Abstract:

Purpose: To examine a technical platform that enables the establishment of a national connected care network in eye care. Such network will enable distant (remote) image transfer, portable patient health information, collaborative patient care delivery between primary care and specialty care providers, best practices, and an innovative approach for lifetime learning.

Methods: An integrated solution provided by EMRlogic Systems is the selected platform. The system is equipped for image file management from most of the available eye care diagnostic instruments, and also provides telemedicine reports, web-based patient communication, and an open forum for patient outcome feedback and best practices sharing . Multiple sites, including various departments within the Illinois Eye Institute, are identified to provide practice with image acquisition and sharing. Typical eye images include the anterior segment and retinal fundus photos, as well as visual fields and topography. To ensure HIPAA compliance, users are granted varying security rights in order that they may view only authorized images from individual sites. A group of clinicians in specialty eye care fields including glaucoma, the retina and cornea are identified to interpret image results and provide consultation. Should a case prove to be particularly interesting or exemplary, it may be added anonymously to the “Eye Gallery”, a collection of such cases for general reference. Best practices and lifetime learning are designed to carry throughout the diagnostic process with the images and cases easily accessible for future reference.

Results: The ideal project outcome is to demonstrate a clinical model that helps optometrists understand and participate in an outcomes-based health care delivery system. Furthermore, the project provides a forum to discuss eye care best practices in outcome-based patient care, offers an educational program to help ODs better understand health care reform and finally, presents an ActiveCE model with efficient education on the many aspects of eye care best practices and best clinical outcomes.

Conclusion: The project will demonstrate the value of an integrated technical platform to an integrated healthcare solution which not only supports the concept of connected care, but also offers an innovative approach for continued learning.