TY - JOUR T1 - Overcoming barriers of retinal care delivery during a pandemic—attitudes and drivers for the implementation of digital health: a global expert survey JF - British Journal of Ophthalmology JO - Br J Ophthalmol SP - 1738 LP - 1743 DO - 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316882 VL - 105 IS - 12 AU - Livia Faes AU - Amir Rosenblatt AU - Roy Schwartz AU - Sara Touhami AU - Camila V Ventura AU - Irini P Chatziralli AU - Jorge Ruiz-Medrano AU - Denise Vogt AU - Alfonso Savastano AU - Humberto Ruiz-Garcia AU - Dominika Pohlmann AU - Anat Loewenstein A2 - , Y1 - 2021/12/01 UR - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/105/12/1738.abstract N2 - Background/Aims The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has imposed barriers to retinal care delivery worldwide. In this context, retinal services are exploring novel ways to ensure access to healthcare.Methods We conducted a worldwide survey among retinal specialists between March 31, 2020 and April 12, 2020. The expert survey was developed on the basis of focus group discussions involving retinal specialists and literature searches. It included 44 questions on alternative ways of care provision including digital health domains such as teleophthalmology, home monitoring or decentralised patient care.Results 214 retinal experts participated in the survey, of which 120 (56.1%) had more than 15 years of experience in ophthalmology. Most participants were clinicians (n=158, 73.9%) practising in Western Europe (n=159, 74%). In the majority of institutions, teleophthalmology, home monitoring and decentralised patient care have not been implemented before the pandemic (n=46, 21.8.1%; n=64, 29.9%; n=38, 19.1%). During the pandemic, the use of teleophthalmology and home monitoring increased significantly (n=105, p<0.001; n=90, p<0.001). In the subgroup of institutions reporting no teleophthalmology service before and implementing a service during the pandemic (34/70, 48.6%), reimbursement was the sole significant parameter (OR 9.62 (95% CI 2.42 to 38.16); p<0.001).Conclusion Digital health is taking the centre stage tackling unpreceded challenges of retinal care delivery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and may sustainably change the way we practice ophthalmology. ER -