Optos and electronic records

[Schroder79]

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I'm curious how many schools are utilizing optos and how common it is to your knowledge in practices. We have only one here in our main clinic of PUCO but we are well trained on it by graduation. Also, what about electronic records, our school is going to be shifted by December, is anyone elses school going that way?

 

[sco1styear]

We don't have an optos at SCO and from what I've heard, it isn't as good as docs would like it to be.
Our clinic is also in the process of switching to electronic records - I'm not sure exactly when it is supposed to be completed but sometime before my class graduates (2008). I take it that all schools will be doing the same.

 

[Schroder79]

I did see an Optos being used in a clinic in Las Vegas, but I can't remember the Doctor's name. He ended up using the instrument on every patient. I think he must have purchased the instrument rather than leased it like the school does otherwise that would get expensive really quick! (Lease meaning paying price per picture.)
Here they agree that the Optos can't tell you everything and wouldn't replace a DFE. It is useful for patients who refuse a DFE however or for photodocumentation. I'll bet the company would like it to replace DFE's though for more business. Kind of reminds me of FDT's and Glaucoma....

 

[4Eyes]

My school has been completely switched to EMR for a little over two years now, I believe. That's what I've heard, anyway, and it's the patients that haven't been in for about that long when I have to go dig up paper records. I love EMR in general, but it makes drawing pictures a pain. I don't like the drawing program, and scanning is a hassle.

As far as I know, we don't have an Optos. From the sound of it, they're not too interested in acquiring one, either.

 

[cpw]

UHCO had an optos when I was there. But, it was for a clinical research study. I'm not sure if they still have it. I don't think the attendings were overly impressed with it. You definitely get a better view when you dilate.

Optos is also not standard of care. If all you have is Optos and you didn't dilate... and something happens... your ass is grass.

 

[r_salis]

No Optos at SUNY. We've had EMR for 2+ years now -- it's definitely an encumbrance to learn and use for entering exam data, but it is nicer for history than paper records.

 

[alferec]

We have a couple of OPTOS machines at SCCO and it is truly amazing. The docs over there love it.

The clinic at SCCO is transitioning to electronic records - from what I remember, my class (currently first years) will be the first to use it when we start seeing patients in the summer after our second year.

 

[sco1styear]

I did see an Optos being used in a clinic in Las Vegas, but I can't remember the Doctor's name. He ended up using the instrument on every patient. I think he must have purchased the instrument rather than leased it like the school does otherwise that would get expensive really quick! (Lease meaning paying price per picture.)
Here they agree that the Optos can't tell you everything and wouldn't replace a DFE. It is useful for patients who refuse a DFE however or for photodocumentation. I'll bet the company would like it to replace DFE's though for more business. Kind of reminds me of FDT's and Glaucoma....

From what the Optos people told me, you have to lease the optos.

 

[Ben Chudner]

From what the Optos people told me, you have to lease the optos.

If you really want they will sell one to you for about $190,000. To my knowledge, no one has taken them up on the offer to purchse the unit.

 

[rpames]

ICO does not have an Optos. A few doc who have out private practices have them and the feelings are mixed. I worked for one of them and they had it for the trial period and then dumped. I worked with it a little, I thought the images were crap. I think a good retinal camera is a better investment. ICO does not have EMRs yet. I think the education is good and ICO is a good school, but they seem to be afraid of computer technology. The real problem is our IS/IT department is crap.