An Innovative Australian Outreach Model of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening in Remote Communities

Autor: Sarah Larkins, Lisa Crossland, Nicola M. Glasson
Rok vydání: 2015
Předmět:
Research design
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Article Subject
Endocrinology
Diabetes and Metabolism
Alternative medicine
030209 endocrinology & metabolism
Bioinformatics
Efficiency
Organizational
lcsh:Diseases of the endocrine glands. Clinical endocrinology
Health Services Accessibility
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Endocrinology
Predictive Value of Tests
Diabetes mellitus
medicine
Humans
Mass Screening
030212 general & internal medicine
Referral and Consultation
Aged
Retrospective Studies
Service (business)
Patient Care Team
lcsh:RC648-665
Diabetic Retinopathy
business.industry
Delivery of Health Care
Integrated
Australia
Diabetic retinopathy
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Organizational Innovation
Outreach
Early Diagnosis
Family medicine
Models
Organizational
Workforce
Female
Rural Health Services
business
Retinopathy
Program Evaluation
Research Article
Zdroj: Journal of Diabetes Research
Journal of Diabetes Research, Vol 2016 (2016)
ISSN: 2314-6753
Popis: Background. Up to 98% of visual loss secondary to diabetic retinopathy (DR) can be prevented with early detection and treatment. Despite this, less than 50% of Australian and American diabetics receive appropriate screening. Diabetic patients living in rural and remote communities are further disadvantaged by limited access to ophthalmology services.Research Design and Methods. DR screening using a nonmydriatic fundal camera was performed as part of a multidisciplinary diabetes service already visiting remote communities. Images were onforwarded to a distant general practitioner who identified and graded retinopathy, with screen-positive patients referred to ophthalmology. This retrospective, descriptive study aims to compare the proportion of remote diabetic patients receiving appropriate DR screening prior to and following implementation of the service.Results. Of the 141 patients in 11 communities who underwent DR screening, 16.3% had received appropriate DR screening prior to the implementation of the service. In addition, 36.2% of patients had never been screened. Following the introduction of the service, 66.3% of patients underwent appropriate DR screening (p=0.00025).Conclusion. This innovative model has greatly improved accessibility to DR screening in remote communities, thereby reducing preventable blindness. It provides a holistic, locally appropriate diabetes service and utilises existing infrastructure and health workforce more efficiently.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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