Swedish healthcare region to realize integrated diagnostics—expands IT solution from Sectra with digital pathology

Linköping, Sweden – June 29, 2020 – International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra (STO: SECT B) has signed a digital pathology contract with Region Västmanland in Sweden. The healthcare region already uses Sectra’s software for handling medical images, which will now be expanded to also include digital pathology as it digitizes its pathology department. Using the same system to store and view images and information from various diagnostic specialties enables integrated diagnostics, which is key for efficient cancer care.

“We are excited to take the next step in our digitization journey toward a truly integrated diagnostic workflow. It is important that we can scale our solution at our own pace and Sectra’s solution allows this. We are also looking forward to equipping our pathologists with the tools that support us in our efforts to provide the best possible cancer care,” says Jonas Cederberg, Chair of Department for Medical Diagnostics at Region Västmanland. 

With digital images of tissue samples rather than physical glass slides, pathologists can instantly access and share current and historical images and information from anywhere and at any time. Digital pathology provides pathologists with tools that are not available when using a microscope, which reduces variation between examinations and enables pathologists to spend their time on more advanced tasks. The digital solution also provides pathologists with assistance at critical decision points, such as grading or performing more precise measurements. Furthermore, digital access facilitates second opinions, external reading resources, and specialist consultations.

Sectra’s digital pathology solution will be integrated with Region Västmanland’s laboratory information system (LIS). This will provide pathologists with a complete overview of the patient history in one application and enable workflow orchestration to drive the workflow according to sub-specialties, rules and priorities. The solution’s vendor-neutral approach also gave Region Västmanland the freedom to select the scanner vendor of its choice.

Region Västmanland is already using Sectra’s solution for handling medical images within radiology, mammography, and clinical physiology. The solution will now also include approximately 10,000 pathology examinations per year, with the opportunity to gradually increase usage. The agreement to expand the existing contract was signed in May 2020. 

Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution provides a unified strategy for all imaging needs while lowering operational costs. The scalable and modular solution, with a VNA at its core, allows healthcare providers to grow from ology to ology and from enterprise to enterprise. Read more about Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution and why Sectra PACS is ranked “Best in KLAS” for seven consecutive years at https://medical.sectra.com/.