Journal of CME (01/02/25) Kummerle, Dale; Beals, Dean; Simon, Lesley; et al.

A quality improvement and continuing medical education program sought to increase screening for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in primary care settings. Although the condition affects millions of people in the United States and Europe, annual screening rates are subpar due to a variety of factors. As part of the DR screening program, which was launched in 2020, 198 artificial intelligence (AI)-based retinal screening cameras have been sent to five health systems that represent more than 150,000 people with diabetes. More than 20,000 screenings have been conducted so far. Additionally, at least 3,450 individuals have had more than mild DR detected and been referred to specialists for follow-up care. "Notably, negative screenings potentially represent deferred specialist care," the researchers suggest. AI offers substantial potential opportunities to increase patient care and optimize resources. "Integrating AI-based DR screening with a comprehensive education and process improvement initiative in primary care practices warrants serious consideration, promising to enhance patient outcomes," the authors conclude.

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