Digital pathology in the time of corona
Nikolas Stathonikos, Nadege C van Varsseveld, Aryan Vink, Marijke R. van Dijk, Tri Q. Nguyen, Wendy W.J. de Leng, Miangela M. Laclé, Roel Goldschmeding, Celien P.H. Vreuls, P. J. van Diest
Abstract
The 2020 COVID-19 crisis has had and will have many implications for healthcare, including pathology. Rising number of infections create staffing shortages and other hospital departments might require pathology employees to fill more urgent positions. Furthermore, lockdown measures and social distancing cause many people to work from home. During this crisis, it became clearer than ever what an asset digital diagnostics is to keep pathologists, residents, molecular biologists and pathology assistants engaged in the diagnostic process, allowing social distancing and a 'need to be there' on-the-premises policy, while working effectively from home. This paper provides an overview of our way of working during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis with emphasis on the virtues of digital pathology.