When a patient goes to the doctor, answers are often the goal. When pathology results are needed to provide those answers, the waiting period can be stressful.
“Our pathology division understands that the patient experience doesn’t start when the specimen reaches the lab. We understand that it starts when the patient has their biopsy,” says Emily Meserve, MD, MPH. Dr. Meserve is the division chief of anatomic pathology at Maine Medical Center, technical director of histology and immunohistochemistry at NorDx Laboratories, and managing director of Spectrum pathology.
Our focus on how our processes affect patient care is only one of the reasons Spectrum Pathology is among the state’s top pathology providers. In fact, Spectrum pathologists are the only pathologists providing services at Maine and New Hamphttps://spectrumhcp.com/services/pathology/shire’s top hospitals and health systems, including MaineHealth and Exeter Hospital.
Regardless of where the biopsy occurs, pathology’s role in the patient’s healthcare experience begins when tissue samples go out the door. While this is only one reason why Spectrum Pathology prioritizes rigorous quality control, efficient processes, and the most advanced diagnostic techniques available, at the end of the day it may be the most important.
In efforts to improve the patient’s experience, Spectrum Pathology saw a unique opportunity with NorDx Laboratories, Maine’s premier not-for-profit clinical laboratory. NorDx is the largest regional laboratory in the state of Maine. They provide a full range of laboratory services, and are committed to maximizing integration and comparability of laboratory data.
Spectrum and NorDx have discovered ways to strengthen the relationship between the technical lab and the pathologists. Although the specialty of pathology is working through post-pandemic changes like all of healthcare, this collaboration has led to more effective and efficient ways to turn samples into results for providers and their patients.
Optimized Workflows and Innovation
Typically, technical labs and pathologists do not collaborate closely. The labs prepare the slides, and the interpreting pathologist receives and analyzes the slides. In some labs, the interpreting pathologist may have little say in slide preparation or the process. Spectrum Pathology and NorDx saw a different and better way.
In this unique partnership where Spectrum pathologists can be a designated technical director, experts from both sides of the process can work together to optimize workflows and results. This collaboration starts when an opportunity for improvement is identified.
Notably, inclusive committees are a hallmark of Spectrum Health Care Partners in many areas. In the pathology division, Spectrum is regularly at the forefront of new developments — thanks in part to our team’s numerous board-certified experts with advanced sub-specialty training in all pathology disciplines.
In the unique Spectrum-NorDx collaboration, NorDx technical staff and laboratory leadership work closely with Spectrum pathologists who are designated technical directors.
When these diverse personnel identify an opportunity for improvement, it gets translated into the most superior technical product possible. In turn, this empowers the interpreting pathologist to analyze the slides with enhanced accuracy and precision. As the final step, providers can translate pathology findings into a diagnosis and treatment plans.
“The skill level required to produce the histologic patient tissue slides in conjunction with the experience and expertise of the Spectrum pathologists allow both organizations to contribute to and provide high-quality patient care,” says Richard Carter, director of anatomic pathology laboratory operations at NorDx Laboratories.
As Spectrum Pathology moves forward with innovations in digital pathology, the partnership with NorDx helps optimize processes. Our collaboration to bring digital pathology services to our patients will give providers the most accurate results as quickly as possible.
Exceptional Care for Our Community
Leading the region with a full range of advanced anatomic and clinical pathology services, our collaboration with NorDx strengthens our ability to directly inform patient care and improve the overall patient experience.
Over the course of performing more than 125,000 state-of-the-art tests annually for doctors, hospitals, and physician-owned laboratories throughout New Hampshire and Maine, that has the potential to add up to better treatment options — and better health — for entire communities.
