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The informatics team has thoroughly tested the application and demonstrated it to the immunology lab, but, unlike with the patient look-up process, the immunology group has yet to begin using the graphing functionality, Dr. Mathias says. “One of the challenges is, when you take a process that is manual and everyone understands the steps, it takes a certain level of buy-in from the laboratory to put their faith in more automated solutions that are not as transparent to them,” he notes.

Before using a new tool, specialty labs typically need time to test it in edge cases to feel confident that the automated solution will produce the same results as the manual process in any scenario, Dr. Mathias explains. But due to staffing challenges, the immunology lab has not had time to complete such testing. The informatics team plans to continue to work through that process with the lab in the months ahead, he adds.

Longer-term, the informatics team would like to evaluate “bigger picture” tools that could further streamline the workflow for the Merkel cell antibody panel. For example, there may be a better way to use the LIS to manage the patient-identity issues that made it challenging to group tests from the same patient, Dr. Mathias says.

However, he admits, creating a single-patient identity within the LIS for the Merkel cell antibody panel and other common outreach lab tests “might be a little bit more challenging to implement in our situation of receiving a large volume of individual, unrelated samples.” Yet it’s an idea the informatics team wants to evaluate down the road, he adds.

Drs. Stoffel and Mathias realize that UW Medicine is fortunate to have a large enough staff of programmers to build and maintain customized tools. Dr. Stoffel, who completed her fellowship last year, says her current institution only writes custom software for reports. Still, she notes, the Merkel cell antibody panel project yielded lessons that she can apply to her new role as associate chief medical informatics officer for laboratory medicine and pathology at M Health Fairview, in Minneapolis.

Among them, using process mapping to make a case for moving to a different software system. Furthermore, she adds, the concept of breaking a large workflow into smaller components could help hospitals with fewer IT resources better match their commercial products, reports, or other functionality to their specific needs.

“Even though we couldn’t fix everything right away,” Dr. Stoffel says, “we could go from doing nothing to doing something. I think this demonstrates that making incremental improvements can make a big difference, and there are always opportunities to do that.” —Renee Caruthers

ABP granted extension of practice pathway for clinical informatics certification

The American Board of Medical Specialties has approved the American Board of Pathology’s request to extend the practice pathway for the clinical informatics subspecialty through 2025.

The practice pathway allows physicians with substantial experience in clinical informatics but who have not completed an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited fellowship in clinical informatics to apply for the clinical informatics certification exam. The exam is a collaboration between the American Board of Pathology and the American Board of Preventative Medicine.

As a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Board of Pathology establishes certification and continuing certification standards and assesses the qualifications of individuals seeking to obtain voluntary certification in the specialty of pathology.

Additional information about the practice pathway extension is available at www.abpath.org/images/booklets/ABP_BOI.pdf.

GoMeyra LIMS targets COVID-19 testing

GoMeyra is marketing the cloud-based GoMeyra laboratory information management system, which was created to increase COVID-19 test-processing productivity.

The software has tripled COVID-19 testing capacity in select laboratories and allows labs to provide same-day, direct-to-patient results reporting, according to a company press statement.

The GoMeyra platform includes a private nationwide laboratory network that allows client labs to move COVID-19 test orders from one lab to another to accommodate overflow testing and patient requests. Using a single portal, labs communicate with each other to manage high daily order volumes and guard against test-processing bottlenecks.

“This allows small, independent labs—regardless of location—to team up, take on more business, and compete with larger diagnostics companies,” GoMeyra reported.

The GoMeyra LIMS package includes two mobile apps that can be used with Apple or Android devices. The GoMeyra Collect app for SARS-CoV-2 allows laboratorians to scan samples, track and address tests remotely, monitor operations, and review data from anywhere. The GoMeyra Scan app allows school and business administrators to scan an individual’s QR code or badge to verify that they have undergone the requisite COVID-19 testing to return to school or work.

GoMeyra, 702-846-3962

Inspirata gets FDA clearance for digital pathology system

Inspirata has received FDA clearance for its Dynamyx scanner-agnostic digital pathology software, allowing the open platform to be used for primary diagnosis.

The company sought regulatory clearance for the software despite the FDA’s temporary waiver of 510(k) requirements for such products during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Inspirata recognizes our customers’ desire to have the assurance of an FDA market clearance,” said Mark Lloyd, Inspirata’s executive vice president and founder, in a press statement.

Inspirata struck a distribution deal for Dynamyx with Fujifilm in 2020.

Inspirata, 813-570-8900

Siemens expands into digital pathology market via deal with Proscia

Proscia and Siemens Healthineers have entered into an agreement under which Siemens will offer Proscia’s Concentriq Dx digital pathology platform in combination with its Syngo Carbon enterprise imaging system as a best-of-breed solution.

“With Proscia’s Concentriq Dx platform, Siemens Healthineers is entering the digital pathology market to satiate the rampant demand and expand its enterprise imaging offering with industry-leading technology to realize the full value of digital pathology operations,” according to a press release from Proscia.

Proscia, 215-608-5411

Dr. Aller practices clinical informatics in Southern California. He can be reached at raller@usc.edu. Dennis Winsten is founder of Dennis Winsten & Associates, Healthcare Systems Consultants. He can be reached at dwinsten.az@gmail.com.