Does your hospital want to take that next big step forward when using technology? Have you looked into telepathology scanners but arent quite sure what they are?
Telepathology scanners have become one of the most vital healthcare tricks for hospitals. They can use the scanners to keep ahead of the game.
When it comes to healthcare tips, take a look at these five valuable tricks. They are great for using a telepathology scanner in a hospital setting. Learn more here!.
What is Telepathology
Telepathology is part of digital pathology. It allows electronic communication between scientists for research, primary diagnosis, and second opinions.
This technology allows field experts from around the world to communicate with ease. Disease travels, so why can’t the communication of such subjects do the same.
There are different types of systems used with telepathology. With the growth of digital concepts worldwide, some organizations have found telepathology helpful. Many have started looking into ways to implement it.
Here is just a couple of examples of the benefits of pathology scanning technology.
Whole Slide Imaging
Whole Slide Imaging creates a high-resolute image of slides through a telepathology scanner. This image allows healthcare companies to discuss it with people from all over the globe.
This system is perfect for those healthcare workers who cant travel between countries. It also allows for a far more accurate diagnostic to be made compared to the usual method used.
Live-Action Reads
Through the use of robotics, healthcare workers can manipulate a scanner remotely. Using this process allows them to adjust the focus and illumination of the scanner. All while viewing it on a screen in a different room. This room could even be in a separate building or further.
The scanner has a camera that digitally sends the information shown to a separate screen. It also has a microphone/speaker to allow communication between users.
5 Healthcare Tips for You to Use
Telepathology systems can be vastly helpful for you and your hospital. Learning how to use one may take some time. You cannot rush perfection.
Now you have an idea of what Telepathology is and what uses the scanner has for healthcare companies. Let’s have a look at a few healthcare tricks for your telepathology scanner.
Concentrate During the Tissue Prep
Tissue preparation has to be one of the most critical steps when making your slides digital. Take care now to stop yourself from struggling later.
- Take note that regular microscopes have a larger range of focus than that of a pathology scanner.
- When prepping your sample, keep to the standard tissue thickness. Doing so will get achieve the best results.
- Avoid damaging or altering the sample in any way. Doing this could affect the image.
- Choose glass coverslips over plastic.
- Double and triple-check the slide before sending it to be scanned.
Take Care When Handling the Slides
If the tissue prep went according to plan, that’s great. You should still take care and check the slides once they arrive for the scanning.
- Are the slides dry? Ensure there is no moisture or stickiness.
- Are the slides clean? Can you see any fingerprints which will interrupt the scan?
- Are the labels sufficiently placed? Are they sticky or overlapping the slide?
If you miss anything that could alter the scan, it could prove problematic enough to have to start again.
Suggestions for Scanning Your Slides
If everything has gone right, you should be able to see all the tissue you wish to see on your slide. While at the same time avoiding those objects you want to avoid. Yet, you may still encounter poor scanning.
- Poor scanning can happen if the tissue has strained or other distortions which may arise.
- Ensure your scanner’s focus is on automatic. If you are using oil scanning, be sure to use enough oil and don’t allow it to dry out. Yet, too much oil can also distort the image, so be wary.
- If you have a larger slide than the rest, make sure your scanner can handle it before you attempt to scan it. Learning what your scanner cannot do is equally important to what it can.
- Say you have taken every precaution getting to this stage. You may still find human errors have damaged your slide. You can still scan these slides, but you will need to take extra care when doing it.
Don’t Feed the Scanner
Some scanners may have the flaw in breaking the slide while going through the scan. If this happens, it can be solved.
It’s a maintenance issue that healthcare workers can prevent. Simply by ensuring your scanner can handle the imperfect slide you wish to use.
Stressful Barcodes
Your scanner will take into account the barcodes used from each slide. If the barcode is blocked, it will not scan.
The scanner will assume that a 1×3 slide will have a single barcode at the top of the slide. If it doesn’t see the barcode, it will believe there isn’t one there.
If you know a specific slide doesn’t have a barcode for some reason, you will have to scan the slide manually.
All of this can sound quite stressful. Contact us for a free consultation or if you have any other healthcare questions.
Your Slide Has Scanned
Now you know more healthcare tips with regards to Telepathology scanners. Hopefully, you will understand things more when your scanner arrives.
Make sure you have a clean slide and take care not to break it during the process.
Check what your scanner can and can’t handle. Does it need maintenance to stop it from swallowing your slides?
Check out our other blogs on other health subjects, such as Advances in Healthcare Technology.