It’s no secret that pathology is a crucial aspect of organ transplantation. But many transplant hospitals and OPOs can run into challenges due to logistical issues when trying to harvest healthy organs for transplantation.
Fast and Accurate Diagnoses
Accuracy and speed are two components of pathology that aren’t always in alignment. With access to pathologists, location, and access to reliable equipment potential issues, patients often end up suffering by having to wait for a diagnosis. Using digital pathology equipment, it’s possible to provide a diagnosis quickly and accurately, as you have access to a greater assortment of experts. This is true when it comes to cancer biopsies and determining if organs are suitable for procurement.
High-Quality Evaluations
With virtual imaging, pathologists can inspect the entire slide with far more clarity. Since the diagnostic process is driven by software, human error is less of a concern, and pathologists have an easier time evaluating the pathological history of the tissue. Higher-quality evaluations mean fewer missteps and less confusion throughout the entire process.
Real-Time Decision-Making from a Distance
When you adopt telepathology solutions, you can evaluate slides in real-time from a distance. It’s possible for pathologists to use varying levels of illumination, change focus, and use varying degrees of magnification to evaluate an entire slide and make a decision right away. This is useful when time is a factor for the patient and for slides that shouldn’t be exposed for long periods of time due to the threat of contamination.
Live Collaboration Between Experts
The potential for renowned pathologists to collaborate is rare, but with telepathology, multiple experts can collaborate in real-time via live video feed. This type of unique, live collaboration makes it possible for a pathology team that’s located in different places to come to a single consensus about a diagnosis.
Can Reach Underserved Patients
In rural areas or in certain developing countries and other areas where patients are underserved, telepathology can make a huge difference. People in areas with no access to specialists can get fast and accurate results from a pathologist without having to drive to a bigger city. Doctors also have the opportunity to serve more people, especially those who lack access to timely treatment or who are unable to travel for appointments or follow-ups.
Access to More Specialists
Telepathology helps remove barriers and allows access to a greater number of specialists to find real solutions to a wide range of different health problems. For complex cases that require input from a variety of specialists, telepathology makes it possible for everyone to get together and reach a common decision quickly and easily. It’s also possible to create a library of pathological samples for comparison and analysis for future cases.
Saves Valuable Time
When using physical samples and pathologists that are located all over the world, there is a lot of wasted movement and time when compared to the process that’s involved with telepathology. When it comes to organ transplantation alone, time is always crucial, and being able to have whole slide imaging performed quickly and by multiple experts will make a world of difference.
More Cost-Effective
When you decide to start using telepathology, there will be upfront costs to purchase the necessary equipment and technology, but in the end, it is far more cost-effective than doing things the traditional way. Digital pathology can help with staffing issues, and it certainly helps patients save money on travel and similar expenses.
Greater Educational Opportunities
When it comes to education, telepathology removes many barriers that typically limit access to all students that want to learn. It has the potential to educate more pathologists because students do not have to be physically present to receive much of the education they need. They can experience real-life clinical diagnostics by using equipment such as cryo-sectioning machines, digital pathology scanners, and digital pathology microscopes.
Timely Second Opinions
For difficult-to-diagnose cancers and other diseases, second opinions are often part of the diagnostic process. With telepathology, doctors can share biopsy samples for second opinions by qualified pathologists in just a few hours, regardless of location. This is helpful for starting treatment in a timely manner and to help reduce any stress the patient may be feeling while waiting for results. Every patient feels better with a second opinion from an expert, and telepathology is a great way to make that a reality in the shortest time possible.
Reduces Stress for Patients
As mentioned above, telepathology can help reduce stress for patients, which is often a huge factor during the diagnosis of a disease or illness. Shorter wait times will help make it, so the patient is not on edge, and not having to travel from facility to facility or city to city for diagnostic testing also contributes to stress relief. Patients often feel like they are more in control when they can remain in their own town and get the results they need without having to disrupt their life too much.
Opportunities for Cancer Research
Medical research is an ongoing and time-consuming activity that can be helped along with the help of telepathology and similar types of technology. With the help of whole slide imaging microscopes, researchers can be more thorough and come to conclusions that are more accurate than in the past. Telepathology can also help in the planning stages of medical laboratory experiments or clinical trials during the research process.
Working with Specialist Direct
Working with our team at Specialist Direct means you’ll have access to American Board-Certified pathologists and subspecialists who can interpret digital pathology studies whenever you need them. You can drastically improve diagnostic times and accuracy for better outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.
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