Professor of Pathology Raj Dash, MD, FCAP, Adjunct Associate Professor of Pathology Diana Cardona, MD, MBA, and Assistant Professor of Vascular and Interventional Radiology Nicholas Befera, MD, led a group of Duke Pathology faculty members to create content for interactive, patient- friendly pathology reports. The group included Associate Professor Anne Buckley, MD, PhD, Associate Professor Avani Pendse, MBBS, PhD, Assistant Professor Jadee Neff, MD, PhD, and Assistant Professor John M. Carney, MD.
Befera, who is founder and chief executive officer of Scanslated, worked with Duke Health Technology Solutions to implement the new platform into the My Duke Health patient portal. Duke Health has been a pioneer in patient-centered reporting, and is now the first insitution in the country to offer patient-friendly pathology reports.
Launched for pathology reports on July 29, 2025, the first-of-its-kind AI-powered technology transforms Duke pathology and radiology reports into a patient-friendly interactive format. The software distills complex medical terminology into easy-to-understand language for patients using plain language explanations and diagrams created by board-certified experts.
“The response to patient-friendly radiology reports has been extraordinary,” said Befera. “Duke patients are telling us they feel better informed, more prepared for follow up, and genuinely involved in their care. We’re excited to be working with Duke Pathology to bring that same clarity and compassion to pathology and lab results, empowering patients with understanding at every step of their journey.”
In the first 2.5 months after launching, 7,061 unique patient-friendly reports were viewed and patients opened more than 18,500 plain-language explanations and diagrams, for a total of 414 hours of engagement time. The new reports have been received very well and referred to as “clear cut and seamless” in survey feedback, with 95% indicating the explanations and diagrams helped them understand the report.
92% of survey respondents said the patient-friendly report makes them more likely to choose Duke Health in the future, and 94% indicate they feel more prepared for follow-up visits with their providers.
Dash serves as vice chair of Anatomic Pathology and Informatics. In addition to pathology, his background includes computer science. He is passionate about bringing a combination of technical expertise and clinical knowledge to members and staff. His unique knowledge and expertise enable him to advocate for the optimal tools and resources that pathologists need in today’s digital world. He continues to position pathologists in leadership roles in the delivery of better and safer patient care.
Cardona is Chair of Pathology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Befera is co-founder and CEO of Scanslated, Inc. and assistant professor of Vascular/Interventional Radiology at Duke Health. Scanslated, Inc. is a physician-led Duke Start-up that has successfully developed software for patient-centered radiology and pathology reporting.