Partnership for Glaucoma

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to develop new ways of assisting patients with glaucoma and their eye doctors in using the recommendations from practice guidelines.

Detailed Description
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Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States, particularly among disadvantaged populations. Despite the presence of therapies proven in NEI, randomized controlled trials that can be delivered by more than 18,000 ophthalmologists and 34,000 optometrists, almost nothing is known about the content and quality of glaucoma care delivered by non-MD providers such as optometrists. With the numbers of people with glaucoma expected to more than double in the next twenty years in the face of no more than a 15% increase in the supply of eye care providers, methods to better support appropriate and high-quality care for chronic eye diseases such as glaucoma delivered by optometrists will become as critical, if not more so, as techniques to enhance quality care among ophthalmologists. Our study is a community-based, randomized, controlled trial that evaluates the suitability and effectiveness of a technology-based (tablet computer) intervention within the context of a novel partnership between optometrists and patients with glaucoma to improve the process quality of care and ultimately outcomes of care. By using successfully implemented technology in novel applications,and by building on the success of ongoing community-based quality improvement projects in our region, the study provides a means for rapid translation into community care if the intervention is successful.

Official Title
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Expanding Quality Care for Glaucoma Through a Provider-Patient Partnership

Conditions
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Glaucoma

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Computer Tablet
* Other: Continuing Education Course
* Other: Continuing education


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: -Diagnosis of open angle glaucoma with documented visual field loss.
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: 1<br> | Other: Computer Tablet<br>* A tablet computer based software application designed to collect structured clinical information from providers and patients at the point of care.<br>Other: Continuing Education Course<br>* Annual standard continuing education<br>|
| Other: 2<br>Control group to receive annual continuing education | Other: Continuing education<br>* Annual standard continuing education materials<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| To determine if innovative technology will improve process quality of care & important outcomes of care by optometrists in a cost-efficient manner while simultaneously empowering & including patients as part of the care process. |  | Baseline, Year 1 and Year 2 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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glaucoma, optometrists