Darren Whittemore, DO, Featured in Orlando Medical News 

May 14, 2021 | Digital Dermatopathology

How does one slated to become an astronaut end up becoming a leading dermatopathologist? 

In a recent interview with Orlando Medical News, Darren Whittemore, DO, explains his roundabout journey to becoming a dermatopathologist and, ultimately, joining PathologyWatch. 

“The innovation emerging from this field has a global impact,” says Darren. “Technology has the power to bring together experts and students, breaking down barriers and extending our reach to smaller clinics in rural areas.”

Here are some highlights from that interview: 

OMN: Why did you choose a career in medicine?

Darren: While part of the aerospace engineering program as an undergraduate, I came to appreciate the completion of a project, which doesn’t always happen in the real engineering market. I was drawn to watching a project come full-circle. That’s what helped me decide to move toward a career in medicine. Those plans were confirmed when I got an Air Force scholarship for pathology at one of the biggest AF academic centers at the time.

OMN: What are you continuing to strive for in the world of dermatopathology?

Darren: I am fortunate to be surrounded by individuals who are committed to helping dermatology clinics deliver industry-leading care to their patients. That’s why I chose a career in dermatopathology: to make a difference.

To read the full interview with Darren Whittemore by Orlando Medical News, click here. 

 

PathologyWatch Boasts Key Addition to Its Roster of Dermatopathologists with Allison Readinger, MD

May 7, 2021 | Digital Dermatopathology, Pathology Business, Press Release

A leader in dermatology and dermatopathology, Allison Readinger, MD, joins PathologyWatch’s clinical team to assist in the growing landscape of digital healthcare.

Salt Lake City—March 7, 2021—PathologyWatch, a full-service digital pathology service, is pleased to welcome Allison Readinger, MD, to its clinical team. A highly qualified and respected dermatologist and dermatopathologist, Readinger brings a wealth of industry knowledge and innovation, coinciding with PathologyWatch’s mission to preserve and extend life for patients while reducing healthcare costs.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Readinger join us as a member of our clinical team. Her industry expertise and seasoned leadership skills make her a genuine asset,” said Dan Lambert, cofounder and chief executive officer of PathologyWatch. “Together, we are eager to expand our reach across the Texas market, positively impacting the lives of our healthcare providers and their patients.”

An alumnus of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Readinger is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist with over 15 years of experience. In October 2010, she opened Trinity Vista Dermatology to offer more dermatology services to the rapidly growing population of Fort Worth, Texas.

Readinger recently served as President of the Texas Dermatological Society and continues to advocate for patients, for physician and resident education, and for her specialty.

At her core, Readinger enjoys bonding with her patients, providing excellent care, and being at the forefront of advances in medical technology. With an understanding of the importance of attention to detail and personalized care in modern medicine, she makes an excellent addition to the PathologyWatch family.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the continued growth of digital dermatopathology,” said Readinger. “The landscape of digital dermatopathology is growing at a rapid pace, and I am eager to assist in the continued growth and progress of our field.”  She adds, “I hope to utilize digital dermatopathology to expand further my ability to offer great clinicopathologic correlation to my clients.”

For more information, please email [email protected] or visit us at pathologywatch.com.

About PathologyWatch
PathologyWatch is the groundbreaking leader of digital dermatopathology services. Through these services, dermatology clinics, hospitals and laboratories can improve operational efficiency by speeding up workflow and enhancing patient outcomes by utilizing the PathologyWatch expert professional team and partner laboratory services. This can facilitate best-in-class reads and, in some cases, enable additional revenue to the practice by in-housing pathology. With an intuitive and easy-to-implement digital pathology solution that includes access to top-tier dermatopathologists and a streamlined clinical workflow that interfaces directly into the EMR, PathologyWatch brilliantly combines state-of-the-art technology and clinical decision-making to deliver unprecedented patient care.

3 Ways Locum Tenens Can Help Expand Your Pathology Lab

Apr 22, 2021 | Digital Dermatopathology, Pathology Business

If you are exploring new ways to expand your pathology lab with additional services or you see a need to bolster your team to keep up with growing demands, hiring full-time pathologists may feel a little too risky. Rather than putting off your plans, have you considered locum tenens with on-demand dermatopathologists? 

A recent survey found that 69 percent of healthcare facility managers said they use at least one locum tenens provider in a typical month, while 19 percent said they use seven or more. They recognize the benefits that locum tenens provides, including consistent revenue, flexibility in patient care, and expanding access to patient care. Let’s discuss how each point may benefit you.

1. Protects Revenue Flow

How can you keep your lab running when your primary revenue generators need time off? Schedule a locum tenens dermatopathologist to cover for them. That means you can bill for services even when your primary providers are not available.  “If we don’t have a physician working, that means we don’t have a nurse working, and it goes all the way down through the organization. So the locum physicians are an integral part of how we provide care,” says Kelly Cameron, a director of provider recruitment and retention.

Similarly, if a lab is short-handed on dermatopathologists, profits may be lost as clinics will be forced to send their work elsewhere to ensure appropriate turnaround times.  At PathologyWatch, our locum tenens dermatopathologists work remotely to easily transition between labs by using digital pathology tools that streamline tasks and create a more efficient and cost-saving process for you. That means you save on expenses for travel, housing, and per diems. Plus, our EMR interface provides quick access to results, patient information, health services partners, etc. Should you opt for virtual locum services, we offer secure, 24/7 access to your pathology slides.

2. Provides Flexibility in Patient Care 

An important step in patient care innovation is to provide specialized services your patients want and need. But it can be risky to explore new care models by hiring permanent staff. Our staff of board-certified, academic-level dermatopathologists provide expertise in the areas you may be considering in your clinic.  Do you want to specialize in rare skin diseases that are prevalent in your area? Test that service with a locum tenens dermatopathologist. If it’s successful, a locum tenens doctor can remain in place until a permanent position is filled. 

3. Expands Access to Patient Care

We’ve encountered at least two ways that locum tenens dermatopathologists can help your practice reach more patients. These include treating patients in rural or seasonally-impacted areas and using teledermatology for those who have difficulty visiting a doctor in person.  Many healthcare networks have opened up clinics in rural areas where fluctuations in seasonal work or outdoor recreation impact the volume and type of care patients need most.

For instance, a clinic located by heavy agricultural operations or popular recreation areas where people spend more time outdoors during the busy warmer months of the year will experience an influx of patients but may not need a full staff all year long. Locum tenens doctors are prepared to go where patient care is needed most. And when the busy season ends, it’s easy to reduce the staff size. 

As one of the most rapidly expanding branches of telemedicine, teledermatology is another way to utilize dermatopathology expertise and provide care for patients in remote locations. “Dermatology is particularly suitable for telemedical diagnosis and consultation due to its image‐based orientation in diagnostics,” says Peter Elsner. Since the COVID-19 onset, experts estimate at least half of all dermatologists practicing in the US use telehealth technology. 

If you are one of the 85 percent of healthcare facility managers who used locum tenens services within the past 12 months, you’ve likely benefited from the forward-thinking strategies many locum tenens used to bolster your practice. With PathologyWatch locum tenens dermatopathologists, your lab can maintain revenue while balancing the needs of your valued staff, use expertise to explore new care models, and utilize innovative digital technologies to create more efficient patient care processes. Although locum tenens services may be temporary, the proven solutions, expertise, and technology will remain.

For more information about our locum tenens services, email us at i[email protected].

3 Reasons Why Seeing a Digital Slide Can Improve Dermatologist–Patient Communication

Apr 15, 2021 | Digital Pathology

As healthcare moves toward a value-based model, patient-centered care is the focus of health delivery systems. In fact, the NIH states that “patient-centered care is a key component to ensure that all patients have access to the kind of care that works for them.” 

We believe at least two things bring the patient’s needs to the forefront of dermatological care: communication and digital technology. When combined, they create a healthy, comfortable environment for patients to not only see the images associated with their condition but to have detailed discussions about their treatment options. 

Can looking at a digital slide make a more satisfied patient? The truth is that it certainly helps. 

Based on groundbreaking research, a study published by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies found that “communicating the importance of medical evidence and a balanced representation of options is the first step toward accelerating patient engagement in shared decision making.” 

As many dermatopathology labs transition to digital technologies, doctors can use whole-slide images and viewers to visually supplement their discussions with patients and provide a deeper understanding of their diagnosis and treatment options. 

“If either the patient or healthcare provider lacks [a] clear understanding of the information conveyed, the delivery of care is compromised,” explains researcher Haran Ratna in a Harvard Public Health Review. 

According to the Harvard study, there is a three-pronged process for effective communication:

  1. Patients must feel comfortable discussing their healthcare concerns with healthcare workers.
  2. Healthcare workers must listen and interpret those concerns to respond appropriately.
  3. To prevent those complaints from recurring, workers must discuss those concerns with patients in a way that creates an understanding and empowers patients with preventative measures to maintain their health. 

In a survey about communicating medical evidence, only 59 percent of surveyed patients indicated feeling “extremely comfortable” asking their provider questions. Adding a visual element such as a digital slide to the dermatologist–patient discussion can be an effective way to illustrate a patient’s condition and address concerns about treatment options. Using digital slides can improve patient comprehension, encourage shared medical decisions, and improve overall patient care.

1. Improves Patient Comprehension

When patients can see the actual diagnosis, it bolsters better doctor–patient communication. In a survey of cancer patients, 75 percent indicated they were interested in a patient–pathologist consultation program to increase their understanding of the diagnosis. Sharing whole-slide images can help pathologists to better engage with patients by pointing out areas of concern, defining medical terms, and answering questions. 

“Patients with poor health literacy may not only have problems with reading, [but] they may also have problems with conceptualizing risk factors,” explains Ratna, adding that placing relevant images next to corresponding text and placing appropriate captions that highlight the areas of interest improves the readability of the patient’s materials and prepares them to help make informed decisions on their care. 

2. Encourages Shared Medical Decisions

Allen-Taintor Dermatology approached PathologyWatch for ways to improve their care delivery to patients. They learned how digital pathology provided not only a faster turnaround time for a patient’s lab results (turnaround time is now 75 percent faster with results often received within two days of submission), but it also enabled their dermatologists to use a digital slide to encourage a conversation about the patient’s biopsy results and possible cancer care. 

Studies show that 80 percent of patients expect their healthcare provider to share the whole truth about their diagnosis. More than two-thirds (69 percent) want their provider to be open about the risks of treatment options, so they understand how each may affect them. By seeing the diagnosis, patients can have a comprehensive and informed conversation with their healthcare provider.

3. Opens Opportunities to Improve Overall Communication Skills 

Today’s technologies make it easier than ever for dermatologists to welcome open communication with their patients. But digital slides and viewers won’t replace the need for dermatologists to create a personal, trusting, and relaxed environment for their patients to discuss their patient’s concerns or questions about the images they see and the care their condition may require. 

“Telling your employees about the importance of communication is not enough. Doctors and managers at your healthcare practice will need to model positive communication behavior to demonstrate how to do it,” says medical expert Simon Mikail. “After all, positive communication is a must-have if you want to enhance patient experience at your practice.”

It’s time for a new approach to dermatological care. By using digital technology services that provide fast lab results that you can share, your patients will feel seen, heard, and understood.

Identifying Trichoepithelioma

Apr 2, 2021 | Digital Dermatopathology

Images shown are not intended to be used for the diagnosis or treatment of a disease or condition.

At first glance, these individual lesions may look like basal cell carcinoma, but don’t be confused: Trichoepithelioma appears as firm, rounded, and shiny tumors that originate in the hair follicle. 

In this episode of Digital Dermpath Digest, Rajni Mandal, MD, a dermatopathologist at PathologyWatch, discusses distinct features of trichoepithelioma and how to identify them.

What Is Trichoepithelioma?

The distinct rounded and shiny appearance of this rare benign skin lesion occurs primarily on the cheeks, on the eyelids, and around the nose, yet it can spread to arms and stomach. They typically increase in number as the patient ages and presents as papillary-mesenchymal bodies, granulomas, and signs of calcification. 

“There are three clinical types of trichoepithelioma,” says Mandal, “Solitary, multiple, and desmoplastic.”

  • Solitary trichoepithelioma: This variant is characterized by a single firm dermal papule or nodule that often appears on the face.
  • Multiple trichoepitheliomas: Often called Brooke-Spiegler Syndrome, it’s composed of familial cylindromatosis and multiple familial trichoepitheliomas variants. 
  • Desmoplastic trichoepithelioma: Characterized by a prominent, sclerotic stroma, the most common features of this variant include asymptomatic, solitary, ring-shaped, centrally depressed papules. When viewed as a digital slide, this variant has tadpole-shaped islands, fibrous stroma, and calcifications. They can appear anywhere but are more commonly found on the upper cheek. 

What Are the Most Common Treatments?

Dermatologists can surgically remove individual lesions, particularly if there are risks of malignancy. Other treatment options include carbon dioxide laser and dermabrasion, which may improve the skin’s appearance, but there is a slight possibility of regrowth. 

To learn more about this skin condition and other common diseases, join us for each episode of Digital Dermpath Digest right here on pathologywatch.com.