Abstract
Purpose: :
to evaluate the medical and social impact of our different ophtalmological e-Health projects.
Methods: :
different developed active projects on e-Health were evaluated: 7 clinical trials, 3 reading centers, 1 on-line journal and 2 epidemiological registers, developed by Comed research in the last 7 years, to understand applicability and forward availability. In each project we analyzed the following defined parameters:(i) access as right care in right time, (ii) acceptability as degree of satisfaction, (iii) medical efficacy as right care, right imaging interpretation and management costs.
Results: :
our system analysis evidenced a positive opinion in 75% of involved ophthalmologists concerning the access possibilities; about acceptability, 85% was satisfied about equipment- procedure comfort and resolution of technical problems; 80% expressed positive opinion about data quality, service management and interpretation of transferred images. We performed better results in clinical trials, worse results in reading centers. Nowadays some barriers remain, moreover on promotion to physician's interest and participation on e-Health projects, rather than technology evolution or systems costs, where the progressive systems implementation allowed a significative reduction of costs.
Conclusions: :
this analysis showed the importance of e-Health project on the new care systems, in particular in ophthalmology, improving screening and treatment disparities. Imaging, data management and ophthalmologist communication represent a step forward resources saving and health care improvement.
Keywords: image processing • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: biostatistics/epidemiology methodology • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques