Lancaster Physician Summer 2019 - 14

L A N C A S T E R M E D I C A L S O C I E T Y.O R G

Best Practices

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companies cover the cost of the screenings; however, Medicare patients
pay $28 out of pocket.
TeleRetina screening takes no more than 10 minutes. Ophthalmologist Michael Pavlica, MD, of Family Eye Group, Lancaster, who
specializes in diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the retina, reads
the images and reports his findings within 24 hours.
"Retinopathy is a silent disease in its early stages," Pavlica said. "Once
a patient's vision becomes blurry, retinopathy has already advanced,
and it's more difficult to correct."
Nursing Supervisor Karissa Ross, RN, BSN, has screened dozens
of patients at LG Health Physicians Family Medicine Susquehanna,
Marietta, since early 2018. She has found that most patients are very
receptive to the screenings.

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"Many of our patients don't have transportation to get to Lancaster
for an eye exam," Ross said. "They like the convenience of being able
to have the screening right in our office, rather than having to make
a separate appointment with an eye doctor."
TeleRetina screenings can take place during a regular office visit or as
a separate nurse visit. The nurse and provider explain how the screening
works and answer any questions. Then patients must sit briefly in a
dark room with their eyes closed to aid in dilation before the screening.

In addition to retinopathy, TeleRetina screenings have revealed
other abnormal findings, such as cataracts, glaucoma or macular
degeneration, in about 25 percent of LG Health patients.
"If a screening shows an abnormal result, we refer those patients to
an eye doctor for treatment," Ross said. "They are very thankful that
those conditions were found and glad they had the screening done."
If detected in its early stages, retinopathy can be monitored by an
ophthalmologist, Pavlica said. Once the condition progresses, it can
be treated with laser therapy or injections. It's also especially important
for diabetic patients with retinopathy to keep their diabetes under
control to prevent further damage, he said.

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Even if the TeleRetina screening reveals no immediate concerns, the
possibility of developing retinopathy can provide a powerful incentive
for patients to gain better control of their diabetes, Hermansen said.

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"Finding something-or even just discussing the screening and
the possible results-can change the conversation for our patients,"
he said. "It motivates them to do something about their diabetes."

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REFERENCES
1 https://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r101022.html

LANCASTER

PHYSICIAN

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Lancaster Physician Summer 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lancaster Physician Summer 2019