nathan Buchbinder, Chief Strategy Officer at Proscia, said: “We’re seeing a clear signal from the market. Laboratory leaders believe that AI-driven pathology is not only ready, but essential to meeting the demands of modern healthcare. They’re now focused on getting adoption right - especially as strain from persistent industry challenges continues to intensify.”
According to The 2025 Laboratory Leadership Report, 38% of laboratory leaders cite staffing shortages as their most significant challenge, and 31% highlight declining reimbursements as their top concern. These issues outweigh other pain points, including regulatory compliance and keeping pace with emerging tests and technologies.
To address these challenges, laboratory leaders are increasingly turning to technology. Their top-ranked opportunities are automation to drive efficiency (30%), molecular and genetic testing (29%), and AI to enable precise, accurate diagnoses (25%). These findings reflect a shift away from short-term fixes and toward longer-term transformation powered by solutions including digital pathology and AI.
As laboratories modernise to overcome mounting pressures, many are simultaneously laying the foundation for precision medicine. According to the report, 86% of senior professionals believe that precision medicine has moved beyond the hype.
Leaders most often associate it with measurable benefits: more effective therapies (80%), more accurate diagnoses (75%), and improved patient outcomes (61%). Some also point to increased collaboration with pharmaceutical companies (23%), reflecting growing recognition of new revenue opportunities in the precision medicine era.
A majority (59%) say that digital pathology and AI will be highly or extremely impactful in realising precision medicine, reinforcing their central role in the laboratory’s long-term transformation.
The strategic importance of AI-driven pathology is also reflected in what laboratory leaders value most when selecting a technology vendor. According to the report, 64% cite reputation, 54% name customer references, and 46% identify future vision as one of their top vendor criteria, underscoring the need for trusted, long-term relationships to support lasting change.
This mindset extends to technology selection as well. Laboratory leaders express a clear preference for solutions that are both comprehensive and intuitive, with 47% prioritising breadth of functionality and 45% valuing user experience as key product attributes.
Click here to read The 2025 Laboratory Leadership Report and explore the complete survey findings.
Today’s Clinical Lab will also host a webinar featuring Proscia’s Nathan Buchbinder and Dr Bilal R Ahmad, Hematopathologist at Spectrum Healthcare Partners. Register to attend ‘Survey Insights on Pathology’s Transformation to AI and Precision Medicine from Laboratory Leadership’ on 16 July at 1pm ET (6pm BST).