Blog Layout
Gestalt's Clifford Interviewed for being named in Top 10 Workflow Solution Providers
Bringing Pathology Laboratories into the Age of Digital
Atypical pathology laboratory workflow is a complex, lengthy, and complicated series of events, which requires a manual review of tissue specimen on glass slides to render a diagnosis. Digital pathology has been successful in overcoming the numerous limitations associated with traditional pathology. By using a computerized, image-based (digital slides) system for managing and interpreting information, technicians can now deliver rapid and accurate test results worldwide. Gestalt, a digital pathology solution provider, is committed to bringing anatomic pathology into the digital age. The company provides enterprise solutions and services that help transform anatomic pathology laboratories from glass slides, microscopes, and couriers, to a more automated, electronic digital workflow. In an inter-view with CIO Applications, Lisa Jean Clifford, COO and Chief Strategy Officer, of Gestalt Diagnostics, sheds her insights on digital pathology and how their solution brings the conventional pathology workflow to the electronic digital workflow. She has over 20 years of experience in high-tech industries, nearly 3/4 of which is specifically in healthcare tech.
Can you give me a brief overview of Gestalt Diagnostics?
Gestalt Diagnostics leading product is PathFlow, a universal, easy to use digital platform for pathology laboratories. Through our platform, we enable Pathologists to interpret, and di-agnose patient cases quickly, efficiently, and in a fully automated fashion. Our company also provides top-notch IT services and support to include consulting services, staff augmenta-tion, and interfacing, along with custom development work for our clients. Gestalt’s development philosophy is based on an open, interoperable architecture. For that reason, we are application and vendor agnostic and work closely with multiple vendors in the industry. By working with numerous applications, we incorporate all of the relevant case information, providing a seamless workflow for the Pathologist. What are some of the challenges your clients face and how do you enhance their workflows with your solutions? We serve a diverse range of clientele, which includes hospitals, integrated health networks, commercial laboratories, reference laboratories, midsize laboratories, physician owned la-boratories, and more. The biggest challenge for our clients is the ability to support clients and patients in multiple and remote locations. For many
clients, implementing the best of breed solutions to enhance their workflow is an uphill challenge. In a laboratory there are two levels of workflow; the technical workflow, and the pathologist’s workflow. Technical workflow occurs between the instruments, specimens, and
technicians. Pathologists do not want to be bogged down by the laboratory’s technical workflow like they are in a typical laboratory information management solution. Our solu-tion elevates the pathologist to be on top of that workflow by providing a unique, fully au-tomated, and completely integrated environment. Through our platform, we provide the Pathologist with access to their case information, including patient data, patient history, whole slide images, integrated natural language processing such as voice recognition, AI and Image Analysis Algorithms, report templates and we even support manual, glass cases within the same, unified workflow. Our automated report templates, or ability to integrate directly with the lab’s LIS reporting application supports automated reporting, to include
synoptic reports. We use artificial intelligence and image analysis algorithms to augment such processes. The single window approach enhances the workflow and also the working environment. This approach enables the pathologist to diagnose a patient and sign out their cases faster and more efficiently than before. Above all, digital pathology increases the ac-curacy and the safety of the diagnosis.
What are the features and functionalities of the platform?
Our product is web-based and we offer hosting for the entire platform for the client in the cloud. For that reason, the clients do not have to worry about OS updates or IT support. However, we also allow the clients to host the platform themselves on premises, if that is the model they prefer. Asa web-based application, our PathFlow solution enables true global access for pathologists 24 hours per day, 7 days per week with a unique, secure login for each user. The platform enables interoperability, communication across time zones and across countries. We
have an image management solution that integrates with multiple vendor’s scanners and to do so simultaneously. This provides, the labs with the ability to de-termine which scanners they feel are the best fit for their use cases in each laboratory. Our image management system captures the images from the scanner and matches them with the appropriate case through integration with the laboratory’s ordering system (LIS, HIS, EMR, etc.). We provide automatic case matching and automatic case routing to a pa-thologist’s worklist. The robust, automated case routing is based on over 60 configurable rules. The laboratory can define and adjust these rules based on their preferences. We offer workflow routing based on parameters like work load balancing, scheduling, licensure, sub-specialty, customer preference, and pathologist’s preference. We provide the relevant case information, clinical history including prior visit history, and any images associated with ear-lier visits. We integrate artificial intelligence and image analysis algorithms for specific can-cer detection data directly within the pathologist’s cockpit for use during the case workflow. Moreover, we offer integrated templates for reporting, and voice recognition capability. We also integrate the platform with synoptic reports so that the information is captured automatically while generating the final report.
Can you tell us a recent customer success story? A large laboratory that offers different contractual work for their customers, including TC, PC, and Global work, approached us to support their disparate workflows into one single platform. The PathFlow solution provides our customer with the ability to provide a single platform for each workflow and provides their pathologists with access to their cases re-gardless of their location which includes multiple laboratories, states, and the US Virgin Isl-ands in this instance. Their remote customers are able to access their cases with their virtual slide tray the same day vs. having to wait for the glass slides to be shipped.
What are some of the key differentiating factors for Gestalt Diagnostics?
Gestalt Diagnostics enjoys the challenge of addressing unique workflows and maintains an entrepreneurial approach to addressing each customer’s need. We have an advanced tech-nology staff who are continually innovating new features requested by our customers as standard capabilities or custom applications to seamlessly integrate specific functionalities that enhance their workflows. In addition, the experience and expertise of our IT services staff is incomparable. Our IT staff is able to think out of the box and collaborate with the client’s IT department to help them enhance their workflows, support legacy applications and build automated reporting. We also provide interim CIO and staff augmentation in addition to consulting services.
What is the next big step for your company?
We are continuing to push the technology around AI and image analysis and we are conti-nually augmenting our platform by adding more features and functionalities. We are also looking to develop new applications that are relevant to the healthcare industry, such as BugHub™, our wellness tracking app for screening and monitoring of health symptoms such as for Covid-19. At present, our applications include clinical, research and education mod-ules in a single unified and truly interoperable platform.
Gestalt’s Advisory Board guides the development of Gestalt’s digital pathology platform,
PathFlow® – made by pathologists for pathologists
A Digital Pathology Today podcast with Lisa-Jean Clifford of Gestalt - A Fresh Start for Pathology
Gestalt Diagnostics, Inc., a leading provider of (AI)-driven digital pathology solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its leading-edge AI Algorithm Evaluator. This groundbreaking, patent-pending tool empowers pathologists, researchers, and healthcare professionals to assess and compare the performance of AI algorithms with unprecedented precision directly within our award-winning PathFlow® solution. This new feature will be demonstrated during the USCAP 2024 conference in Baltimore this week.
March 20, 2024 – Spokane, Washington – Gestalt, a leading provider of (AI)-driven digital pathology solutions, is excited to announce a series of significant enhancements to its educational module and digital pathology solution, within the PathFlow® solution. These advancements underscore Gestalt's commitment to transforming healthcare from every perspective. Our newly expanded Education Module now includes automated, digital evaluation, proficiency testing, credentialing management, and results comparison features. Designed to streamline and ease the heavily manual processes of pathologist proficiency testing, onboarding, and credentialing. "Our commitment to innovation extends across all facets of pathology, from Anatomic Pathology (AP), Research, and Education to Management and Administrative functions. These enhancements reflect our vision for a future where education and technology converge to improve operational processes," says Lisa-Jean Clifford, Chief Strategy Officer and COO at Gestalt Diagnostics. "Our solutions are designed to significantly streamline workflow, enhance efficiency, support patient safety, and offer improved quality and cost. We believe that delivering products with these goals in mind will have a major impact on operations within healthcare, academic, and research facilities, for the pathologist, scientist, and clinician, ultimately providing faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment for the patient and optimized operations with significant savings to organizations." Gestalt Diagnostics has a proven track record of excellence. Its customers are already leveraging the company's expertise for primary diagnoses*, tumor boards, onboarding and training, collaboration, and supporting remote access for hundreds of client pathologists who are geographically dispersed. Additionally, Gestalt supports research and retrospective image and data capture for over 10 million pathology slides. Join us at USCAP, March 23-28, at booth #554 to see how our efforts in clinical, education, and research initiatives are setting new standards in digital solutions. *Research use only unless following CAP guidelines for LDT. CE-IVD certified for use in Europe.
Featured in G2 Intelligence January 2024—In an insightful discussion on the evolving landscape of data analytics within clinical laboratories, Lisa-Jean Clifford, COO and Chief Strategy Officer at Gestalt Diagnostics, highlights the integration of data analytics across various facets of laboratory operations. She emphasizes its critical role in enhancing operational efficiency, resource management, and patient safety. Clifford's commentary sheds light on the extensive applications of data analytics in lab environments—from streamlining operational workflows to improving patient care. She also addresses the challenges labs face, such as navigating the vast array of data analytics solutions and the need for specialized knowledge in pathology informatics. Moreover, Clifford points to the promising future of digital solutions and AI in expanding the capabilities of clinical labs, suggesting a burgeoning potential for growth and innovation in the field.
January 11, 2024 – Spokane, Washington – Gestalt announces the addition of Sagis Diagnostics to their customer roster. Recognizing the evolving landscape of healthcare technology, Sagis has embraced a transformative approach to their pathology services and has added digital pathology to their strategy. Gestalt’s industry leading, award-winning platform will be implemented for use in clinical and academic workflows, to include integrated artificial intelligence algorithms. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Sagis aims to streamline the diagnostic process and enhance overall efficiency. The advantages of transitioning to digital pathology for the company include reducing operational costs and delays related to courier services and enabling real-time collaboration and access to patient cases for pathologists in various locations. “We believe that digital pathology is not just a technological upgrade but a strategic move towards a more sustainable and efficient future. By partnering with Gestalt, we aim to provide our pathologists with a state-of-the-art platform that aligns with our commitment to excellence," said Lynn Brock, COO at Sagis. “The thorough evaluation of various vendors led us to select Gestalt as the preferred partner. Through an exhaustive comparison of features, applications, and a detailed matrix analysis, Gestalt emerged as the vendor that best met our requirements, ticking off all the crucial aspects in clinical, research, and educational domains. This decision aligns with our commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in healthcare.” The decision to embrace digital pathology was driven by several key factors. Initially, Sagis recognized significant cost-saving potential by eliminating the need for daily courier services to multiple cities in Texas, while also addressing challenges posed by weather conditions and unforeseen disruptions. Furthermore, Sagis sought to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities to empower pathologists and optimize diagnostic processes. The integration of AI allows for the pre-screening of specimens before pathologists begin their workday, ensuring a prioritized and efficient diagnostic workflow. A crucial aspect of this shift is the ability to attract and retain pathologists in an ever-shrinking pool of talent. The flexibility offered by digital pathology allows pathologists to work remotely, eliminating the need for relocation. This not only addresses the current challenges in hiring pathologists but also positions Sagis as an innovative and attractive employer in the healthcare sector. Gestalt COO & Chief Strategy Officer, Lisa-Jean Clifford says, “This shift represents a significant milestone in Sagis's commitment to delivering high-quality pathology services while embracing the opportunities presented by digital innovation. We are proud to work with innovative laboratories like Sagis who have a broad vision for expansion and use of technology and the positive impact this transition will have on patient care, as well as the broader healthcare ecosystem.” About Sagis Sagis is an entirely physician-led pathology group backed by a CLIA and CAP-accredited histology lab located in the heart of Houston, Texas. With board-certified and subspecialty-trained pathologists always within reach, we deliver the highest quality services to physicians, physician groups, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospitals. Our commitment to quality and excellence is built upon our expertise and the utilization of the latest diagnostic tools. Providing accurate, prompt, and clear diagnoses in a personal and customizable manner, we prioritize our referring physicians' needs. As a patient-centric facility, we strive to deliver the best medical care possible. Visit Sagis at www.sagisdx.com *Research use only unless following CAP guidelines for LDT. CE-IVD certified for use in Europe.
This award is another validation of Gestalt's contributions to supporting better healthcare through technology.
Featured in CAP TODAY December 2023—Digital pathology and AI—the push, the potential, the changing questions, the reimbursement, and the caution. All that and more came up when CAP TODAY publisher Bob McGonnagle led a conversation online with pathologists and industry representatives, featuring Lisa-Jean Clifford, COO and Chief Strategy Officer of Gestalt.
With the advancement and expanded uses of technology in the laboratory we have a host of opportunities in the hands of physicians and scientists to explore and study diseases in-depth and in a way that we historically have not been able to. Read on to discover more...
