Impact of Diabetic Screening on the Quality of the Follow-Up of Diabetic Patients by General Practitioners

Abstract

Purpose: : The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening on the quality of the ophthalmic follow-up of diabetic patients by general practitioners (GP)s.

Methods: : A DR mobile screening was undertaken from 2004 to 2006 in the 72 lowest medicalized areas of Burgundy. We assessed the rate of ophthalmic examinations prescribed per year by GPs for diabetics in the areas visited by the screening campaign (group 1) and compared it to some matched non visited areas of this region (group 2). Finally, we collected the same rate for other GPs involved in teaching in medical school (group 3). We compared these rates before and after screening.

Results: : The rate of ophthalmic visits prescribed per year by GPs did not change significantly in selected areas nor in matched areas after the screening campaign, 44% vs 43% and 41% vs 41% respectively. The changes for the teaching GPs were 49% vs 47%. Local lectures given by ophthalmologists to GPs and advertisement to improve diabetic follow-up had no impact on ocular check-up by GPs.

Conclusions: : The screening provided a great improvement for diabetic management since about 80% of the screened patients presenting with DR consulted an ophthalmologist after the campaign. However, the secondary impact of this screening to improve the implication of GPs in ophthalmic follow-up remained very low.

Keywords: diabetic retinopathy • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques • diabetes