Ask Pathology Geek
How do you design software specifically for pathologists?
Pathology software must prioritize speed, minimize clicks, support heads-up (or eyes-on-slide) workflows, and integrate flawlessly with the LIS. Design for a high-volume, high-stakes production environment.
Zero Friction
Many pathologists work in high-volume environments where speed and concentration matter. Every required click, unnecessary menu, and second of latency adds friction. Interfaces should support efficient patterns such as hotkeys, barcode scanning, and well-tested case progression without compromising review quality.
The Context Switch Penalty
Pathologists synthesize clinical history, gross descriptions, and microscopic findings. Software that forces them to toggle between multiple windows or systems breaks their cognitive flow. The ideal software environment aggregates all necessary context into a single, unified view.
Designing for the Environment
Pathology software is often used in less-than-ideal physical environments: brightly lit labs, older monitors, or while standing at a grossing station. High contrast, large target areas for clicks, and support for voice dictation are critical environmental considerations.
Key takeaways
- Ruthlessly eliminate unnecessary clicks and screen transitions.
- Aggregate clinical history and images into a single view.
- Design for the actual physical environment (lighting, hardware) of the lab.