Often this progresses into unnecessary blindness, affecting an estimated 40,000 diabetics every year. Detecting the abnormal blood vessels of the retina early gives the patient the sight-saving opportunity to undergo highly successful laser surgery. The Inoveon Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy Evaluation Service brings the evaluation closer to the patient population in settings where they get most of their routine care, which encourages greater compliance with guidelines. Providing this service in the primary care location lets doctors stay involved in the management of the whole disease state, resulting in better outcomes and lower costs. The company places a digital retinal camera in the doctor s office.
Technicians take a series of images of the retina of every diabetic patient they see.
The analysis results in a retinal score for each eye being sent to the patient s doctor within 48 hours of the test, staging their diabetic retinopathy status. The test score and a recommendation for follow-up are summarized in a report transmitted back to the doctor via the Internet within 48 hours of the retinal photographs being taken. About 5 percent of the time the disease is sufficiently advanced to indicate referral to a retinal specialist for possible laser surgical treatment. We have a concentrated population of diabetics here at the Oklahoma City V.A. and this service will make getting regular retinal checkups much easier and cost effective for our patients, commented Steven Gentling, director of the V.A. Medical Center in Oklahoma City. We are excited about the prospect of being the first medical facility to dramatically increase what are traditionally low compliance numbers for annual retinal exams and therefore helping our patients literally save their sight.