Some ophthalmologic conditions require regularly scheduled visits to a clinic to assess visual function. This occupies clinical time and costs both the healthcare system and patients. One common disease that falls into this category is age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). A possible solution to reducing clinical visits may be to leverage technology and developments in patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs). The proliferation of the internet-connected devises, like mobile phones and computers, coupled with advancements in validated PROMs instruments, theoretically makes this a viable option. Whether these technologies would actually be used by patients is another question.
The purpose of this study is to explore the use of various internet-connected technologies amongst a sample of ophthalmologic patients.
Method:
A short, nine-question survey instrument was developed focusing on three main domains: mobile phones, computers, and software use on either of those devices. This survey was administered to convenience samples drawn from a large ophthalmologic practice in Alberta, Canada. Prospective patients diagnosed with ARMD were surveyed while awaiting their appointment. ARMD was selected because of the active management of symptoms necessitating clinical visits, the development of PROMs instruments, and differences in its prevalence amongst age groups.
Result:
300 patients were surveyed, ranging from 50 to 95 years old (median 80). 49% of the sample said they had a mobile phone, the majority (93%) of whom said it was not operating one of the common operating systems. Of those with mobile phones, 7% use them for more than making calls. 55% of the entire sample owned a computer, with 76% reporting that they actually use it. Software use amongst the entire sample was 3% and 68% for mobile phone “apps” or email, respectively.
Conclusion:
The use of internet-connected technologies was low amongst the study’s sample; software use amongst that have these technologies was variable. This may be partially explained by the age-related incidence of this disease and the limitations in visual function necessary for using such technologies. These results suggest that collecting PROMs using internet-connected devices to assist in the active management of ARMD may have limited effectiveness. Researchers and clinicians interested in developing these types of platforms should consider the proliferation of technology amongst the targeted patient population.