Mato Grosso innovates with ophthalmological examinations using portable retinography devices

Seeking to modernize and streamline ophthalmological care in Mato Grosso, the State Department of Health (SES-MT) is carrying out diagnostic tests for eye diseases using portable retinography devices this week. The initiative is part of the SES Digital Health program, which presents the new equipment to municipalities and demonstrates its use.

SES’s objective is to acquire 250 portable retinography devices and make them available to partner municipalities in the Digital Health program. The equipment allows care to be carried out outside the hospital environment, with the support of municipal teams.

In partnership with the Municipality of Várzea Grande, SES offered, last Monday (06.05), 30 ophthalmological examinations with the retinography device to the citizens of Várzea Grande. The number corresponds to 10% of the existing demand in the municipality.

On Tuesday (07), the exam was also carried out at the Ana Maria Couto Prison Unit. There will also be demonstrations of the device at the board meeting of the Council of Municipal Health Secretariats of Mato Grosso (Cosems), which will take place this Wednesday (08), and at the meeting of the Bipartite Commission of the State of Mato Grosso (CIB-MT), scheduled to take place on Thursday (09).

The superintendent of Health Care at SES, Diógenes Marcondes, emphasizes the importance of acquiring 250 ultra-technological devices, which allow diagnosis in a few hours.

“The evolution of medicine is always focused on offering faster, more effective and precise care to patients. In pursuit of this objective and with a high demand in Mato Grosso for ophthalmological exams, we decided to study, test and purchase the retinography device, which will help doctors and health professionals. The examination will be carried out on the patient and within 12 hours the complete ocular diagnosis will be known”, he explained.

The manager informed that the reports will be issued in partnership with the Federal University of Goiás (UFGO). “The partnership foresees that UFGO will be responsible for issuing the reports, online, that is, all free of charge for the user of the Unified Health System (SUS)”, he added.

Portable retinography devices are easy to operate and can be operated by various healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, first responders and radiologists. To this end, training will be offered on how to use the device.

The objective of the acquisition is, initially, to facilitate access to healthcare and speedy test and diagnostic results.

Digital Health Program

The acquisition of portable retinal cameras is part of the SES Digital Health program, whose objective is to optimize and modernize health services in various specialties. The program offers teleconsultations, mediated by general practitioners and specialists using information and communication technologies. The program’s actions not only expand and speed up access to health services, but also reduce associated costs.

With 25 specialties covered by 46 specialist doctors, the program is not just limited to teleconsultations, but also offers telediagnosis and web classes to improve the training of the health professionals involved.