Ongoing studie - There is still room for improvement in the monitoring of people living with diabetes, as only 61% of patients with type I diabetes (and 45% of patients with type II diabetes) have an annual consultation with an ophthalmologist to screen for retinopathy.
This situation is thought to be the result of suboptimal accessibility of ophthalmology services. An examination optimised by artificial intelligence (AI), carried out by a nurse, could help remedy this situation. More specifically, a special camera would be used to take a photo of the back of the eye (retina, blood vessels, etc.) without dilating the pupils. This image would then be analysed by artificial intelligence software.
A great deal of research is currently being carried out in this field, and there are already a number of active projects in Belgium. This KCE study will aim to assess the performance and cost-effectiveness of this AI-enhanced eye examination and to investigate its practical requirements (task shifting, etc.).
Methodologically speaking, we will start by assessing the healthcare intervention itself. If its efficiency and cost-effectiveness are confirmed, we will perform additional research to determine how best to implement it and to define its medico-legal framework.
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