title: Feasibility of using the TOSCA telescreening procedures for diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The TOSCA project was set up to establish a tele-ophthalmology service to screen for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Europe. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of establishing telemedicine-based digital screening for detecting DR and to evaluate the satisfaction of both patients and healthcare professionals with the screening procedures used within the TOSCA project.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a non-randomized, multicentre study carried out in four different countries over a period of 3 months. Patients (n = 390) with diabetes aged > 12 years were included. Two digital retinal images per eye (macular and nasal) were taken and exported to a central server. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire to assess satisfaction. Accredited graders carried out grading remotely and the results were reported back to the referring centre. Previously graded patient data chosen randomly to represent examples of both DR and no DR were also sent anonymously to the grading centre at a frequency of approximately every 10 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most (99%) of the images were assessable enabling a retinopathy grade to be assigned to the patient. Patients found the retinal photography procedures acceptable; only 6% in one centre would not recommend the procedure. Healthcare professionals (photographers and graders) were also satisfied with the overall procedures. The average time taken to grade each patient was approximately 5 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that it is feasible to electronically transmit and grade retinal images remotely using the TOSCA process. Built-in quality assurance procedures proved acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Unit, Penarth, Cardiff, UK. luzio@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luzio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hatcher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zahlmann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liesenfeld
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bek
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schuell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kohner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000295:instrumentation*