1. A computer implemented method for real-time image quality optimization of a virtual microscope slide image, the method comprising: scanning a plurality of microscope slides by, for each microscope slide, acquiring a set of focus point values for a sample on the microscope slide, calculating a best fit surface from the set of focus point values, determining whether or not the set of focus point values comprises one or more outlying focus point values based on the best fit surface, and scanning the sample on the microscope slide using the best fit surface; and providing a visual representation of the scanned plurality of microscope slides to an operator, wherein the visual representation distinguishes any of the plurality of microscope slides for which it was determined that the set of focus point values for the sample on that microscope slide comprises one or more outlying focus point values.