May 25, 2004

Telehealth Practice Recommendations for Diabetic Retinopathy

Telehealth holds the promise of increased adherence to evidenced-based medicine and improved consistency of care. Goals for an ocular telehealth program include preserving vision, reducing vision loss and providing better access to medicine. Establishing recommendations for an ocular telehealth program may improve clinical outcomes and promote informed and reasonable patient expectations. This document addresses current diabetic retinopathy telehealth clinical and administrative issues and provides recommendations for designing and implementing a diabetic retinopathy ocular telehealth care program. The recommendations also form the basis for evaluating diabetic retinopathy telehealth techniques and technologies. Recommendations in this document are based on careful reviews of current evidence, medical literature and clinical practice. They do not, however, replace sound medical judgment or traditional clinical decision-making.