Corista
Clinical Workflow Suite for Pathologists

To truly understand Elizabeth Wingard’s vision for a digital environment supporting the practice of pathology, we have to start at the origin of her story. A technology-focused entrepreneur, Elizabeth sought to recast the digital transformation that occurred in radiology by solving the unique challenges of pathology—laying the cornerstone for Corista. Having seen first-hand the remarkable benefits of digital PACS to Radiology, Corista has sought to deliver the benefits, for digital pathology. The way to do so is to attack and solve the unique and sometimes vexing challenges inherent in pathology practice. For the past 130 years, pathologists have been viewing images through microscopes. The practice requires three components be present simultaneously: the pathology slides (glass slides with tissue stained samples), a microscope for viewing, and a pathologist with knowledge, often specialized, in that particular tissue type. Taking the step to create digital images of the slide (via a Whole Slide Image Scanner) solves a fundamental problem, but does not create an entire solution. Digitized pathology images are massive in size, so providing secure interconnectivity between geographic locations and devices was a major challenge. Another, perhaps even more significant challenge was how to integrate the entire pathology practice into the overall system of care—within the hospital’s information systems, and across hospital systems for each individual patient. Addressing these challenges is Corista’s comprehensive and award-winning clinical workflow platform, which combines an extensive suite of workflow capabilities for pathology, integrating multiple facilities, physicians, whole slide imaging (WSI) scanners and laboratory information systems (LIS) into a unified environment.

Corista has broken new ground with its comprehensive DP3^® platform. With this intuitive platform, laboratories accept and process tissue specimens, create glass slides and digitize them using WSI scanners. The digital images are posted for instant access and integrated with the patient’s data from the LIS, eliminating the traditional time delay inherent when labs send physical slides to geographically dispersed experts for review. DP3 also provides an intuitive interface for doctors to provide notes, and detailed descriptions, review Tumor Boards, remediate cases in a Quality Assurance process, thereby improving both the quality and speed of care.

We provide pathologists with enhanced tools for patient case reviews as they receive cases from around the world, collaborate with their peers in real-time and support patients in a digital environment

“We provide pathology departments with enhanced capabilities for receiving cases from around the world in a secure environment. Pathologists have tools for digital case reviews, can collaborate with peers in real-time, and access Image Analysis software from leading providers providing additional case insights for patient support,” states Elizabeth.

Pathologists can address a variety of workflows for case reviews and reporting, integrating images from multiple WSI scanners with the patient’s data from their LIS. “The pathologists take advantage of a scalable platform that adjusts to their workflow needs,” explains Elizabeth. Using the browser-based platform speeds responses while enabling pathologists to support remote patients and facilities who can send difficult cases for expert and/or QA reviews, by the specialists within Expert Centers. The specialists can create detailed synoptic reports, view images side by side and simultaneously synthesize notes and opinions to collaborate and review with their colleagues and referring physicians in distant locations.

True to her vision, Elizabeth recognizes the future impact artificial intelligence (AI) will have on pathology. Corista is applying the power of Deep Learning to identify, classify and present important histologic features for review by pathologists. In the development of AI capabilities—delivering automated algorithms to assist pathologists in the practical review of cases, in addition to the deeper approaches of identifying patterns not yet visible by the human eye will, over time, provide additional tools for pathologists in their ongoing support of patients.