Day Three Report from the American Telemedicine Association

Day 3: What’s in a name?

I have heard many lectures from experts in a wide variety of healthcare professions.  “TeleCritical Care”, “TeleCardiology”, “TeleDermatology”, “TelePsychatiriy”, “TeleNutritional Coaching”, “TeleStroke”, “TeleMental Health” and “TeleOphthalmology” are terms that different professions are using to describe the services they are providing via telehealth. 

I have searched for eye care lectures, posters and research was disappointed by one word conspicuously missing word, “TeleOptometry.”  Look at this list of titles:

  • Advancing Adoption of Teleophthalmology in Primary Care through Stakeholder-Engaged Implementation (Oral Presentation) - Yao Liu, MD

  • Cloud-Based Improvement of Patient-Provider Communications Regarding Free-Clinic Retinal Screening (Poster) - Andrés Eduardo Guerrero Criado, MD Candidate MSIII

  • Diabetic Retinopathy & AI: Machine Learning in Ocular Health (Panel)

  • Key Attributes for Implementing Teleophthalmology to Improve Diabetic Retinopathy Surveillance (Poster) - Flaum Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester Medical Center

  •  Telemedicine with an Ultra-widefield Camera for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening (Poster) - Patrick Le, University of North Carolina School of Medicine

  • Validation of computer-aided diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy from retinal photographs (Oral Presentation) - Dr Sheila John, Head of Teleophthalmology Department

  • “Tele-I-Care,” a population-based program, increases access to eye exams for diabetic patients (Poster) - Mohammad Bawany, Medical Student

 I find myself marveling at how much potential there is in this concept and wonder why optometry has been so hesitant to get involved in this movement.  

Some other terms that are being used frequently that could leave optometrists behind are “artificial intelligence”, “virtual front door”, “data sharing”, “consumerization” and “simulations.”  Also, “bots” are different that “robots” and “computer vision” means something different to these people than it does to an optometrist.

The future is here and optometry needs to be a part.  If you are reading this and you are an optometrist, will you consider becoming a member of the ATA?