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Radgoudarzi N, Gregg C, Quackenbush Q, Yiu G, Freeby M, Su G, Baxter S, Thorne C, Willard-Grace R. Implementation Mapping of the Collaborative University of California Teleophthalmology Initiative (CUTI): A Qualitative Study Using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) Framework. Cureus 2024; 16:e64179. [PMID: 39119397 PMCID: PMC11309586 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.64179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to investigate the rationale, barriers, and facilitators of teleretinal camera implementation in primary care and endocrinology clinics for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening across University of California (UC) health systems utilizing the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework. Methodology Institutional representatives from UC Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Davis participated in a series of focus group meetings to elicit implementation facilitators and barriers for teleophthalmology programs within their campuses. Site representatives also completed a survey regarding their program's performance over the calendar year 2022 in the following areas: DR screening camera sites, payment sources and coding, screening workflows including clinical, information technology (IT), reading, results, pathologic findings, and follow-up, including patient outreach for abnormal results. Focus group and survey results were mapped to the EPIS framework to gain insights into the implementation process of these programs and identify areas for optimization. Results Four UC campuses with 20 active camera sites screened 7,450 patients in the calendar year 2022. The average DR screening rate across the four campuses was 55%. Variations between sources of payment, turn-around time, image-grading structure, image-report characteristics, IT infrastructure, and patient outreach strategies were identified between sites. Closing gaps in IT integration between data systems, ensuring the financial sustainability of the program, and optimizing patient outreach remain primary challenges across sites and serve as good opportunities for cross-institutional learning. Conclusions Despite the potential for long-term cost savings and improving access to care, numerous obstacles continue to hinder the widespread implementation of teleretinal DR screening. Implementation science approaches can identify strategies for addressing these challenges and optimizing implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chhavi Gregg
- Informatics Services, University of California San Diego Health, San Diego, USA
| | - Quinn Quackenbush
- Family and Community Medicine, University of California San Diego Health, San Diego, USA
| | - Glenn Yiu
- Ophthalmology, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, USA
| | - Matthew Freeby
- Endocrinology, University of California Los Angeles Health Systems, Los Angeles, USA
| | - George Su
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California San Francisco Health Systems, San Francisco, USA
| | - Sally Baxter
- Ophthalmology, University of California San Diego Health, San Diego, USA
| | - Christine Thorne
- Primary Care, University of California San Diego Health, San Diego, USA
| | - Rachel Willard-Grace
- Primary Care, University of California San Francisco Health Systems, San Francisco, USA
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Patil SA, Guttha SP, Nair AA, Pandit S, Parikh R, Lee TF, Hu J, Mehta N, Modi YS. Investigating the Utility of Near-Infrared Reflectance Imaging for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024; 55:318-325. [PMID: 38530988 DOI: 10.3928/23258160-20240205-02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE We investigated the reliability of near-infrared reflectance (NIR) imaging as a method of assessing severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR). PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred ninety-five NIR images were reviewed by two graders for the number of hyporeflective foci, presence or absence of vascular abnormalities, and presumptive DR stage; these were correlated to fundus photography-defined DR stage. Interrater reliability was confirmed via one-way random effects model of intraclass correlation coefficients. Analysis of variance was used in subgroup analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were created to validate reliability of the model, and logistic regression was used to model foci and vascular abnormalities as predictors for moderate or worse disease. RESULTS A statistically significant difference in mean number of hyporeflective foci was found between no DR and moderate non-proliferative DR (NPDR; P < 0.0001), no DR and severe NPDR (P < 0.001), no DR and proliferative DR (PDR; P < 0.0001), mild and moderate NPDR (P = 0.008), mild and severe NPDR (P < 0.001), and mild NPDR and PDR (P < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.849 (CI: 0.792 to 0.905). The threshold for detection of moderate NPDR or worse was 4.75 foci, with a sensitivity of 79.0% and a false positive rate of 20.0%. Multivariate logistic regression model incorporating hyporeflective foci with vascular abnormalities (odds ratio [OR] = 1.592, 95% CI: 1.381 to 1.835; P < 0.001) was able to accurately predict moderate disease or worse, just moderate disease (OR = 1.045, 95% CI: 1.003 to 1.089; P = 0.035), severe disease (OR = 1.050, 95% CI: 1.006 to 1.096; P = 0.027), and proliferative disease (OR = 1.050, 95% CI: 1.008 to 1.095; P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS NIR imaging may be an adjunct tool in screening for DR. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:318-325.].
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Mossburg S, Kilany M, Jinnett K, Nguyen C, Soles E, Wood-Palmer D, Aly M. A Rapid Review of Interventions to Improve Care for People Who Are Medically Underserved with Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Lung Cancer. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:529. [PMID: 38791744 PMCID: PMC11121396 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21050529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
In the United States, patients with chronic conditions experience disparities in health outcomes across the care continuum. Among patients with multiple sclerosis, diabetic retinopathy, and lung cancer, there is a lack of evidence summarizing interventions to improve care and decrease these disparities. The aim of this rapid literature review was to identify interventions among patients with these chronic conditions to improve health and reduce disparities in screening, diagnosis, access to treatment and specialists, adherence, and retention in care. Using structured search terms in PubMed and Web of Science, we completed a rapid review of studies published in the prior five years conducted in the United States on our subject of focus. We screened the retrieved articles for inclusion and extracted data using a standard spreadsheet. The data were synthesized across clinical conditions and summarized. Screening was the most common point in the care continuum with documented interventions. Most studies we identified addressed interventions for patients with lung cancer, with half as many studies identified for patients with diabetic retinopathy, and few studies identified for patients with multiple sclerosis. Almost two-thirds of the studies focused on patients who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. Interventions with evidence evaluating implementation in multiple conditions included telemedicine, mobile clinics, and insurance subsidies, or expansion. Despite documented disparities and a focus on health equity, a paucity of evidence exists on interventions that improve health outcomes among patients who are medically underserved with multiple sclerosis, diabetic retinopathy, and lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Mossburg
- American Institutes for Research, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
| | - Mona Kilany
- American Institutes for Research, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
| | - Kimberly Jinnett
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Institute for Health and Aging, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Elena Soles
- American Institutes for Research, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
| | | | - Marwa Aly
- Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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4
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Cobbs LV, Mahmoudzadeh R, Salabati M, Hamati J, Yonekawa Y, Russ Soares R. Trends in Geographic Distribution of Visual Disability - United States, 2010-2019. Semin Ophthalmol 2024; 39:209-216. [PMID: 37876215 DOI: 10.1080/08820538.2023.2273855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We aimed to describe changes in the geographic distribution of self-reported visual impairment (VI) over the last decade (2010-2019) in the U.S. METHODS Our study was an analysis of publicly available data collected between 2010 and 2019 from the Census Bureau American Community Survey. RESULTS The mean overall prevalence of self-reported VI from 2010 to 2019 was 2.31% in the United States, and there was a significant increase in VI over the past decade from 2.25% in 2010-2014 to 2.37% in 2015-2019 (p < .001). VI was significantly higher in rural counties (3.58%), compared to urban (3.10%) or metropolitan counties (2.18%) (p < .001). In terms of geographic region, the South of the United States had the highest rate of VI (2.63%) (p < .001). For age groups > 17-years-old in the 2010-2019 data, women had higher rates of VI compared to men. CONCLUSIONS Prevalence of self-reported visual impairment has risen and disproportionately affects certain communities. This includes individuals living in the South, in rural counties, and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy V Cobbs
- Mid Atlantic Retina, Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Raziyeh Mahmoudzadeh
- Mid Atlantic Retina, Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Mirataollah Salabati
- Mid Atlantic Retina, Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Hamati
- Mid Atlantic Retina, Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Yoshihiro Yonekawa
- Mid Atlantic Retina, Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Rebecca Russ Soares
- Mid Atlantic Retina, Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
- Retina Service, Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, Boston, USA
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5
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Capellan P, Dillon AB, Rodriguez G, Chua J, Abdallah Mahrous M, Kovacs K, Van Tassel S, D’Amico DJ, Kiss S, Orlin A. Implementation of a Teleophthalmology Screening Program for Diabetic Retinopathy in New York City. JOURNAL OF VITREORETINAL DISEASES 2024; 8:34-44. [PMID: 38223768 PMCID: PMC10786072 DOI: 10.1177/24741264231208253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Purpose: To examine the implementation of a teleophthalmology program for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening at a metropolitan hospital system and identify the challenges that the clinical teams encountered using the program. Methods: The study was conducted in 2 parts. The first was a pilot retrospective chart review of 300 consecutive patients screened for DR by the teleophthalmology screening program. The baseline variables, DR capture rate and staging, and continuity of care for those diagnosed with DR were analyzed. The second was a web-based survey identifying the barriers encountered by 36 physicians and clinical staff as they participated in the teleophthalmology screening program. Results: Part 1: Of the patients evaluated, 57 (19.0%) were diagnosed with DR; 42 (73.7%) had mild nonproliferative DR (NPDR), 7 (12.3%) had moderate NPDR, none had severe NPDR, and 8 (14.0%) had PDR. Thirty-one patients (54.4%) with retinopathy diagnoses were referred for an in-person follow-up at the clinic while the rest continued monitoring via the program. Of this subset, 22 (71.0%) completed the follow-up visit. Part 2: The survey respondents comprised 28 physicians (77.8%), 6 licensed nurse practitioners (16.7%), and 2 medical assistants (5.6%). Twenty-two providers (71.0%) preferred initiating referrals for in-person annual examinations over teleophthalmology screening referrals. The most common barriers described were related to workflow interruption, time constraints, and staff shortages. Conclusions: The teleophthalmology DR screening program allowed identification of early or absent DR at clinics in an urban setting (New York City). The findings suggest areas for targeted improvement in the screening program to better complement internal referral practices' workflows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Capellan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander B. Dillon
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Jason Chua
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - M. Abdallah Mahrous
- Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kyle Kovacs
- Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Van Tassel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Donald J. D’Amico
- Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Szilard Kiss
- Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anton Orlin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
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6
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Song A, Borkar DS. Advances in Teleophthalmology Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy. Int Ophthalmol Clin 2024; 64:97-113. [PMID: 38146884 DOI: 10.1097/iio.0000000000000505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
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7
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Jacoba CMP, Cavallerano JD, Tolston AM, Silva PS. Effect of Accessible Nonmydriatic Retinal Imaging on Diabetic Retinopathy Surveillance Rates. Telemed J E Health 2023; 29:1667-1672. [PMID: 36912812 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the impact on surveillance rates for diabetic retinopathy (DR) by providing nonmydriatic retinal imaging as part of comprehensive diabetes care at no cost to patients or insurers. Methods: A retrospective comparative cohort study was designed. Patients were imaged from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 at a tertiary diabetes-specific academic medical center. Retinal imaging was provided without additional cost beginning October 16, 2016. Images were evaluated for DR and diabetic macular edema using standard protocol at a centralized reading center. Diabetes surveillance rates before and after no-cost imaging were compared. Results: A total of 759 and 2,080 patients respectively were imaged before and after offering no-cost retinal imaging. The difference represents a 274% increase in the number of patients screened. Furthermore, there was a 292% and 261% increase in the number of eyes with mild DR and referable DR, respectively. In the comparative 6-month period, 92 additional cases of proliferative DR were identified, estimated to prevent 6.7 cases of severe visual loss with annual cost savings of $180,230 (estimated yearly cost of severe vision loss per person: $26,900). In patients with referable DR, self-awareness was low, with no significant difference in the before and after groups (39.4% vs. 43.8%, p = 0.3725). Conclusions: Providing retinal imaging as part of comprehensive diabetes care substantially increased the number of patients identified by nearly threefold. The data suggest that the removal of out-of-pocket costs substantially increased patient surveillance rates, which may translate to improved long-term patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cris Martin P Jacoba
- Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jerry D Cavallerano
- Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ann M Tolston
- Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paolo S Silva
- Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Andoh JE, Ezekwesili AC, Nwanyanwu K, Elam A. Disparities in Eye Care Access and Utilization: A Narrative Review. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2023; 9:15-37. [PMID: 37254050 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-112122-020934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
This narrative review summarizes the literature on factors related to eye care access and utilization in the United States. Using the Healthy People 2030 framework, this review investigates social determinants of health associated with general and follow-up engagement, screenings, diagnostic visits, treatment, technology, and teleophthalmology. We provide hypotheses for these documented eye care disparities, featuring qualitative, patient-centered research. Lastly, we provide recommendations in the hopes of appropriately eliminating these disparities and reimagining eye care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana E Andoh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Agnes C Ezekwesili
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kristen Nwanyanwu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Angela Elam
- Department of Ophthalmology, WK Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA;
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9
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Luo S, Lock LJ, Xing B, Wingelaar M, Channa R, Liu Y. Factors Associated with Follow-Up Adherence After Teleophthalmology for Diabetic Eye Screening Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Telemed J E Health 2023; 29:1171-1178. [PMID: 36576981 PMCID: PMC10440654 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Background: Follow-up adherence with in-person care is critical for achieving improved clinical outcomes in telemedicine screening programs. We sought to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon follow-up adherence and factors associated with follow-up adherence after teleophthalmology for diabetic eye screening. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of adults screened in a clinical teleophthalmology program at urban and rural primary care clinics between May 2015 and December 2020. We defined follow-up adherence as medical record documentation of an in-person eye exam within 1 year among patients referred for further care. Regression models were used to identify factors associated with follow-up adherence. Results: Among 948 patients, 925 (97.6%) had health insurance and 170 (17.9%) were referred for follow-up. Follow-up adherence declined from 62.7% (n = 52) prepandemic to 46.0% (n = 40) during the pandemic (p = 0.04). There was a significant decline in follow-up adherence among patients from rural (p < 0.001), but not urban (p = 0.72) primary care clinics. Higher median household income (odds ratio [OR] 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-2.36) and obtaining care from an urban clinic (OR 5.29, 95% CI: 2.09-13.43) were associated with greater likelihood of follow-up during the pandemic. Discussion: Follow-up adherence remains limited after teleophthalmology screening even in a highly insured patient population, with a further decline observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results suggest that rural patients and those with lower socioeconomic status experienced greater barriers to follow-up eye care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Addressing barriers to in-person follow-up care is needed to effectively improve clinical outcomes after teleophthalmology screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Loren J. Lock
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Bohan Xing
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Maxwell Wingelaar
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Roomasa Channa
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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10
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Scanzera AC, Beversluis C, Potharazu AV, Bai P, Leifer A, Cole E, Du DY, Musick H, Chan RVP. Planning an artificial intelligence diabetic retinopathy screening program: a human-centered design approach. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1198228. [PMID: 37484841 PMCID: PMC10361413 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1198228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss in the United States and throughout the world. With early detection and treatment, sight-threatening sequelae from DR can be prevented. Although artificial intelligence (AI) based DR screening programs have been proven to be effective in identifying patients at high risk of vision loss, adoption of AI in clinical practice has been slow. We adapted the United Kingdom Design Council's Double-Diamond model to design a strategy for care delivery which integrates an AI-based screening program for DR into a primary care setting. Methods from human-centered design were used to develop a strategy for implementation informed by context-specific barriers and facilitators. The purpose of this community case study is to present findings from this work in progress, including a system of protocols, educational documents and workflows created using key stakeholder input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica C. Scanzera
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Cameron Beversluis
- Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design, Office of Population Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Archit V. Potharazu
- Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design, Office of Population Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Patricia Bai
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ariel Leifer
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Emily Cole
- W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - David Yuzhou Du
- Segal Design Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Hugh Musick
- Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design, Office of Population Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - R. V. Paul Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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11
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Land MR, Patel PA, Bui T, Jiao C, Ali A, Ibnamasud S, Patel PN, Sheth V. Examining the Role of Telemedicine in Diabetic Retinopathy. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12103537. [PMID: 37240642 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12103537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR), screening is of the utmost importance to prevent vision loss for patients and reduce financial costs for the healthcare system. Unfortunately, it appears that the capacity of optometrists and ophthalmologists to adequately perform in-person screenings of DR will be insufficient within the coming years. Telemedicine offers the opportunity to expand access to screening while reducing the economic and temporal burden associated with current in-person protocols. The present literature review summarizes the latest developments in telemedicine for DR screening, considerations for stakeholders, barriers to implementation, and future directions in this area. As the role of telemedicine in DR screening continues to expand, further work will be necessary to continually optimize practices and improve long-term patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Land
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Parth A Patel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Tommy Bui
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Cheng Jiao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Arsalan Ali
- Burnett School of Medicine, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA
| | - Shadman Ibnamasud
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Prem N Patel
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Veeral Sheth
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Retina and Macula Associates, Oak Forest, IL 60452, USA
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12
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Patil SA, Sanchez VJ, Bank G, Nair AA, Pandit S, Schuman JS, Dedania V, Parikh R, Mehta N, Colby K, Modi YS. Follow-up Rates After Teleretinal Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy: Assessing Patient Barriers to Care. JOURNAL OF VITREORETINAL DISEASES 2023; 7:125-131. [PMID: 37006661 PMCID: PMC10037748 DOI: 10.1177/24741264221147103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: To study patient follow-up after they engage in a teleretinal screening program and to understand potential barriers to care. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis and a prospective study of telephone-based patient interviews of outpatients screened for diabetic retinopathy (DR) through a teleretinal referral system. Results: Of 2761 patients screened through a teleretinal referral program, 123 (4.5%) had moderate nonproliferative DR (NPDR), 83 (3.0%) had severe NPDR, and 31 (1.1%) had proliferative DR. Of the 114 patients with severe NPDR or worse, 67 (58.8%) saw an ophthalmologist within 3 months of referral. Eighty percent of interviewed patients reported they were not aware of the need for follow-up eye appointments. Conclusions: Of patients with severe retinopathy or worse, 58.8% presented for in-person evaluation and treatment within 3 months of screening. Although this result was negatively affected by factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic, key elements of patient education and improved referral strategies to facilitate in-person treatment are essential to improving follow-up after patients engage in telescreening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachi A. Patil
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victor J. Sanchez
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Georgia Bank
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Archana A. Nair
- Vanderbilt University Department of
Ophthalmology, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Saagar Pandit
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joel S. Schuman
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering
and Electrical and Computer Engineering, New York University Tandon School of
Engineering, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Department of Physiology and
Neuroscience, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York
University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of
Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vaidehi Dedania
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ravi Parikh
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Manhattan Retina and Eye, New York, NY,
USA
| | - Nitish Mehta
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kathryn Colby
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yasha S. Modi
- New York University Department of
Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
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13
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Appukumran R, Shyamsundar K, Agrawal M, Khurana R, Pannu A, Kumar P. Eight years' experience in mobile teleophthalmology for diabetic retinopathy screening. MEDICAL HYPOTHESIS, DISCOVERY & INNOVATION OPHTHALMOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 11:162-170. [PMID: 37641607 PMCID: PMC10460246 DOI: 10.51329/mehdiophthal1460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Background Screening for diabetic retinopathy in the community without compromising the routine work of ophthalmologists at hospitals is the essence of teleophthalmology. This study was aimed at investigating the efficacy of teleophthalmology practice for screening diabetic retinopathy from 2012 to 2020. It was also aimed at comparing the 2-year prevalence of camps organized by a district hospital in South India, as well as the footfall, reporting, follow-up, patient response, and diagnostic efficacy at these camps. Methods All patients with diabetes and unexplained vision deterioration attending the mobile camp units underwent non-dilated fundus photography. Patients underwent teleconsultation with the ophthalmologist at the district hospital, and those requiring intervention were called to the district hospital. Trends were studied for the number of patients reporting to the hospital. Patient satisfaction was recorded based on a questionnaire. Results A total of 682 camps were held over 8 years, and 30 230 patients were examined. Teleconsultation was done for 12 157 (40.21%) patients. Patients requiring further investigations, intervention for diabetic retinopathy, or further management of other ocular pathologies were urgently referred to the district hospital (n= 3293 [10.89%] of 30 230 examined patients). The severity and presence of clinically significant macular edema increased significantly with an increased duration of diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001). The percentage of teleconsultations showed an increasing trend over the years (P = 0.001). Similarly, considering trends of patients reporting to the hospital, the attrition rate decreased over the years (P < 0.05). A total of 10 974 of 12 157 (90.27%) patients who underwent teleophthalmic consultation were satisfied with the service. Conclusions Teleconsultations over the years showed an increasing trend, and the attrition rate decreased over the years. Teleophthalmology is achieving success in providing high-quality service, easy access to care, and in increasing patient satisfaction. Future studies on the role of teleophthalmology for other leading preventable causes of blindness seem possible and necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mohini Agrawal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Military Hospital, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Rolli Khurana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Military Hospital, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Anju Pannu
- Department of Community Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Community Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, India
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14
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Jacoba CMP, Celi LA, Lorch AC, Fickweiler W, Sobrin L, Gichoya JW, Aiello LP, Silva PS. Bias and Non-Diversity of Big Data in Artificial Intelligence: Focus on Retinal Diseases. Semin Ophthalmol 2023:1-9. [PMID: 36651834 DOI: 10.1080/08820538.2023.2168486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare will have a potentially far-reaching impact on patient care, however issues regarding algorithmic bias and fairness have recently surfaced. There is a recognized lack of diversity in the available ophthalmic datasets, with 45% of the global population having no readily accessible representative images, leading to potential misrepresentations of their unique anatomic features and ocular pathology. AI applications in retinal disease may show less accuracy with underrepresented populations that may further widen the gap of health inequality if left unaddressed. Beyond disease symptomatology, social determinants of health must be integrated into our current paradigms of disease understanding, with the goal of more personalized care. AI has the potential to decrease global healthcare inequality, but it will need to be based on a more diverse, transparent and responsible use of healthcare data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cris Martin P Jacoba
- Ophthalmology Department, Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Centre, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leo Anthony Celi
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Division, Laboratory for Computational Physiology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alice C Lorch
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ward Fickweiler
- Ophthalmology Department, Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Centre, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lucia Sobrin
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judy Wawira Gichoya
- Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lloyd P Aiello
- Ophthalmology Department, Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Centre, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paolo S Silva
- Ophthalmology Department, Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Centre, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Lock LJ, Channa R, Brennan MB, Cao Y, Liu Y. Effect of health system on the association of rurality and level of disadvantage with receipt of diabetic eye screening. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care 2022; 10:10/6/e003174. [PMID: 36517109 PMCID: PMC9756146 DOI: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2022-003174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rural versus urban disparities have been observed in diabetic eye screening, but whether the level of disadvantage in rural versus urban areas is related to these disparities is unclear. Our goal was to determine the role of level of disadvantage in explaining the effect of health systems on rural and urban disparities in diabetic eye screening. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study using an all-payer, state-wide claims database covering over 75% of Wisconsin residents. We included adults with diabetes (18-75 years old) who had claims billed throughout the baseline (2012-2013) and measurement (2013-2014) years. We performed multivariable regressions to assess factors associated with receipt of diabetic eye screening. The primary exposure was the primary care clinic's combined level of rurality and disadvantage. We adjusted for the health system as well as patient-level variables related to demographics and comorbidities. Health system was defined as an associated group of physicians and/or clinics. RESULTS A total of 118 707 adults with diabetes from 698 primary care clinics in 143 health systems met the inclusion criteria. Patients from urban underserved clinics were less likely to receive screening than those from rural underserved clinics before adjusting for health system in the model. After adjusting for health system fixed effects, however, the directionality of the relationship between clinic rurality and screening reversed: patients from urban underserved clinics were more likely to receive screening than those from rural underserved clinics. Similar findings were observed for both Medicare and non-Medicare subgroups. CONCLUSIONS The effect of health system on receipt of diabetic eye screening in rural versus urban areas is most pronounced in underserved areas. Health systems, particularly those providing care to urban underserved populations, have an opportunity to increase screening rates by leveraging health system-level interventions to support patients in overcoming barriers from social determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren J Lock
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Roomasa Channa
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Meghan B Brennan
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ying Cao
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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16
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Blandford A, Abdi S, Aristidou A, Carmichael J, Cappellaro G, Hussain R, Balaskas K. Protocol for a qualitative study to explore acceptability, barriers and facilitators of the implementation of new teleophthalmology technologies between community optometry practices and hospital eye services. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e060810. [PMID: 35858730 PMCID: PMC9305899 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-060810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Novel teleophthalmology technologies have the potential to reduce unnecessary and inaccurate referrals between community optometry practices and hospital eye services and as a result improve patients' access to appropriate and timely eye care. However, little is known about the acceptability and facilitators and barriers to the implementations of these technologies in real life. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A theoretically informed, qualitative study will explore patients' and healthcare professionals' perspectives on teleophthalmology and Artificial Intelligence Decision Support System models of care. A combination of situated observations in community optometry practices and hospital eye services, semistructured qualitative interviews with patients and healthcare professionals and self-audiorecordings of healthcare professionals will be conducted. Participants will be purposively selected from 4 to 5 hospital eye services and 6-8 affiliated community optometry practices. The aim will be to recruit 30-36 patients and 30 healthcare professionals from hospital eye services and community optometry practices. All interviews will be audiorecorded, with participants' permission, and transcribed verbatim. Data from interviews, observations and self-audiorecordings will be analysed thematically and will be informed by normalisation process theory and an inductive approach. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval has been received from London-Bromley research ethics committee. Findings will be reported through academic journals and conferences in ophthalmology, health services research, management studies and human-computer interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Blandford
- UCL Interaction Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Abdi
- UCL Interaction Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Josie Carmichael
- UCL Interaction Centre, University College London, London, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Giulia Cappellaro
- School of Management, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milano, Italy
| | - Rima Hussain
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Konstantinos Balaskas
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, UCL, London, UK
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17
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Golembiewski EH, Gravholt DL, Torres Roldan VD, Lincango Naranjo EP, Vallejo S, Bautista AG, LaVecchia CM, Patten CA, Allen SV, Jaladi S, Boehmer KR. Rural Patient Experiences of Accessing Care for Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Studies. Ann Fam Med 2022; 20:266-272. [PMID: 35606138 PMCID: PMC9199043 DOI: 10.1370/afm.2798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Access to health care is a long-standing concern for rural patients; however, administrative measures fail to capture the subjective patient experience of accessing health care. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the qualitative literature on patient and caregiver experiences of accessing health care services for chronic disease management among US residents of rural areas. METHODS We searched Embase, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Scopus to identify qualitative studies published during 2010-2019. A thematic synthesis approach was used to analyze findings from included studies. RESULTS A total of 62 studies involving 1,354 unique participants were included. The largest share of studies (24.2%) was focused on the experience of patients with cancer, followed by behavioral health (16.1%), HIV and AIDS (14.5%), and diabetes (12.9%). We identified 4 primary analytic themes of barriers and facilitators associated with the experience of accessing health care services for chronic disease management in rural areas: (1) navigating the rural environment, (2) navigating the health care system, (3) financing chronic disease management, and (4) rural life (ie, common elements of a distinct "rural" way of thinking and behaving). CONCLUSIONS In this comprehensive review, we found that important cultural, structural, and individual factors influenced the rural patient's experience of health care access and use, including barriers and facilitators posed by geographic and built environments, and distinct rural mores. Our findings can inform policies and programs that both facilitate structural aspects of access and include culturally appropriate interventions.VISUAL ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Derek L Gravholt
- Knowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - Eddy P Lincango Naranjo
- Knowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.,Hospital Vozandes Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | | | - Christina M LaVecchia
- Knowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.,School of Arts and Sciences, Neumann University, Aston, Pennsylvania
| | - Christi A Patten
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Summer V Allen
- Knowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Soumya Jaladi
- School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Kasey R Boehmer
- Knowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.,Division of Healthcare Delivery Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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18
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Ware SL, Studts CR, Lei F, Bush H, Higgins EB, Studts JL, Bastos de Carvalho A. Ranked determinants of telemedicine diabetic retinopathy screening performance in the United States primary care safety-net setting: an exploratory CART analysis. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:507. [PMID: 35421978 PMCID: PMC9011929 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07915-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, despite easy detection and effective treatment. Annual screening rates in the USA remain low, especially for the disadvantaged, which telemedicine-based DR screening (TDRS) during routine primary care has been shown to improve. Screening rates from such programs have varied, however, pointing to inconsistent implementation and unaddressed barriers. This work seeks to identify and prioritize modifiable barriers for targeted intervention. METHODS In this final phase of an exploratory mixed-methods study, we developed, validated, and administered a 62-item survey to multilevel stakeholders involved with TDRS in primary care safety-net clinics. Survey items were aligned with previously identified determinants of clinic-level screening and mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analyses were used to identify and rank independent variables predictive of individual-level TDRS screening performance. RESULTS Overall, 133 of the 341 invited professionals responded (39%), representing 20 safety-net clinics across 6 clinical systems. Respondents were predominately non-Hispanic White (77%), female (94%), and between 31 and 65 years of age (79%). Satisfaction with TDRS was high despite low self-reported screening rates. The most important screening determinants were: provider reinforcement of TDRS importance; explicit instructions by providers to staff; effective reminders; standing orders; high relative priority among routine diabetic measures; established TDRS workflows; performance feedback; effective TDRS champions; and leadership support. CONCLUSIONS In this survey of stakeholders involved with TDRS in safety-net clinics, screening was low despite high satisfaction with the intervention. The best predictors of screening performance mapped to the CFIR constructs Leadership Engagement, Compatibility, Goals & Feedback, Relative Priority, Champions, and Available Resources. These findings facilitate the prioritization of implementation strategies targeting determinants of TDRS performance, potentially increasing its public health impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Lee Ware
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 110 Conn Terrace, Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA
| | - Christina R Studts
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Feitong Lei
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Heather Bush
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Eric B Higgins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 110 Conn Terrace, Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA
| | - Jamie L Studts
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ana Bastos de Carvalho
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 110 Conn Terrace, Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA.
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19
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Willis VC, Thomas Craig KJ, Jabbarpour Y, Scheufele EL, Arriaga YE, Ajinkya M, Rhee KB, Bazemore A. Digital Health Interventions to Enhance Prevention in Primary Care: Scoping Review. JMIR Med Inform 2022; 10:e33518. [PMID: 35060909 PMCID: PMC8817213 DOI: 10.2196/33518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Disease prevention is a central aspect of primary care practice and is comprised of primary (eg, vaccinations), secondary (eg, screenings), tertiary (eg, chronic condition monitoring), and quaternary (eg, prevention of overmedicalization) levels. Despite rapid digital transformation of primary care practices, digital health interventions (DHIs) in preventive care have yet to be systematically evaluated. Objective This review aimed to identify and describe the scope and use of current DHIs for preventive care in primary care settings. Methods A scoping review to identify literature published from 2014 to 2020 was conducted across multiple databases using keywords and Medical Subject Headings terms covering primary care professionals, prevention and care management, and digital health. A subgroup analysis identified relevant studies conducted in US primary care settings, excluding DHIs that use the electronic health record (EHR) as a retrospective data capture tool. Technology descriptions, outcomes (eg, health care performance and implementation science), and study quality as per Oxford levels of evidence were abstracted. Results The search yielded 5274 citations, of which 1060 full-text articles were identified. Following a subgroup analysis, 241 articles met the inclusion criteria. Studies primarily examined DHIs among health information technologies, including EHRs (166/241, 68.9%), clinical decision support (88/241, 36.5%), telehealth (88/241, 36.5%), and multiple technologies (154/241, 63.9%). DHIs were predominantly used for tertiary prevention (131/241, 54.4%). Of the core primary care functions, comprehensiveness was addressed most frequently (213/241, 88.4%). DHI users were providers (205/241, 85.1%), patients (111/241, 46.1%), or multiple types (89/241, 36.9%). Reported outcomes were primarily clinical (179/241, 70.1%), and statistically significant improvements were common (192/241, 79.7%). Results were summarized across the following 5 topics for the most novel/distinct DHIs: population-centered, patient-centered, care access expansion, panel-centered (dashboarding), and application-driven DHIs. The quality of the included studies was moderate to low. Conclusions Preventive DHIs in primary care settings demonstrated meaningful improvements in both clinical and nonclinical outcomes, and across user types; however, adoption and implementation in the US were limited primarily to EHR platforms, and users were mainly clinicians receiving alerts regarding care management for their patients. Evaluations of negative results, effects on health disparities, and many other gaps remain to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van C Willis
- Center for Artificial Intelligence, Research, and Evaluation, IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Kelly Jean Thomas Craig
- Center for Artificial Intelligence, Research, and Evaluation, IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Yalda Jabbarpour
- Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care, The Robert Graham Center, American Academy of Family Physicians, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Elisabeth L Scheufele
- Center for Artificial Intelligence, Research, and Evaluation, IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Yull E Arriaga
- Center for Artificial Intelligence, Research, and Evaluation, IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Monica Ajinkya
- Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care, The Robert Graham Center, American Academy of Family Physicians, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Kyu B Rhee
- Center for Artificial Intelligence, Research, and Evaluation, IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Andrew Bazemore
- The American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
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20
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Cao YJ, Chen D, Liu Y, Smith M. Disparities in the Use of In-Person and Telehealth Primary Care Among High- and Low-Risk Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19. J Patient Exp 2021; 8:23743735211065274. [PMID: 34926805 PMCID: PMC8679021 DOI: 10.1177/23743735211065274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a difference-in-differences design to estimate differences in primary care outpatient clinic visit utilization among high- and low-risk Medicare aging beneficiaries from an Accountable Care Organization during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to a control cohort from the previous year. High-risk was defined as having a Hierarchical Condition Category score of 2 or higher. A total of 582 101 patient-month records were analyzed. After adjusting for patient characteristics, those in the high-risk group had 339 (95% CI [333, 345]) monthly outpatient encounters (in-person and telehealth) per 1000 patients compared to 186 (95% CI [182, 190]) in the low-risk group. This represented a 22.8% and 26.5% decline from the previous year in each group, respectively. Within each group, there was lower utilization among those who were older, male, or dually eligible for Medicaid in the high-risk group and among those who were younger, male, or non-white in the low-risk group. Telehealth use was less common among patients who were older, dually eligible for Medicaid or living in rural/suburban areas compared to urban areas. All results were significant at the 95% level. We found significant disparities based on age, gender, insurance status, and non-white race in primary care utilization during the pandemic among Medicare beneficiaries. With the exception of gender, these disparities differed between high- and low-risk groups. Interventions targeting these vulnerable groups may improve health equity in the setting of public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Jessica Cao
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Dandi Chen
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Maureen Smith
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Health Innovation Program, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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21
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Yim D, Chandra S, Sondh R, Thottarath S, Sivaprasad S. Barriers in establishing systematic diabetic retinopathy screening through telemedicine in low- and middle-income countries. Indian J Ophthalmol 2021; 69:2987-2992. [PMID: 34708733 PMCID: PMC8725078 DOI: 10.4103/ijo.ijo_1411_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (VTDR) is one of the leading causes of impaired vision in the working-age population. Early identification, timely diagnosis, and prompt treatment of VTDR have to be tackled simultaneously to reduce the rate of blindness due to this condition. Considerable emphasis has been placed globally on establishing diabetic retinopathy screening (DRS) programs to enable early identification and referral of VTDR for treatment. However, there is an urgent need to shift from the common practice of opportunistic screening to a systematic DRS pathway to ensure that individuals with diabetes are screened at regular intervals and treated appropriately. While systematic DRS programs have been successfully established in countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), it continues to be a challenge to initiate and sustain such programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), home to approximately 80% of people with diabetes. Telemedicine is widely recognized as an ideal DRS screening program. Although it has resulted in an upsurge of opportunistic screening, systematic recall of screened patients remains a challenge. In addition, the link between referred patients from the telemedicine programs to treatment centers is often not established or has failed to deliver; so, there is minimal impact of these telemedicine programs on VTDR blindness at present. This review covers the various barriers of establishing and sustaining systematic telemedicine DRS programs, especially in resource-constrained settings, and the challenges in aligning telemedicine to VTDR treatment pathways to ensure patients with VTDR are treated promptly and effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Yim
- St. George's Medical School, University of London, London, UK
| | - Shruti Chandra
- University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology; NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
| | - Rajan Sondh
- St. George's Medical School, University of London, London, UK
| | - Sridevi Thottarath
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
| | - Sobha Sivaprasad
- University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology; NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
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22
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Riordan F, Murphy A, Dillon C, Browne J, Kearney PM, Smith SM, McHugh SM. Feasibility of a multifaceted implementation intervention to improve attendance at diabetic retinopathy screening in primary care in Ireland: a cluster randomised pilot trial. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e051951. [PMID: 34667010 PMCID: PMC8527153 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Diabetic retinopathy screening (DRS) uptake is suboptimal in many countries with limited evidence available on interventions to enhance DRS uptake in primary care. We investigated the feasibility and preliminary effects of an intervention to improve uptake of Ireland's national DRS programme, Diabetic RetinaScreen, among patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. DESIGN/SETTING We conducted a cluster randomised pilot trial, embedded process evaluation and cost analysis in general practice, July 2019 to January 2020. PARTICIPANTS Eight practices participated in the trial. For the process evaluation, surveys were conducted with 25 staff at intervention practices. Interviews were conducted with nine staff at intervention practices, and 10 patients who received the intervention. INTERVENTIONS The intervention comprised practice reimbursement, an audit of attendance, electronic prompts targeting professionals, General Practice-endorsed patient reminders and a patient information leaflet. Practices were randomly allocated to intervention (n=4) or wait-list control (n=4) (usual care). OUTCOMES Staff and patient interviews explored their perspectives on the intervention. Patient registration and attendance, including intention to attend, were measured at baseline and 6 months. Microcosting was used to estimate intervention delivery cost. RESULTS The process evaluation identified that enablers of feasibility included practice culture and capacity to protect time, systems to organise care, and staff skills, and workarounds to improve intervention 'fit'. At 6 months, 22/71 (31%) of baseline non-attenders in intervention practices subsequently attended screening compared with 15/87 (17%) in control practices. The total delivery cost across intervention practices (patients=363) was €2509, averaging €627 per practice and €6.91 per audited patient. Continuation criteria supported proceeding to a definitive trial. CONCLUSIONS The Improving Diabetes Eye screening Attendance intervention is feasible in primary care; however, consideration should be given to how best to facilitate local tailoring. A definitive trial of clinical and cost-effectiveness is required with preliminary results suggesting a positive effect on uptake. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03901898.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Riordan
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Aileen Murphy
- Department of Economics, Cork University Business School, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - John Browne
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Susan M Smith
- Department of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sheena M McHugh
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Liu Y, Carlson JN, Torres Diaz A, Lock LJ, Zupan NJ, Molfenter TD, Mahoney JE, Palta M, Boss D, Bjelland TD, Smith MA. Sustaining Gains in Diabetic Eye Screening: Outcomes from a Stakeholder-Based Implementation Program for Teleophthalmology in Primary Care. Telemed J E Health 2021; 27:1021-1028. [PMID: 33216697 PMCID: PMC8558054 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Teleophthalmology is a validated method for diabetic eye screening that is underutilized in U.S. primary care clinics. Even when made available to patients, its long-term effectiveness for increasing screening rates is often limited. Introduction: We hypothesized that a stakeholder-based implementation program could increase teleophthalmology use and sustain improvements in diabetic eye screening. Materials and Methods:We used the NIATx Model to test a stakeholder-based teleophthalmology implementation program, I-SITE at one primary care clinic (Main) and compared teleophthalmology use and diabetic eye screening rates with those of other primary care clinics (Outreach) within a U.S. multipayer health system where teleophthalmology was underutilized.Results:Teleophthalmology use increased post-I-SITE implementation (odds ratio [OR] = 5.73 [p < 0.001]), and was greater at the Main than at the Outreach clinics (OR = 10.0 vs. 1.69, p < 0.001). Overall diabetic eye screening rates maintained an increase from 47.4% at baseline to 60.2% and 64.1% at 1 and 2 years post-I-SITE implementation, respectively (p < 0.001). Patients who were younger (OR = 0.98 per year of age, p = 0.02) and men (OR = 1.98, p = 0.002) were more likely to use teleophthalmology than in-person dilated eye examinations for diabetic eye screening.Discussion: Our stakeholder-based implementation program achieved a significant increase in overall teleophthalmology use and maintained increased post-teleophthalmology diabetic eye screening rates. Conclusion: Stakeholder-based implementation may increase the long-term reach and effectiveness of teleophthalmology to reduce vision loss from diabetes. Our approach may improve integration of telehealth interventions into primary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Julia N. Carlson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alejandra Torres Diaz
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Loren J. Lock
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Zupan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Todd D. Molfenter
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jane E. Mahoney
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mari Palta
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, and University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Deanne Boss
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Maureen A. Smith
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Butzner M, Cuffee Y. Telehealth Interventions and Outcomes Across Rural Communities in the United States: Narrative Review. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e29575. [PMID: 34435965 PMCID: PMC8430850 DOI: 10.2196/29575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In rural communities, there are gaps in describing the design and effectiveness of technology interventions for treating diseases and addressing determinants of health. Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate literature on current applications, therapeutic areas, and outcomes of telehealth interventions in rural communities in the United States. Methods A narrative review of studies published on PubMed from January 2017 to December 2020 was conducted. Key search terms included telehealth, telemedicine, rural, and outcomes. Results Among 15 included studies, 9 studies analyzed telehealth interventions in patients, 3 in health care professionals, and 3 in both patients and health care professionals. The included studies reported positive outcomes and experiences of telehealth use in rural populations including acceptability and increased satisfaction; they also noted that technology is convenient and efficient. Other notable benefits included decreased direct and indirect costs to the patient (travel cost and time) and health care service provider (staffing), lower onsite health care resource utilization, improved physician recruitment and retention, improved access to care, and increased education and training of patients and health care professionals. Conclusions Telehealth models were associated with positive outcomes for patients and health care professionals, suggesting these models are feasible and can be effective. Future telehealth interventions and studies examining these programs are warranted, especially in rural communities, and future research should evaluate the impact of increased telehealth use as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Butzner
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Yendelela Cuffee
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States.,Program in Epidemiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
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25
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Perilli R, Mariotti SP, Mastropasqua L, Bandello FM, Grigioni M, Tarricone R, Petracca F, Consoli A. Welcoming teleretinography into diabetes integrated care. Eur J Ophthalmol 2021; 32:2382-2387. [PMID: 34425693 DOI: 10.1177/11206721211039346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Integrated Care (IC) is a perfect fit for people with diabetes. Fundus examination (FE) is a disease marker for diabetologists and identifies potentially blinding complications (Diabetic Retinopathy, DR). In our Diabetes Clinic (DC) in Pescara, Italy, FE is possibly provided with telemedicine in same day as other exams, avoiding it to be a standalone clinical one; images taken with a retinal digital camera are graded by a remote ophthalmologist within a shared Electronic Health Record (EHR), immediately readable by other stakeholders; a dedicated care path to the Eye Clinic, University of Chieti-Pescara is provided for urgent cases. Personnel's worktime shortening allows gaining time for ophthalmologists' eye examinations in outpatient settings and other stakeholders' work in the DC. The need for a DR digital screening system is growing worldwide: our experience confirms the ease of implementation, and the advantage of sharing clinical data with all stakeholders when working within an EHR, aiming to optimize an IC effective system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Perilli
- Territorial Ophthalmology Unit, Local Health Authority, Pescara, Italy
| | - Silvio P Mariotti
- Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Mastropasqua
- Eye Clinic and National Centre for Excellence in Ophthalmology, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Mauro Grigioni
- National Centre for Innovative Technologies in Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosanna Tarricone
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy.,Centre for Research in Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), Government, Health and Non Profit Division, SDA Bocconi, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Petracca
- Centre for Research in Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), Government, Health and Non Profit Division, SDA Bocconi, Milan, Italy
| | - Agostino Consoli
- Chair of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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26
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Nikolaidou A, Tsaousis KT. Teleophthalmology and Artificial Intelligence As Game Changers in Ophthalmic Care After the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cureus 2021; 13:e16392. [PMID: 34408945 PMCID: PMC8363234 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.16392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic has boosted a sudden demand for telemedicine due to quarantine and travel restrictions. The exponential increase in the use of telemedicine is expected to affect ophthalmology drastically. The aim of this review is to discuss the utility, effectiveness and challenges of teleophthalmological new tools for eyecare delivery as well as its implementation and possible facilitation with artificial intelligence. We used the terms: “teleophthalmology,” “telemedicine and COVID-19,” “retinal diseases and telemedicine,” “virtual ophthalmology,” “cost effectiveness of teleophthalmology,” “pediatric teleophthalmology,” “Artificial intelligence and ophthalmology,” “Glaucoma and teleophthalmology” and “teleophthalmology limitations” in the database of PubMed and selected the articles being published in the course of 2015-2020. After the initial search, 321 articles returned as relevant. A meticulous screening followed and eventually 103 published manuscripts were included and used as our references. Emerging in the market, teleophthalmology is showing great potential for the future of ophthalmological care, benefiting both patients and ophthalmologists in times of pandemics. The spectrum of eye diseases that could benefit from teleophthalmology is wide, including mostly retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, age-related macular degeneration but also glaucoma and anterior segment conditions. Simultaneously, artificial intelligence provides ways of implementing teleophthalmology easier and with better outcomes, contributing as significant changing factors for ophthalmology practice after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nikolaidou
- Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GRC
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27
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Khou V, Khan MA, Jiang IW, Katalinic P, Agar A, Zangerl B. Evaluation of the initial implementation of a nationwide diabetic retinopathy screening programme in primary care: a multimethod study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e044805. [PMID: 34408028 PMCID: PMC8375720 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Australian Government funded a nationwide diabetic retinopathy screening programme to improve visual outcomes for people with diabetes. This study examined the benefits and barriers of the programme, image interpretation pathways and assessed the characteristics of people who had their fundus photos graded by a telereading service which was available as a part of the programme. DESIGN Multimethod: survey and retrospective review of referral forms. SETTING Twenty-two primary healthcare facilities from urban, regional, rural and remote areas of Australia, and one telereading service operated by a referral-only eye clinic in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-seven primary healthcare workers out of 110 contacted completed a survey, and 145 patient referrals were reviewed. RESULTS Manifest qualitative content analysis showed that primary healthcare workers reported that the benefits of the screening programme included improved patient outcomes and increased awareness and knowledge of diabetic retinopathy. Barriers related to staffing issues and limited referral pathways. Image grading was performed by a variety of primary healthcare workers, with one responder indicating the utilisation of a diabetic retinopathy reading service. Of the people with fundus photos graded by the reading service, 26.2% were reported to have diabetes. Overall, 12.3% of eyes were diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. Photo quality was rated as excellent in 46.2% of photos. Referral to an optometrist for diabetic retinopathy was recommended in 4.1% of cases, and to an ophthalmologist in 6.9% of cases. CONCLUSIONS This nationwide diabetic retinopathy screening programme was perceived to increase access to diabetic retinopathy screening in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia. The telereading service has diagnosed diabetic retinopathy and other ocular pathologies in images it has received. Key barriers, such as access to ophthalmologists and optometrists, must be overcome to improve visual outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Khou
- Centre for Eye Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Muhammad Azaan Khan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ivy Wei Jiang
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paula Katalinic
- Centre for Eye Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ashish Agar
- Centre for Eye Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Barbara Zangerl
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Coronary Care Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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28
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Torres Diaz A, Lock LJ, Molfenter TD, Mahoney JE, Boss D, Bjelland TD, Liu Y. Implementation for Sustained Impact in Teleophthalmology (I-SITE): applying the NIATx Model for tailored implementation of diabetic retinopathy screening in primary care. Implement Sci Commun 2021; 2:74. [PMID: 34229748 PMCID: PMC8258481 DOI: 10.1186/s43058-021-00175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Teleophthalmology provides evidence-based, telehealth diabetic retinopathy screening that is underused even when readily available in primary care clinics. There is an urgent need to increase teleophthalmology use in the US primary care clinics. In this study, we describe the development of a tailored teleophthalmology implementation program and report outcomes related to primary care provider (PCP) adoption. Methods We applied the 5 principles and 10 steps of the NIATx healthcare process improvement model to develop and test I-SITE (Implementation for Sustained Impact in Teleophthalmology) in a rural, the US multi-payer health system. This implementation program allows patients and clinical stakeholders to systematically tailor teleophthalmology implementation to their local context. We aligned I-SITE components and implementation strategies to an updated ERIC (Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change) framework. We compared teleophthalmology adoption between PCPs who did or did not participate in various components of I-SITE. We surveyed PCPs and clinical staff to identify the strategies they believed to have the highest impact on teleophthalmology use. Results To test I-SITE, we initiated a year-long series of 14 meetings with clinical stakeholders (n=22) and met quarterly with patient stakeholders (n=9) in 2017. Clinical and patient stakeholder groups had 90.9% and 88.9% participant retention at 1 year, respectively. The increase in teleophthalmology use was greater among PCPs participating in the I-SITE implementation team than among other PCPs (p < 0.006). The proportion of all PCPs who used the implementation strategy of electing diabetic eye screening for their annual performance-based financial incentive increased from 0% (n=0) at baseline to 56% (n=14) following I-SITE implementation (p = 0.004). PCPs and clinical staff reported the following implementation strategies as having the highest impact on teleophthalmology use: reminders to ask patients about diabetic eye screening during clinic visits, improving electronic health record (EHR) documentation, and patient outreach. Conclusions We applied the NIATx Model to develop and test a teleophthalmology implementation program for tailored integration into primary care clinics. The NIATx Model provides a systematic approach to engaging key stakeholders for tailoring implementation of evidence-based telehealth interventions into their local context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Torres Diaz
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2870 University Ave., Ste. 206, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Loren J Lock
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2870 University Ave., Ste. 206, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Todd D Molfenter
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jane E Mahoney
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Deanne Boss
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2870 University Ave., Ste. 206, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
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29
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Bastos de Carvalho A, Lee Ware S, Belcher T, Mehmeti F, Higgins EB, Sprang R, Williams C, Studts JL, Studts CR. Evaluation of multi-level barriers and facilitators in a large diabetic retinopathy screening program in federally qualified health centers: a qualitative study. Implement Sci Commun 2021; 2:54. [PMID: 34022946 PMCID: PMC8141191 DOI: 10.1186/s43058-021-00157-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recommended annual diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening for people with diabetes has low rates in the USA, especially in underserved populations. Telemedicine DR screening (TDRS) in primary care clinics could expand access and increase adherence. Despite this potential, studies have observed high variability in TDRS rates among clinics and over time, highlighting the need for implementation supports. Previous studies of determinants of TDRS focus on patients' perspectives, with few studies targeting upstream multi-level barriers and facilitators. Addressing this gap, this qualitative study aimed to identify and evaluate multi-level perceived determinants of TDRS in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), to inform the development of targeted implementation strategies. METHODS We developed a theory-based semi-structured interview tool based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). We conducted 22 key informant interviews with professionals involved in TDRS (administrators, clinicians, staff). The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reported barriers and facilitators were organized into emergent themes and classified according to CFIR constructs. Constructs influencing TDRS implementation were rated for each study site and compared across sites by the investigators. RESULTS Professionals identified 21 main barriers and facilitators under twelve constructs of the five CFIR domains. Several identified themes were novel, whereas others corroborated previous findings in the literature (e.g., lack of time and human resources, presence of a champion). Of the 21 identified themes, 13 were classified under the CFIR's Inner Setting domain, specifically under the constructs Compatibility and Available Resources. Themes under the Outer Setting domain (constructs External Incentives and Cost) were primarily perceived by administrators, whereas themes in other domains were perceived across all professional categories. Two Inner Setting (Leadership Engagement, Goals and Feedback) and two Process (Champion, Engaging) constructs were found to strongly distinguish sites with high versus low TDRS performance. CONCLUSIONS This study classified barriers and facilitators to TDRS as perceived by administrators, clinicians, and staff in FQHCs, then identified CFIR constructs that distinguished high- and low-performance clinics. Implementation strategies such as academic detailing and collection and communication of program data and successes to leadership; engaging of stakeholders through involvement in implementation planning; and appointment of intervention champions may therefore improve TDRS implementation and sustainment in resource-constrained settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Bastos de Carvalho
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, 110 Conn Terrace Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA.
| | - S Lee Ware
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, 110 Conn Terrace Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA
| | - Tamara Belcher
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, 110 Conn Terrace Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA
| | - Franceska Mehmeti
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, 110 Conn Terrace Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA
| | - Eric B Higgins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, 110 Conn Terrace Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA
| | - Rob Sprang
- Kentucky Telecare, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Cody Williams
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, 110 Conn Terrace Ste 550, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA
| | - Jamie L Studts
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Christina R Studts
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Jamison A, Diaper C, Drummond S, Tejwani D, Gregory ME, Cauchi P, Crofts K, Chadha V. Telemedicine in Oculoplastics: The Real-Life Application of Video Consultation Clinics. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg 2021; 37:S104-S108. [PMID: 33237666 DOI: 10.1097/iop.0000000000001852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Our oculoplastic service piloted a new video consultation (VC) clinic in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected to determine whether specific patients are better suited to VC, and to quantify the true benefit of VC in patients that successfully attended. METHODS Data were collected prospectively on predetermined data collection forms, including consultation duration, diagnosis, management plan, and issues that arose. RESULTS 37.8% of new referrals and 60.9% of return patients were vetted as suitable for VC. Of those invited to attend, 83.4% agreed to a VC appointment. Of the patients appointed to a VC clinic, 71.7% (new)/75% (return) successfully completed VC, 14.9%/15.8% attempted a VC which ultimately failed, and 13.4%/9.2% did not attend. VC successfully prevented face-to-face consultation in 81.3% of new cases and 91.1% of returns. Ectropion, entropion and dermatochalasis (new referrals), and postoperative follow-up (return patients) were well suited to VC, while patients with "watery eye" (new), and lid or conjunctival lesions (return), often required face-to-face consultation. Problems (most common issues with patients connecting to the consultation, video quality, and audio quality) were encountered during 50.3% of calls, although 82.6% of attempted calls were ultimately successful. Age was not associated with the proportion of calls that were successful. CONCLUSIONS VC is a useful tool for oculoplastic patients, irrespective of age, as long as the patient's notes/referrals are carefully vetted to determine suitability. Patients with ectropion, entropion and dermatochalasis, and postoperative reviews are better suited to VC than those with "watery eye," lid lesions, and conjunctival lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Jamison
- Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital
| | - Charles Diaper
- Ophthalmology Department, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
| | | | - Deepak Tejwani
- Ophthalmology Department, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, United Kingdom
| | | | - Paul Cauchi
- Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital
| | - Kevin Crofts
- Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital
| | - Vikas Chadha
- Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital
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Benjamin JE, Sun J, Cohen D, Matz J, Barbera A, Henderer J, Cheng L, Grachevskaya J, Shah R, Zhang Y. A 15 month experience with a primary care-based telemedicine screening program for diabetic retinopathy. BMC Ophthalmol 2021; 21:70. [PMID: 33541295 PMCID: PMC7859899 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-021-01828-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Using telemedicine for diabetic retinal screening is becoming popular especially amongst at-risk urban communities with poor access to care. The goal of the diabetic telemedicine project at Temple University Hospital is to improve cost-effective access to appropriate retinal care to those in need of close monitoring and/or treatment. Methods This will be a retrospective review of 15 months of data from March 2016 to May 2017. We will investigate how many patients were screened, how interpretable the photographs were, how often the photographs generated a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy (DR) based on the screening photo, and how many patients followed-up for an exam in the office, if indicated. Results Six-hundred eighty-nine (689) digital retinal screening exams on 1377 eyes of diabetic patients were conducted in Temple’s primary care clinic. The majority of the photographs were read to have no retinopathy (755, 54.8%). Among all of the screening exams, 357 (51.8%) triggered a request for a referral to ophthalmology. Four-hundred forty-nine (449, 32.6%) of the photos were felt to be uninterpretable by the clinician. Referrals were meant to be requested for DR found in one or both eyes, inability to assess presence of retinopathy in one or both eyes, or for suspicion of a different ophthalmic diagnosis. Sixty-seven patients (9.7%) were suspected to have another ophthalmic condition based on other findings in the retinal photographs. Among the 34 patients that were successfully completed a referral visit to Temple ophthalmology, there was good concordance between the level of DR detected by their screening fundus photographs and visit diagnosis. Conclusions Although a little more than half of the patients did not have diabetic eye disease, about half needed a referral to ophthalmology. However, only 9.5% of the referral-warranted exams actually received an eye exam. Mere identification of referral-warranted diabetic retinopathy and other ophthalmic conditions is not enough. A successful telemedicine screening program must close the communication gap between screening and diagnosis by reviewer to provide timely follow-up by eye care specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Benjamin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Justin Sun
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Devin Cohen
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joseph Matz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Angela Barbera
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Henderer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lorrie Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julia Grachevskaya
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rajnikant Shah
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Chong JC, Tan CHN, Chen DZ. Teleophthalmology and its evolving role in a COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping
review. ANNALS OF THE ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, SINGAPORE 2021. [DOI: 10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.2020459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Teleophthalmology may assist the healthcare sector in adapting to limitations imposed on
clinical practice by a viral pandemic. A scoping review is performed in this study to assess the current
applications of teleophthalmology for its suitability to diagnose, monitor or manage ophthalmological
conditions with accuracy.
Methods: A search of PubMed was conducted for teleophthalmology-related articles published from
1 January 2018 to 4 May 2020. Only articles that focused on the use of teleophthalmology in terms of
diagnosis and management, as well as its benefits and detriments, were included. The Mixed Methods
Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the quality of the included articles.
Results: A total of 38 articles were assessed at the full-text level. There were 2 qualitative studies and
1 quantitative randomised controlled trial, while the majority were either quantitative descriptive studies
(19, 50.0%) or quantitative non-randomised studies (16, 42.1%). Overall, 8 studies described reducing
manpower requirements, 4 described reducing direct patient–doctor contact, 17 described storage of
medical imaging and clinical data, and 9 described real-time teleconferencing. The MMAT analysis
revealed limitations in appropriate sampling strategy in both quantitative non-randomised studies (9 of
16, 56.3%) and quantitative descriptive studies (9 of 19, 47.4%). Cost-effectiveness of teleophthalmology
was not performed in any included study.
Conclusion: This current review of the various aspects of teleophthalmology describes how it may
potentially assist the healthcare sector to cope with the limitations imposed by a viral pandemic through
technology. Further research is required to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the various strategies.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, health informatics, ophthalmology, teleconsultation, telemedicine
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Bastos de Carvalho A, Ware SL, Lei F, Bush HM, Sprang R, Higgins EB. Implementation and sustainment of a statewide telemedicine diabetic retinopathy screening network for federally designated safety-net clinics. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241767. [PMID: 33147290 PMCID: PMC7641408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of incident blindness among working-age adults in the United States. Federally designated safety-net clinics (FDSC) often serve as point-of-contact for patients least likely to receive recommended DR screenings, creating opportunity for targeted interventions to increase screening access and compliance. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS With such a goal, we implemented and assessed the longitudinal performance of an FDSC-based telemedicine DR screening (TDRS) network of 22 clinical sites providing nonmydriatic fundus photography with remote interpretation and reporting. Retrospective analysis of patient encounters between February 2014 and January 2019 was performed to assess rates of pathology and referral. A generalized estimating equation logistic regression model was used for subset analysis from audits of pre- and post-implementation screening rates. Finally, patient surveys were conducted and assessed as a measure of intervention acceptability. RESULTS Of the 13,923 individual telescreening encounters (4327 female, 4220 male, and 5376 unspecified; mean [SD] age, 54.9 [12.5] years) studied, 10,540 were of adequate quality to identify 3532 (33.5%) patients with ocular pathology: 2319 (22.0%) patients had some level of DR with 1604 (15.2%) requiring specialist referral, and 808 (7.7%) patients required referral for other ocular pathologies. The mean screening rate for audited clinics in the year prior to program implementation was 29.9% (641/2147), which increased to 47.7% (1012/2124) in the program's first year, doubling patients' odds of being screened (OR 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3-3.7; P = .003). These gains were sustained over four years following implementation (OR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.1; P = .018) despite varied clinic screening performance (4-year averaged range, 22.9-55.1%). Odds of early detection likewise doubled for patients with consecutive screenings (OR 2.2, 95% CI: 2.0-2.4; P < .001). Finally, surveyed patients preferred TDRS to specialist exams (82.5%; 776/941) and would recommend the service to friends (92.7%; 868/936). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE A statewide, FDSC-centered TDRS network was successfully established and sustained in a medically underserved region of the United States. Our results suggest that large TDRS networks in FDSCs can increase screening access and compliance for otherwise unscreened populations, but outcomes can vary greatly among clinics. Further work to optimize program implementation is needed to maximize this model's impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Bastos de Carvalho
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - S. Lee Ware
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Feitong Lei
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Heather M. Bush
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Robert Sprang
- Kentucky Telecare, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Eric B. Higgins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
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Kalogeropoulos D, Kalogeropoulos C, Stefaniotou M, Neofytou M. The role of tele-ophthalmology in diabetic retinopathy screening. JOURNAL OF OPTOMETRY 2020; 13:262-268. [PMID: 31948924 PMCID: PMC7520530 DOI: 10.1016/j.optom.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States. Considering the increasing incidence of DR, it is extremely important to detect the most cost-effective tools for DR screening, so as to manage this surge in demand and the socioeconomic burden it places on the health care system. Despite the advances in retinal imaging, analysis techniques are still superseded by expert ophthalmologist interpretation. Teleophthalmology presents an immense opportunity, with high rates of sensitivity and specificity, to manage the steadily increasing demand for eye care of patients with diabetes, but challenges remain in the delivery of practical, viable, and clinically proven solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
| | - Chris Kalogeropoulos
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Maria Stefaniotou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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Sharma M, Jain N, Ranganathan S, Sharma N, Honavar SG, Sharma N, Sachdev MS. Tele-ophthalmology: Need of the hour. Indian J Ophthalmol 2020; 68:1328-1338. [PMID: 32587158 PMCID: PMC7574128 DOI: 10.4103/ijo.ijo_1784_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Telemedicine and tele-ophthalmology have been in existence since many years, but have recently gained more importance in the present scenario of pandemic COVID-19. The attitude and perception of the doctors and patients has been changing gradually. Telemedicine has many advantages including providing care in inaccesible areas.In the present scenario, tele-ophthalmology gives an oppurtunity to patient for seeking consultation while also protecting against the contagion. There are many barriers faced by the patients and doctors that have restricted use of this technology in the past. However, with a systematic approach to designing the best suited technology, these barriers can be overcome and user friendly platforms can be created. Furthermore, the demand and use of teleconsulation had increased presently in this area of pandemic. Recent survey conducted by the All India Ophthalmological Society also reveals that many ophthalmologists who have not used tele-ophthalmology in the past are more keen to use it presently. In this article, we have reviewed telemedicine and tele-ophthalmology literature on Google and PubMed to get a holistic idea towards teleconsultation, its advantages, increased importance and prefrence during COVID-19 pandemic and various barriers faced so that the known challenges can be understood, which can pave way for better understanding and future incorporation into practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohita Sharma
- Chairperson and Chief Ophthalmologist, Department of Ophthalmology, Tirupati Eye Centre, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Neha Jain
- Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon, Department of Ophthalmology, Tirupati Eye Centre, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Naman Sharma
- Medical Superintendent, Manas Hospital, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Santosh G Honavar
- Editor, Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, Centre for Sight, Hyderabad, India
| | - Namrata Sharma
- Dr. RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Ophthalmic Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Mahipal S Sachdev
- Chairman and Medical Director, Centre for Sight Group of Eye Hospitals, President, All India Ophthalmological Society, India
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Horton MB, Brady CJ, Cavallerano J, Abramoff M, Barker G, Chiang MF, Crockett CH, Garg S, Karth P, Liu Y, Newman CD, Rathi S, Sheth V, Silva P, Stebbins K, Zimmer-Galler I. Practice Guidelines for Ocular Telehealth-Diabetic Retinopathy, Third Edition. Telemed J E Health 2020; 26:495-543. [PMID: 32209018 PMCID: PMC7187969 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Contributors The following document and appendices represent the third edition of the Practice Guidelines for Ocular Telehealth-Diabetic Retinopathy. These guidelines were developed by the Diabetic Retinopathy Telehealth Practice Guidelines Working Group. This working group consisted of a large number of subject matter experts in clinical applications for telehealth in ophthalmology. The editorial committee consisted of Mark B. Horton, OD, MD, who served as working group chair and Christopher J. Brady, MD, MHS, and Jerry Cavallerano, OD, PhD, who served as cochairs. The writing committees were separated into seven different categories. They are as follows: 1.Clinical/operational: Jerry Cavallerano, OD, PhD (Chair), Gail Barker, PhD, MBA, Christopher J. Brady, MD, MHS, Yao Liu, MD, MS, Siddarth Rathi, MD, MBA, Veeral Sheth, MD, MBA, Paolo Silva, MD, and Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, MD. 2.Equipment: Veeral Sheth, MD (Chair), Mark B. Horton, OD, MD, Siddarth Rathi, MD, MBA, Paolo Silva, MD, and Kristen Stebbins, MSPH. 3.Quality assurance: Mark B. Horton, OD, MD (Chair), Seema Garg, MD, PhD, Yao Liu, MD, MS, and Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, MD. 4.Glaucoma: Yao Liu, MD, MS (Chair) and Siddarth Rathi, MD, MBA. 5.Retinopathy of prematurity: Christopher J. Brady, MD, MHS (Chair) and Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, MD. 6.Age-related macular degeneration: Christopher J. Brady, MD, MHS (Chair) and Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, MD. 7.Autonomous and computer assisted detection, classification and diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy: Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD (Chair), Michael F. Chiang, MD, and Paolo Silva, MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark B. Horton
- Indian Health Service-Joslin Vision Network (IHS-JVN) Teleophthalmology Program, Phoenix Indian Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Christopher J. Brady
- Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Jerry Cavallerano
- Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Massachusetts
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael Abramoff
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, and The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, Iowa
- IDx, Coralville, Iowa
| | - Gail Barker
- Arizona Telemedicine Program, The University of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Michael F. Chiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | | | - Seema Garg
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | | | - Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | | | - Siddarth Rathi
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York
| | - Veeral Sheth
- University Retina and Macula Associates, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Paolo Silva
- Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Massachusetts
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kristen Stebbins
- Vision Care Department, Hillrom, Skaneateles Falls, New York, New York
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Mastropasqua L, Perilli R, D'Aloisio R, Toto L, Mastropasqua A, Donato S, Taraborrelli M, Ginestra F, Porta M, Consoli A. Why Miss the Chance? Incidental Findings while Telescreening for Diabetic Retinopathy. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2020; 27:237-245. [PMID: 31958252 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2020.1715450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To report on incidental pathological findings met while screening for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) in Diabetes Clinics (DC) by ophthalmologist-graded digital fundus imaging. METHODS At the DC of Pescara (central Italy), for 3,859 eyes of 1,930 consecutive patients having not undergone fundus examination in the last year, two mydriatic fundus digital images, taken with a CenterVue DRS Digital Retinal Camera, were sent along with Best Corrected Visual Acuity, on a "store-and-forward" basis, to an ophthalmologist trained in DR screening, and graded according to the UK Diabetic Eye Screening Programme. Incidental fundus abnormalities other than DR were reported. RESULTS No adverse event to mydriasis was reported. One hundred and eighty eyes (4.66%) were ungradable. Among the 3,679 gradable ones, 1,105 (30.04%) showed different degrees of DR (R1 to R3), and 126 (3.42%) maculopathy (M1). Any Age-Related Macular Degeneration was present in 387 eyes (10.52%), any optic disc and parapapillary area features suspect for glaucoma in 562 eyes (15.27%), any hypertensive retinopathy in 1,263 eyes (34.33%), vitreoretinal interface disease in 252 eyes (6.84%), myopic choroidopathy in 92 eyes (2.50%), disc pallor in 31 eyes (0.84%). Mean time was 5 min for screening, 2 min for grading. CONCLUSION Teleretinography is a well-established, cost-effective procedure in DR screening. Along with increased attendance, locating a digital camera in a DC with a retina-specialist grader results in finding fundus pathologies also beyond DR, very similarly to fundus examination in an outpatient ophthalmic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mastropasqua
- Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
| | - Roberto Perilli
- Territorial Ophthalmology Unit, Local Health Authority , Pescara, Italy
| | - Rossella D'Aloisio
- Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
| | - Lisa Toto
- Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
| | - Alessandra Mastropasqua
- Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
| | - Simone Donato
- Chair of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
| | - Merilda Taraborrelli
- Chair of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
| | - Federica Ginestra
- Chair of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
| | - Massimo Porta
- Chair of Internal Medicine, Department Of Medical Sciences, University of Turin , Turin, Italy
| | - Agostino Consoli
- Chair of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara , Chieti, Italy
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Patient perceived value of teleophthalmology in an urban, low income US population with diabetes. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0225300. [PMID: 31917793 PMCID: PMC6952085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Dilated eye exams are the standard of care to detect advancing, vision threatening, but often asymptomatic retinopathy in a timely fashion, allowing for vision preserving treatments. Annual exam rates are suboptimal, especially in underserved populations. Although teleophthalmology programs tremendously improve annual exam rates in low income/under resourced settings, widespread adoption is limited. Using a mixed methods approach, three focus groups and individual interviews were conducted for patients with type 2 diabetes (N = 23) who had a teleophthalmology exam or a dilated eye exam. A survey and discussion assessed patients’ perspectives and value of teleophthalmology, including willingness to pay (WTP). Financial, transportation, and motivational barriers to obtaining an annual dilated eye exam were identified. Patients greatly valued having primary care (PC) based teleophthalmology for its convenience and ability to detect disease to allow for timely treatment and would recommend such a service. Although their WTP was at least the amount of their usual copay, cost was universally cited as a concern. Having a conveniently offered PC based teleophthalmology exam was valued. Educating patients on the value and costs of having such exams may be helpful to encourage informed discussions on eye care, especially in low income, underserved populations. Our study is among the few to provide insight on the value and perceptions of teleophthalmology in US low income, urban minority populations needed to help increase uptake of this innovation. Using surveys followed by facilitated discussion allowed for richer and more varied responses.
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Liu Y, Torres Diaz A, Benkert R. Scaling Up Teleophthalmology for Diabetic Eye Screening: Opportunities for Widespread Implementation in the USA. Curr Diab Rep 2019; 19:74. [PMID: 31375932 PMCID: PMC6934040 DOI: 10.1007/s11892-019-1187-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We discuss opportunities to address key barriers to widespread implementation of teleophthalmology programs for diabetic eye screening in the United States (U.S.). RECENT FINDINGS Teleophthalmology is an evidence-based form of diabetic eye screening. This technology has been proven to substantially increase diabetic eye screening rates and decrease blindness. However, teleophthalmology implementation remains limited among U.S. health systems. Major barriers include financial concerns as well as limited utilization by providers, clinical staff, and patients. Possible interventions include increasingly affordable camera technology, demonstration of financially sustainable billing models, and engaging key stakeholders. Significant opportunities exist to overcome barriers to scale up and promote widespread implementation of teleophthalmology in the USA. Further development of methods to sustain effective increases in diabetic eye screening rates using this technology is needed. In addition, the demonstration of cost-effectiveness in a variety of billing models should be investigated to facilitate widespread implementation of teleophthalmology in U.S. health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2870 University Ave, Ste 206, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
| | - Alejandra Torres Diaz
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2870 University Ave, Ste 206, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Ramsey Benkert
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 2870 University Ave, Ste 206, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
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