Teleophth LLC Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Program

Teleophth LLC integrates electronic information and medical technology through digital medical equipment and a telecommunication platform with an interconnected reading network of board-certified clinicians for diabetic retinopathy screening.  It was developed to help effectively detect diabetic retinopathy at point of care, increase screening rates among patients with diabetes and support practice referrals for all eye care practitioners. The program is a straightforward and time-efficient process. A non-mydriatic camera is used to take a picture of the retinas in less than two minutes and these images are automatically transferred to a reading network, where they are graded and signed by board-certified ophthalmologists within 48 hours and then returned to the primary care physician with a completed analysis report.  Specialty referral recommendations are also communicated to the primary care physician.  Subsequently, the patient’s chart or electronic medical record can be updated with the results and tagged as having met the HEDIS measure requirement.

Because diabetic retinopathy typically shows no symptoms in the beginning stages of disease, screenings are a critical tool for early detection and should be conducted annually for people with diabetes.  With early detection and treatment, vision loss associated with diabetic retinopathy can be prevented.  In addition, adherence to guideline recommendations for diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment will ultimately save healthcare dollars.

Despite the importance of annual screenings for diabetic retinopathy, adherence remains low especially in underserved and minority populations.  This may be due to transportation issues, illness, physical disability, too many other healthcare appointments, costs associated with the screening and not making appointments with eye care provider a priority.

Teleophth LLC assists in overcoming some of these barriers by incorporating telehealth-based diabetic retinopathy screenings at health fairs and point of care clinics. Traditionally, eye care practitioners have been the primary providers of diabetic retinopathy screenings.  However, the majority of patients with diabetes are treated by a primary care physician, which often puts them in the best position of initial point of contact with the patient.  By using Teleophth LLC diabetic retinopathy screening for patients, primary care physicians will provide a method to identify retinopathy in its early stages, therefore reducing rates of blindness and decreasing overall healthcare costs.

Teleophth LLC’s mission is to strengthen the care journey between primary care and eye care and enhance patient experience through reliable telehealth-based diabetic retinopathy screening thus increasing adherence rates and ultimately improving outcomes for patients.