title: Implementation and evaluation of a tele-education system for the diagnosis of ophthalmic disease by international trainees.
abstract: Tele-education systems are increasingly being utilized in medical education worldwide. Due to limited human resources in healthcare in low and middle-income countries, developing online systems that are accessible to medical trainees in underserved areas potentially represents a highly efficient and effective method of improving the quantity and quality of the health care workforce. We developed, implemented, and evaluated an interactive web-based tele-education system (based on internationally accepted, image-based guidelines) for the diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity among ophthalmologists-in-training in Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. We demonstrate that participation in this tele-education program improved diagnostic accuracy and reliability, and was preferred to standard pedagogical methods. This system may be employed not only in training, but also in international certification programs, and the process may be generalizable to other image-based specialties, such as dermatology and radiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.
authors.forename: J Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR; Department of Medical Informatics & Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Karyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ostmo
authors.affiliation: Department of Altino Ventura Foundation, Recife (Brazil).
authors.forename: Camila V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Department of Retina Service, Asociacion para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Hospital Luis Sánchez Bulnes, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martinez-Castellanos
authors.affiliation: Department of Ospital ng Makati, Makati City, Philippines.
authors.forename: Rachelle Go Ang Sam
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Anzures
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR; Department of Medical Informatics & Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
authors.forename: R V Paul
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D010679:Philippines; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*