Establishment of a New Retinal Service in Remote Western Australia: Kimberley Hub-A Comparative Audit 2019-2022

Lions Outback Vision provides access to specialist eye care in rural and remote Western Australia. In 2020, the Kimberley Hub was established as a new regional base in Broome for outreach services in the northwest of the state. Vitreoretinal services commenced for the first time in Broome in 2021. This is a retrospective audit of retinal services provided by Lions Outback Vision in the year prior to, and following, establishment of the Kimberley Hub.

All ophthalmology occasions of service in the Kimberley in 2019 (1/1/19-31/12/19) were compared with those from April 2021 to March 2022. Data are presented as number (percentage) and mean ± SD as continuous data was normally distributed. Two-way comparisons were by chi-square test.

Occasions of service increased by 75% from 3307 to 5793 between the 2019 and 2021/22 periods respectively. Nonattendance significantly reduced from 28.5% to 18.7% (p < 0.001). In the 12 months following the introduction of vitreoretinal capabilities, 42 surgeries were performed on 35 people (mean ± SD age of 56.1 ± 13.1 years at first surgery), 17 (48.6%) were male, 29 (82.9%) identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and 19 (54.3%) had diabetes. Nine (21.4%) of these cases were emergency procedures. The number of intravitreal injections given significantly increased by 87% between 2019 and 2021/22. There were 3.5 times more laser photocoagulative procedures.

Establishment of the Kimberley Hub saw increased appointments, reduced nonattendance and establishment of the first vitreoretinal service in remote Western Australia.