Maximizing Efficiency in Digital Pathology: The Benefits of Extended Focus Technology

In today’s fast-paced healthcare environment, efficiency is key. For pathologists and laboratory technicians, the demand to deliver precise diagnoses in shorter timeframes has never been greater. Extended Focus Technology (EFI) offers a revolutionary solution that not only enhances diagnostic accuracy but also significantly reduces the time spent reviewing slides.

Here’s how EFI can save time and improve workflow:

1. Sharper Images Across Varying Focal Depths

Traditionally, reviewing slides required manual adjustments of focal planes to get a clear view of different layers within a specimen. This process is time-consuming, especially when dealing with thick or uneven samples. Extended Focus Technology automates this process by capturing images at multiple focal points and merging them into one sharp, high-resolution image.

This eliminates the need for pathologists and technicians to manually adjust focus, ensuring every layer is visible in a single scan. The result is an enhanced and more efficient review process, allowing for faster identification of relevant diagnostic features.

2. Reduced Rescanning

Missed details often mean rescanning, which takes up valuable time. With EFI, pathologists can be confident that all layers of a specimen are in clear focus on the first scan. By ensuring the highest level of clarity in one go, laboratories can avoid the bottleneck of rescanning slides, speeding up workflows and increasing throughput.

3. Improved Consistency in Results

EFI provides consistent, reproducible images. When working with critical specimens, this consistency reduces the variability between different users or when comparing images across time. For laboratories handling large volumes of cases, this feature translates to faster review cycles and more reliable data collection, allowing technicians to spend less time on image adjustments and more time on analysis.

4. Enhanced Collaboration

In multi-disciplinary environments, where multiple experts might review the same case, EFI offers an added benefit. Since the technology ensures that every focal plane is in focus, colleagues working remotely or across different sites can view the same high-quality images. This seamless collaboration speeds up consultations and reduces the turnaround time for critical diagnoses.

5. Optimized for High-Throughput Environments

For laboratories handling a high volume of slides daily, even minor inefficiencies can compound into significant delays. EFI technology helps streamline the entire workflow by allowing rapid, accurate scanning of slides, with minimal manual intervention. This improves throughput, helping labs meet tight deadlines without sacrificing diagnostic quality.

6. Faster Review and Approval

EFI’s ability to provide clear, high-resolution images reduces the time needed for quality checks. Pathologists and technicians can quickly verify the accuracy of the scanned images, accelerating the review and approval process for diagnostic results. The technology streamlines workflows, helping labs meet tighter deadlines without compromising on quality.

Conclusion

Extended Focus Technology is more than just a feature—it’s a transformative tool that enhances productivity, accuracy, and collaboration in digital pathology. By automating the focus adjustment process, reducing the need for rescans, and ensuring clear, consistent images, EFI saves both time and effort, allowing pathologists and laboratory technicians to focus on what matters most—providing fast, accurate diagnoses for better patient outcomes.

For laboratories looking to optimize their workflow, reduce turnaround times, and elevate the quality of their diagnostics, EFI is a game-changer.

Joe Chapa is a Digital Pathology Specialist with Epredia, working to integrate cutting-edge AI and digital pathology solutions in healthcare. He shares insights on the latest trends and innovations in pathology on LinkedIn.

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