Devon Blog

Tag: healthcare

  • Understanding the Gravity of Diabetes

    It’s easy to take your eyesight for granted.
    Diabetes is the leading cause of vision loss in people 18–64 years old. And there are no obvious signs or symptoms. But the great news is an annual routine eye exam could prevent 95% of vision loss caused by diabetes.

    source: Diabetes.org

    Diabetes is more than just a blood sugar issue; it is a complex metabolic condition that affects multiple organs, including our eyes. High blood sugar levels over an extended period can damage the blood vessels throughout our body, including those in our eyes. Here’s why diabetes should be taken seriously in the context of our vision:

    Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetes can lead to a condition called diabetic retinopathy, where the tiny blood vessels in the retina become damaged and start to leak. This condition can lead to vision loss and even blindness if left untreated.

    Silent Progression: Diabetic retinopathy often progresses silently in its early stages. One may not experience any noticeable symptoms until the damage is advanced. Regular eye screenings can detect these changes before they become severe.

    Early Detection Is Key: The key to preserving vision when one has diabetes is early detection and timely intervention. When detected in its early stages, diabetic retinopathy can often be managed effectively to prevent further damage.

    Why Annual Eye Screenings Are Essential

    Now that we’ve highlighted the seriousness of diabetes concerning your vision, let’s discuss why annual eye screenings are crucial:

    Early Detection: Regular eye screenings can catch diabetic retinopathy in its early stages when treatment options are most effective. This can prevent or slow down vision loss.

    Preventative Care: By monitoring a patient’s eye health annually, their healthcare team can identify potential issues even before they cause noticeable symptoms. Early intervention can help maintain good vision.

    Comprehensive Assessment: A patient’s primary care provider can perform a comprehensive assessment of your eye health during their annual check-up using the CarePlus program by HealthOcta. This includes imaging their retina, and having those images be read by a qualified eye doctor who can assess the patients eye health and recommend necessary next steps.

    Tailored Recommendations: If any issues are detected during the screening, the results are sent back to the patient’s healthcare provider who can then make personalized recommendations for further evaluation or treatment by a specialist, such as an ophthalmologist.

    In conclusion, diabetes is a serious condition that can pose significant threats to vision. The key to protecting our eyes is early detection through annual eye screenings. By taking this proactive step and managing our diabetes effectively, we can reduce the risk of vision loss and ensure that we continue to enjoy the world in all its beauty.

    Vision is precious – let’s work together to keep our eyes healthy.

  • Benefits of undilated eye exams for retinal eye screenings

    In the realm of preventive healthcare, early detection is often the key to successful intervention.

    This principle holds particularly true when it comes to preserving our precious sense of sight. Retinal complications, such as those arising from diabetes and other chronic disorders, can lead to preventable blindness if left undetected and untreated.

    Fortunately, advances in technology and medical practice have paved the way for more accessible and patient-friendly retinal screenings that can be conducted as part of your annual office visit to your Primary care provider.

    CarePlus by HealthOcta is one such innovation that utilizes undilated eye exams with best of breed, FDA approved non-mydriatic cameras, offering a host of benefits that make them a preferred choice for early detection of retinal disorders. A few of the key benefits are listed below

    Patient Comfort

    Undoubtedly, one of the most significant advantages of undilated eye exams is the enhanced comfort they provide to patients. Traditional dilated eye exams require the use of eye drops to dilate the pupils, resulting in temporary blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and difficulty focusing. These side effects can last for several hours, making it inconvenient for patients to resume their daily activities immediately after the examination. In contrast, undilated eye exams using non-mydriatic cameras do not necessitate pupil dilation, ensuring that patients experience no discomfort and can carry on with their life routines without interruption.

    Convenience and Accessibility

    Retinal screenings are vital for patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions, as they are at a higher risk of developing retinal complications. Undilated eye exams with non-mydriatic cameras are highly convenient and can be performed in primary care settings, eliminating the need for patients to visit specialized eye clinics or undergo extensive preparation. The increased accessibility through the CarePlus program encourages more individuals to undergo regular screenings, ultimately leading to earlier detection and intervention.

    Faster results

    Traditional dilated exams may take longer due to the time required for pupil dilation and subsequent examination. In contrast, undilated retinal screenings are swift and produce results almost immediately. This speed not only reduces patient anxiety but also facilitates timely diagnosis, increased coverage in general practice settings and enables timely eintervention, which can be critical in preventing vision loss.

    Most importanly, the use of non-mydriatic cameras allows for quicker and efficient imaging of the retina.

    Safer for Patients

    Undilated eye exams are also considered safer for patients, particularly those with certain medical conditions or allergies that may react adversely to the eye drops used in dilation. Additionally, undilated exams are suitable for patients of all ages, making them a more versatile and inclusive option for retinal screenings.

    Cost-Effective

    By eliminating the time, expertise and resources required for dilation, undilated retinal screenings with non-mydriatic cameras are a cost-effective alternative. The simplicity and cost-effectiveness of retinal imaging paired with HealthOcta’s technology to transmit and enhance the images for review by a qualified and licensed Ophthalmologist makes the CarePlus screening program a game-changer for healthcare systems. CarePlus enables healthcare providers to to allocate resources more efficiently and to provide screenings to a broader population.

    Increased Patient Compliance

    The discomfort associated with traditional dilated exams can deter some individuals from seeking regular screenings. Undilated eye exams remove this barrier and encourage greater patient compliance . When patients are more comfortable and experience minimal disruption to their daily lives, they are more likely to adhere to recommended annual screening schedules, ultimately improving their long-term eye health.

    In summary, Eye exams with non-mydriatic cameras used by the CarePlus program offer a significant advancement in retinal screenings. The program and technology prioritize patient comfort, convenience, rapid results, safety, and cost-effectiveness, making our workflows a crucial asset in preventing vision loss due to retinal issues. These screenings administered as part of the CarePlus program enhance accessibility and patient compliance, representing a clear choice in our mission to fuse technology & medicine to protect the precious gift of sight.

  • Remote diabetic eye screenings powered by HealthOcta

    Remote diabetic eye screenings powered by HealthOcta

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) continues to be the leading cause of preventable blindness globally
    with a prevalence of 22.27% for any kind of DR, 6.17% for vision-threatening DR (VTDR), and 4.07% for diabetic macular edema (DME) among patients with diabetes. 

    We’ve been receiving a lot of inquiries from our healthcare provider partners to enable diabetic eye screenings for their patients using the Ophthalmology service line within our VideoConsults platform.

    Turns out that the HealthOcta technology platfrom and team are a great fit to help address this existing need and to put a curb on preventable blindness. Digital retinal imaging devices powered by HealthOcta’s technology platform and our panel of Ophthalmologists can enable primary care practices enable a higher standard of eye screenings for their diabetic patient population.

    Better care is about awareness and education

    Offering diabetic eye screenings as part of primary care services can improve patient engagement and satisfaction. Patients appreciate the convenience of receiving comprehensive care in one location, and they are more likely to follow through with recommended screenings when they are easily accessible.

    Regular eye screenings can serve as a reminder for patients to manage their diabetes effectively. When patients see the potential impact of diabetes on their eyes, they may be more motivated to control their blood sugar levels, adhere to medications, and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

    Eye diseases can exist even if you have no symptoms

    Annual eye exams are important for preventing and detecting diabetes-related eye complications. They can help identify problems that can prevent or delay vision loss if treated. Annual eye exams can help providers identify more diseases earlier in patients who might otherwise go untreated. Annual screening can help detect conditions before they exhibit symptoms.

    Diabetics are at a high risk of vision loss

    Diabetics are also at higher risk for cataracts and macular degeneration. Early detection and treatment of these conditions can preserve vision.

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) occurs when the blood vessels inside the eye start to leak blood and fluid into the retina, causing damage and permanent vision loss. Early detection and treatment is crucial for preserving your eyesight.

    Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a complication of diabetic retinopathy, and occurs when the macula, the center of the retina, begins to swell. The macula is responsible for your central and color vision. When the macula swells, it damages the blood vessels, causing them to leak— resulting in vision loss.

    While patients with uncontrolled blood sugar levels have a higher risk of diabetic retinopathy, those with controlled diabetes are still at risk and need to be screened against that risk regularly.

    It is recommended that patients receive annual eye exams for early detection of the disease, and increased optimal treatment results. By regularly monitoring a diabetic patients eye health, you are ensuring that any changes that occur will be detected early, before they can cause any harm.

    Empowering Better Healthcare through Tech+Med

    Despite the benefits stated above, most patients with diabetes do not receive annual eye screening per recommended guidelines. By deploying nonmydriatic cameras like the ones supported by HealthOcta in primary care or laboratory settings, remote retinal imaging technologies can broaden eye-care access and reduce the long-term costs of quality care.

    If you are a primary care practitioner or a opthalmologist or feel passionate about this topic, we would love to hear from you.

    Some eye-opening statistics…

  • Video Consults for Endocrinology

    Its clear to all that we’re living a national shortage of healthcare providers – some have gone on to call it an Public Health crisis.

    The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimates (March 2023) that the United States will face a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034. This shortage is expected to span both primary- and specialty-care fields. The shortage is projected to increase by 37,800 to 124,000 physicians within 12 years

    The shortage is driven by increasing demand for physician services, particularly population growth and aging. The workforce shortage has been increasing since before the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerated at an even more alarming rate thereafter.

    California, Florida, and Texas are the three states expected to have the greatest estimated physician shortage by 2030.

    More than 46 million Americans, or 15 percent of the U.S. population, live in rural areas

    Today, Rural areas make up nearly two-thirds of primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in the country. Rural residents are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke. About 20 percent of Americans live in rural areas, but barely one-tenth of physicians practice there.

    We created Video Consults to help address this coverage gap by fusing together technology with medical experts spanning a wide geography. We’ve created an Ophthalmology practice and are now on our way to focus on Endocrinology needs of the nation.

    Why Endocrinology?

    The number of endocrinologists who treat adults is not growing nearly fast enough to keep up with the surging demand driven by a growing and aging population compounded by the continuing obesity epidemic. There has been a shortage of practitioners in the field of Endocrinology for many years. The continuing obesity pandemic, growth in diabetes and other endocrine disorders has only made the situation worse.

    “The wait time for a new patient to be seen is much greater than in almost any other specialty in medicine by a factor of two.
    You can get in to see a cardiologist in 15 days, but it’ll take you 37 days to get in to see an endocrinologist,”

    Robert A. Vigersky, MD (cited from Endocrine news, Dec 2014)

    How does Video Consults help?

    • Our platform enables healthcare institutions to improve access and reach to specialty services
    • Enables the provider to request a specialty service on-demand. Greater reach to specialists.
    • Practitioner (specialist) gets ubiquitous reach without the need to travel away from their medical practice. Better quality of life for the practitioner.
    • Access to expert consultation is received quicker, faster and more economically.
    • Patients receive a higher level of care.

    Our Endocrinology service line is yet another way in which Video Consults continues to deliver on HealthOcta’s mission of fusing expertise in technology and medicine to help healthcare providers deliver a higher level of care to their patients.

    Get in touch. Join us & learn more.

    We’re growing our Endocrinology practice are keen to engage with physicians across the country. Sign up to be part of our network of healthcare providers and we’ll get in touch to bring you on board. You may also request our team to get in touch

    References
  • Introducing VideoConsults

    Introducing VideoConsults

    Healthocta’s vision is to fuse together medicine & technology so healthcare providers can deliver better healthcare.

    The US Healthcare system is awesome. Yes, it is! There are few challenges. However, we’re definitely among the better places on earth where you’d want to be receiving healthcare services.

    Some challenges in the US Healthcare industry

    (This is a summary of what we found when we spoke to a bunch of people and made a few searches online…)

    • Access and affordability: Despite having one of the highest per capita healthcare spending, the US still faces high costs of healthcare which is not affordable for a large part of the population.
    • Fragmented delivery system: The US healthcare system is fragmented with a complex network of different insurance providers, leading to higher costs and lower quality of care.
    • Inadequate primary care: There is a shortage of primary care providers in many areas of the country, leading to a higher reliance on more expensive emergency and specialty care services.
    • High administrative costs: The US healthcare system has high administrative costs, resulting in a higher overall cost of healthcare compared to other countries.
    • Lack of transparency: There is a lack of transparency in the healthcare system, making it difficult for patients to make informed decisions about their care and for employers to effectively manage the cost of their employee’s health insurance.
    • Health disparities: There are significant health disparities among different racial, ethnic, and socio-economic groups in the US, leading to unequal access to quality care and health outcomes.

    So what can be done about solving these challenges?

    If you boil it down, the primary theme of the issues is centered around high costs, lack of access to care in many areas of the country (think Rural) and lack of access to specialty care (in many places across the country)

    As a health technology company on a mission of TechMed fusion, we came up with a cool new innovative service. We call it VideoConsults by HealthOcta. With VideoConsults, we aim to help improve access to specialty services.

    What is VideoConsults by HealthOcta?

    VideoConsults is a technology enabled service by HealthOcta. This service is used by healthcare institutions such as Hospitals, Emergency Departments, Doctors offices, Freestanding ERs, Nursing facilities and other institutions to get access to and consult healthcare specialists without having to wait hours or days.

    We have created an innovative system that brings together the expertise of medical practitioners in a variety of specialty fields, sophisticated devices for diagnostic and imaging (that can be used by a medical assistant without having to undergo advanced training) and the ubiquitous reach of telemedicine technology to help solve the access and practitioner coverage issues omnipresent in the healthcare industry. What’s better than seeing a demo right here!

    The HealthOcta team is currently focusing on enabling better access in Ophthalmology. The Video Consults platform will soon be expanded to support a variety of specialty services. We’re keen to connect with healthcare providers & practitioners so we can learn from you and add capabilities more speciality service lines.

    Our teams are now actively bringing together specialists to offer their expertise on this platform. Please contact us to learn more.