In an effort to expand access to ophthalmology screening services within the public health system, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has embarked on a pilot tele-ophthalmology initiative.
This was revealed by the Chief Executive Officer of the QEH, Dr. Dexter James during the opening ceremony of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital Regional Conference recently.
“We have embarked on a pilot tele-ophthalmology initiative, leveraging the gains already made by exploiting the benefits of information and communications technology. This initiative is being executed between the Ophthalmology department and our telecommunications partners Cisco and Digicel. The project focuses primarily on delivering specialists consultations and second opinions for patients presented with glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy,” he said.
“This project is located within the Ministry of Health’s National Eyecare Policy and Strategic Plans 2014-2019, which contemplates the inclusion of the private sector as an integral part of the providing network.”
James revealed that both Cisco and Digicel have had significant experience in ICT for telemedicine purposes and have developed telemedicine projects in the Americas, Europe and Asia. He noted that both companies were working on digitising projects in the Caribbean and expressed that they have made an unsolicited proposal to support the QEH in designing and implementing this programme.
“This pilot project contemplates the involvement of three locations, one central site being the QEH’s Ophthalmology department, which would provide specialists consultation and two remote sites, one being the polyclinic, the Winston Scott Polyclinic and the Maria Holder Diabetes Centre, an NGO,” he said.
He explained that in order to support the project, their telecommunications department has committed to loaning the equipment for the project free of cost for three months, provide connectivity for the project at no cost and assist in the design and development of the teleconsultation process to support the programme.
“So, while sometimes the focus is on tertiary care services, we must never lose sight of the fact that our public health system is developed around the primary health care approach as that promotes population wellness, such as early detection through aggressive screening programmes, which remains a viable mitigation strategy to delaying or preventing ‘episodal’ care,” he said.