Testing at the Point-of-Care Helps Save Sight for Parkview Health Patients
Digital Diagnostic Case Study
Parkview Health identified a point-of-care gap for people with diabetes
Today, more than 34 million Americans (approx. 1 in 10)1 live with diabetes and the complications from the disease, including preventable vision loss. Traditionally people with diabetes are required to schedule two appointments to manage their diabetes care, one with a provider who facilitates diabetes management, then a second referral appointment to an eye care specialist to get their recommended annual diabetic eye exam2. This two- appointment process can be taxing for patients and create greater divides in healthcare disparities. Increased costs, lack of access, and transportation issues can cause serious barriers and deter high-risk patients from getting the care they need3. Those living with diabetic eye disease might not follow up with the specialist until it is too late to reverse vision loss and damage to the eyes. When symptoms are present, oftentimes, the damage cannot be reversed.
Parkview Health is focused on patient care
Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with clinics serving northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio, Parkview Health is committed to making healthcare accessible to their entire population (more than 895,000) regardless of where the patient lives, their health status,
or their ability to pay. Part of the community health system’s service area includes rural communities where many of its patients drive more than an hour to get medical care and treatment. With this in mind, physicians are constantly trying to get every pertinent test completed during a single visit, without requiring repeat visits to additional providers. In 2021, Indiana ranked 34th in the country for the prevalence of diabetes and Ohio ranked 37th4. Both Indiana5 and Ohio6 are currently outpacing the national average of people with diabetes in gender, age, and income who are primarily underserved due to their location. With the lack of point-of-care tools, comprehensive diabetes care has been an area in need of drastic improvement and newer solutions.
AI diagnosis to help reach the underserved
With northeast Indiana and surrounding areas receiving low to poor diabetic care and sitting above the national average for those living with diabetes, the data collected by IDx-DR indicates the need for artificial intelligence in the healthcare journey to enhance patient experience. By bringing simple, timely, and accurate technology to the patient at the point-of- care, Parkview Health has created better opportunities for health equity across the area, which integrates seamlessly into the mission of Digital Diagnostics.
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