Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Audit - Trained Non-physician Personnel as Compared with Ophthalmologists - การเปรียบเทียบการแปลผลการคัดกรองโรคเบาหวานเข้าจอประสาทตา ระหว่างบุคลากรที่ผ่านการอบรมและจักษุแพทย์

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study was to audit the interpretation of digital retinal images
by trained non-physician personnel in the diabetic retinopathy screening project, compared with
those by ophthalmologist, and retinal specialist.
Digital retinal images of diabetes patients who classified as no diabetic retinopathy by trained nonphysician
personnel, from the diabetic retinopathy screening in Trang province during August -
September 2009 were studied. Five hundred patients were randomly selected. These included a total
of 955 normal retinal images. In order to allow ophthalmologist, and retinal specialist to interpret
the images, all images were stored on the CD-ROMs and both specialist recorded results in a data
record form.
Interpretation difference between the retinal specialist and the trained non-physician personnel
accounted for 2.7 percent of the total samples. The retinal specialist graded the images as mild
nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy in 26 images from 955 images, while trained non-physician
personnel interpreted images as normal.
In conclusion, non-physician personnel who received training and practice on diabetic
retinopathy screening can read and interpret the digital retinal images in the screening process.
There was no loss of chance for patients in seeking treatment. However, it is recommended
that retinal images interpretation needs periodical system evaluation and an audit.
Key words: Diabetic retinopathy, Clinical audit, Screening, Thailand