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The effectiveness of policy changes designed to increase the attendance rate for outpatient retinopathy of
Gerard P Barry1, Kate Tauber, Gregory Emmanuel
1Department of Ophthalmology, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, USA. Barrygp@gmail.com
Insights
New policies significantly improved attendance for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening appointments. This led to more infants completing their necessary retinal examinations, enhancing early detection and treatment of ROP.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
- Consistent follow-up for outpatient ROP screening is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.
- Low attendance rates for ROP screening can lead to delayed care and adverse visual outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of policy changes aimed at increasing outpatient ROP screening attendance.
- To assess the impact of these policies on the completion of acute ROP screening.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of neonatal intensive care unit patient records before and after policy implementation.
- Policy changes included enhanced parent education, optimized scheduling, and a patient tracking log.
- Primary outcome: attendance rate for the first post-discharge ROP screening appointment. Statistical analysis: Fisher exact test.
Main Results:
- Initial ROP screening attendance improved significantly from 42% (22/52) pre-policy to 81% (46/57) post-policy (P < 0.01).
- The proportion of infants meeting criteria for concluding acute ROP screening also significantly increased from 90% (47/52) to 100% (57/57) (P = 0.02).
Conclusions:
- Implemented policy changes were highly effective in boosting attendance for initial ROP outpatient screening.
- These improvements in attendance facilitated a greater number of infants completing their required ROP screening protocols.
Purpose:
To determine the effectiveness of a series of policy changes designed to increase the attendance rate for outpatient retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening examinations.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive neonatal intensive care unit patients before and after the implementation of policy changes. Policy changes included parent education forms, streamlined scheduling, and creation of a log for all patients seen. The primary outcome measure was attendance rates for the first outpatient appointment after discharge. The Fisher exact test was used to compare rates between the two groups.
Results:
Before the policy was implemented, 22 of 52 (42%) neonates and their caregivers attended their first outpatient ROP screening examination on the recommended date. This rate improved significantly after policy implementation, when 46 of 57 (81%) neonates and their caregivers were seen on the recommended date (P < 0.01). The number of patients who ultimately met the criteria for conclusion of acute retinal screening examinations also significantly improved, from 47 of 52 (90%) of neonates in the pre-implementation group to 57 of 57 (100%) in the post-implementation group (P = 0.02).
Conclusions:
The attendance rates for initial outpatient ROP examinations and the number of patients who ultimately met criteria for conclusion of acute retinal screening examinations significantly improved after the implementation of new policies.
