Telemedicine screening program offers early detection of diabetic retinopathy

For those struggling with diabetic retinopathy, a visit the eye doctor can be problematic—and that’s where telemedicine can come into play. Based on a nationwide telemedicine diabetic screening program in the U.K., researchers are hoping to bring such care to the U.S.

After implementing the telemedicine screening for diabetic retinopathy, England and Wales were able to reduce the prevalence of the disease to a point where it is no longer the leading cause of blindness. Seeing the effectiveness across the Atlantic Ocean, researchers at the University of Michigan's Kellogg Eye Center conducted a study to evaluate if people in the U.S. were equally interested in participating in such programs.

With all the positives that telemedicine offers, such as providing care to those who have difficulty with transportation, the service could be an integral tool in reaching millions. But in a study published in Telemedicine and e-Health, just three of the 97 patients surveyed had heard of telemedicine. After being explained what telemedicine was and is capable of providing,  69 percent believed it to be a more convenient method of care for them than standard eye care.

Of those surveyed, the study found that the more convenient the service the more likely that patients were to use them. However, those who have had diabetes longer and those with a good standing relationship with their doctor were the less likely to embrace telemedicine.

"Patients with long-standing disease are less likely to trust a new, less-personal delivery model. In our study, the highest impact on willingness was convenience of telemedicine," said author Maria Woodward, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Kellogg Eye Center. "Our results indicate that willingness to participate in telemedicine for diabetic retinopathy screening reflects how patients perceived convenience, the patient-physician relationship and their own health."