Eyeworld

Contact Name: N EWS by Title TO COME COVID-19 NEWS YOU CAN USE 40 | EYEWORLD | MAY 2020 way we work and live," Dr. Weng said, adding that she thinks this shift in providing care will be a permanent one. "I hope that this brings a heightened awareness to the value of conventional, fundus-based teleretinal screening, a cost-effective way to prevent blindness in millions of people." April Maa, MD Associate professor Emory Eye Center, Emory University School of Medicine Clinical director of TECS, VISN 7 Regional Telehealth Service Atlanta VA Medical Center Decatur, Georgia Dr. Maa works with the VA, which had a telemedicine screening program prior to the pandemic, Technolo- gy-based Eye Care Services (TECS). The goals of TECS were to prescribe glasses and identify patients requiring an in-person eye exam at the primary medical care home. Challenges in the VA system pre-pandemic included geog- raphy (patients living far away from the main eye clinics) and access (not enough appointment availability). However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, her focus has shifted, since many of the veterans are high risk, and TECS requires a technician to be present in person with the patient. "Routine eye screenings don't need to be done during this time," Dr. Maa said. "We've shifted our ex- perience in telemedicine to helping the field find another way to see patients during the pandemic." She mentioned a newly designed video protocol to connect with patients and added that they are piloting a protocol for ophthalmic urgent care, which allows for a specialist to be patched in through the VA Video Connect system if, for example, a primary care doctor has an eye question when seeing a patient via video appointment. Post-COVID-19, there's going to be a substantial backlog because many patients who need care but are not having acute problems are not being seen at this time. There may be the possibility to do a "digitally integrated visit," where a technician could perform tests and check on the patient in the office, even if the physician isn't present, and the physician could follow up with the patient after all the information is gathered, Dr. Maa said. "It's unfortunate that the pandemic is here, but at the same time, it's a good opportunity for practices to incorpo- rate telemedicine as part of their toolbox for taking care of patients," Dr. Maa said, adding that it's an important tool for being successful in the long run. continued from page 39 Distributed exclusively through Stephens Instruments Learn more at halograft.org Look to Stephens for sterile tissue allografts. I N S T R U M E N T S | S I N G L E U S E | D R Y E Y E | B I O L O G I C S Stephens Instruments | 2500 Sandersville Rd | Lexington KY 40511 USA Toll Free ( USA ) 800.354.7848 | info@stephensinst.com | stephensinst.com © 2020 Stephens Instruments. All rights reserved. CORNEA PERICARDIUM SCLERA Stephens Instruments is the exclusive distributor of Halo implant patch grafts. Packaged in our patented easy-peel packaging system for rapid introduction on to the sterile field, Halo sterile tissues are high-quality and backed by the superior service that Stephens is known for. Stephens – more than instruments.

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