Lam, Danny

Moore, Madelaine

Cunich, Michelle

Lake, Stewart

Ho, I-Van

McCluskey, Peter

Mahendrarajah, Tharmalingam

2024-10-01

Objective This study aimed to compare the costs and clinical outcomes of treating patients with retinal diseases requiring surgery managed locally in Darwin through a visiting subspecialist ophthalmology service or transferred to interstate tertiary eye centres. Methods A retrospective analysis of a case series of 70 consecutive patients presenting to the Royal Darwin Hospital for vitreo-retinal surgery during the calendar years 2018 and 2019 was performed. Results Twenty-two of the 29 patients in the transfer group had a retinal detachment and five vitreous haemorrhage. The 41 patients managed in Darwin had a range of diagnoses. Surgical success, complications and costs were similar. Conclusion There were excellent clinical outcomes and a minimal insignificant difference in costs.

Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; and Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia; and Sydney Eye Hospital, NSW, Australia.

Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia.

Cardiovascular Initiative, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; and Sydney Institute for Women, Children and their Families, Sydney Local Health District, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.

Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia; and Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, SA, Australia.

Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; and Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia; and Sydney Eye Hospital, NSW, Australia.

Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; and Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia; and Sydney Eye Hospital, NSW, Australia.

Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia.

Aust Health Rev . 2024 Oct:49:AH23263. doi: 10.1071/AH23263.

1449-8944

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39433301/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/14016

Humans

Retrospective Studies

Male

Ophthalmology

Female

Middle Aged

Aged

Patient Transfer

Retinal Diseases

Adult

Treatment Outcome

Comparison of a visiting subspecialist ophthalmology service to Royal Darwin Hospital with interstate transfers: costs and clinical outcomes of treatment.

Journal Article

Publication