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Integrating diabetic retinopathy screening within diabetes education services in Australia's diabetes and indigenous primary care clinics
Author(s) -
AtkinsonBriggs Sharon,
Jenkins Alicia,
Keech Anthony,
Ryan Christopher,
Brazionis Laima
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/imj.14309
Subject(s) - medicine , diabetic retinopathy , diabetes mellitus , indigenous , retinopathy , ethnic group , family medicine , diabetes management , primary care , optometry , patient education , primary care physician , type 2 diabetes , endocrinology , ecology , sociology , anthropology , biology
As diabetes occurs in all ethnicities and regions it is essential that retinopathy screening be widely available. Screening rates are lower in Indigenous than in non‐Indigenous Australians. Technological advances and Medicare rebates should facilitate improved outcomes. Use of non‐ophthalmic clinicians, (general practitioners, diabetes educators, health‐workers and endocrinologists) to supplement coverage by ophthalmologists and optometrists would extend retinopathy screening capacity. Diabetes educators are an integral part of diabetes management. Integrating ocular screening and diabetes education in primary care settings has potential to improve synergistically retinopathy screening coverage, patient self‐management, risk factor control, care satisfaction, health economics and sustainability of under‐resourced services.