The concept of virtual clinics in monitoring patients with age‐related macular degeneration

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) England), 2016-08, Vol.94 (5), p.e353-e355
• Main Authors: Tsaousis, Konstantinos T., Empeslidis, Theodoros, Konidaris, Vasileios E., Kapoor, Bharat, Deane, James
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; age‐related macular degeneration; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Intravitreal Injections; Male; Observer Variation; Ophthalmology; optical coherence tomography; Physical Examination; Pilot Projects; Remote Consultation; Retrospective Studies; Tomography, Optical Coherence; User-Computer Interface; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - antagonists & inhibitors; virtual clinics; Visual Acuity - physiology; Wet Macular Degeneration - diagnosis; Wet Macular Degeneration - diagnostic imaging; Wet Macular Degeneration - drug therapy
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/aos.12832

Purpose To present clinical results regarding the treatment of patients with age‐related macular degeneration (neovascular form) after the implementation of a ‘virtual’ type of follow‐up in a single retina service centre. Methods Retrospective study based on the clinical records of the Leicester Royal Infirmary Retina department. Two periods were compared, the 2‐year period of 2011–2012 and the following one of 2012–2013 when the ‘virtual’ clinics model applied in the department. Primary outcomes were as follows: the time between two appointments, follow‐up or treatment and the number of patients with significant (>15 letters) improvement of their best corrected distance visual acuity. Secondary parameters of interest were as follows: mean number of injections per patient/year and the average duration of a ‘virtual’ vs. a regular visit. Results The mean time interval between two appointments was 5.3 weeks following the implementation of the ‘virtual’ clinics compared to 6.9 weeks in the previous period of regular appointments. Mean visual acuity improvement >15 letters was achieved in 6.9% of the patients compared to 23.1% of the ‘virtual’ appointments period. The results regarding injections/patient/year were as follows: 5.6 before the model of ‘virtual’ appointments and 5.9 after the implementation. The average time a patient spent for a conventional visit was 71.4 ± 24.1 min, and the respective time needed in the virtual clinic was 47.3 ± 18.6 min. Conclusion The model of ‘virtual’ (without actual consultation) follow‐up appointments assisted our service to contend with the increased number of patient. In general, the specific pattern of patients' management could be widely considered obviously after comprehensive and all‐embracing assessment of its safety and efficiency.