Digital Healthcare brings primary care physicians and ophthalmologists an integrated clinical solution to improve the outcome of patients at risk of blindness from eye disease: Retasure. More than a million patients around the world have received an annual risk assessment using Digital Healthcare software. Retasure will:

• Enable primary care physicians to offer a new, reimbursable service to diabetic patients
• Help primary care physicians improve quality of care measures
• Increase referral compliance of historically non-compliant diabetic patients to ophthalmologists

Primary care physicians using Retasure take non-mydriatic (non-dilated) photographs of diabetic patients. The images are then transmitted via a secure, HIPAA-compliant network to an ophthalmologist at an accredited reading center for grading. Results are then returned — within 72 hours — to the primary care physician via the secure network. Images containing pathology can quickly and efficiently be referred to a local ophthalmologist who can access Retasure to view and reference images taken at the primary care location.

Digital Healthcare’s Retasure, provides an integrated clinical solution to improving the outcome of patients at risk of sight threatening eye diseases, beginning in the primary care physician’s office. There’s never been an easier way for primary care physicians to protect the eyesight of their diabetic patients. Ophthalmologists will receive exceptional diagnostic images with patient referrals.

Retasure Advantages:

• Operated by non-clinicians under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional
• Non-invasive
• Obtains exceptionally high-quality digital images of the retina using a simple-to-operate fundus camera
• Transmits images to a digital reading center where they are assessed for pathology
• Returns results promptly to the primary healthcare provider
• Encourages patient compliance

The system is comprised of the following components connected over a secure, HIPAA-compliant network:

The Digital Photography Unit — This is a digital fundus camera into which a patient looks.  A soft flash is used to capture a high resolution picture of the retina (see image below). This image covers an area of about 45 degrees and shows the blood vessels, nerves and important physiological structures such as the macular and optic disc.

Digital Workstation — The computer is dedicated to the application and is connected to the
fundus camera. It controls all of the settings on the fundus camera and the high resolution digital camera that is mounted on the unit. The computer is connected via a standard DSL or ADSL (broadband) connection. It is connected directly to a secure server and is authenticated automatically.

The Reading Service — The images are transmitted to a digital reading center where they are read according to a messaging queue. The images are read by clinical assessors under the supervision of a state licensed, board certified clinical ophthalmologist, who will determine the presence of pathology. Reports are generated automatically according to the international ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) standard. The reports are sent directly to the primary care physician. It is important to note that Digital Healthcare provides the service. The patients’ physician is responsible for the use and management of the results.

The Automated Workflow — The retinal imaging service is made possible by automating the clinical pathway. This means that every step of the process (except physical photography and grading) is automatic and is managed on an “end to end” HIPAA-compliant system. The heart of the system is the workflow management software. This is a product designed, developed, managed and operated by Digital Healthcare and is used throughout the world to assess more than two million eyes annually.

The Quality Control System — Meeting clinical standards for evidence based testing is made possible by the implementation of rigorous quality control methodologies and standard operating procedures. The system automatically tracks all patient information as it passes from step to step throughout the process.

Remote Access System — The system provides a Web access technology that allows primary care physicians to log on remotely to see their patient data.