Service work (in pathology) generally includes case sign-out as a major component. Basically, the things that -must- be done for the paid department "services" to the rest of the hospital/contractual obligations.
Academics are generally assumed to split that service time with other responsibilities, from med student/resident/fellow teaching & lectures to research with publications. Different people split those responsibilities up different ways, from 100% in only one area to any other spread. Academics are usually better positioned to garner a big name in their field, due to med school association, publications, lectures, and the assumption that they see more major complex cases and get regular consults. In contrast, private practice pathologists are only required to handle service obligations, to include whatever the boss wants done &/or the market demands for you to stay in business (i.e., lumping in time spent on work related phone calls, in-house working conferences, etc.).
This generally equates to privates signing out more cases than academics but also making more money, at the expense of time spent teaching, researching, or preparing for same (which may include an inordinate amount of time trolling the internet..). For some privates it means signing out so many cases they work 12 hr days in-office (mostly the young, inexperienced, &/or poorly positioned), while for others it means zooming through the work in early/late and golfing/fishing/trolling the internet the rest of the day (mostly the older, more experienced, &/or well positioned).