Objective OPHTEL is promoting telematics to reduce at least half of all EU cases of blindness, which currently cost ECU 10,000 per patient annually. It will mainly target glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy which, though very common causes of blindness, respond well to fast effective diagnosis and treatment. Planned project services for this purpose include teleconsultation and partially public knowledge-based information systems. Results of OPHTEL will be transferable to other medical fields and its services used by an estimated 4000 hospital and other staff up to the year 2000.Due to the fast increase of medical knowledge and the ongoing specialisation, providing access to recent knowledge and medical services (e.g. consultation) is a growing problem in ophthalmolgy and other medical domains. OPHTEL addresses the whole field of ophthalmology with a focus on glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy which are the most common cause of blindness in Europe. A year of blindness costs approximately 10.000 ECU per patient, covering disability funds, supplemental income programs, medical treatment, and lost income tax revenue. However, for both diseases efficient therapies do exist. Accurate and early diagnosis, and correct application of treatment can prevent blindness in 50 to 80% of all cases. OPHTEL will develop and establish services as teleconsultation, tele-image processing, knowledge-based information system, patient monitoring, and tele-screening that provide fast access to knowledge and patient related data necessary for early and accurate diagnoses and a selection of an adequate therapy. The overall aim of OPTHEL is to improve quality and efficiency of medical care in ophthalmology.Target groups for marketing services developed by OPHTEL are health care providers in ophthalmology concentrating on private physicians, eye hospitals, and centres of expertise (university hospitals). In total about 4000 professionals and hospitals are expected to use OPHTEL services until the year 2000. Parts of the knowledge-based information system will be public and accessible for patients. Services will be provided on a commercial basis. Depending on the type of service, cost have to be covered either by health insurance companies (e.g. for tele-consultations) or directly by users (e.g. knowledge based information system). In total, OPHTEL will lead to a reduction of costs, especially when applied in rural areas. Additionally, OPHTEL will strengthen the competitiveness if the industrial partners in European and international markets by adding telematic functions and increasing interoperability of software products or servers provided by the partners.Results of OPHTEL will be transferable to other medical domains. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaremedical and health sciencesclinical medicineophthalmologyglaucomamedical and health sciencesclinical medicineendocrinologydiabetessocial sciencessociologygovernancetaxationmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineophthalmologyretinopathy Programme(s) FP4-TELEMATICS 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development and demonstration in the area of telematic applications of common interest, 1994-1998 Topic(s) C.7 - Telematics Applications for Healthcare Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator GSF-Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit Address 85758 Oberschleissheim Germany See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ADVANCED DATA BASE A.D.B. S.A. France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 3,rue de la haye 95731 Roissy-charles-de gaulle cedex See on map AUGENKLINIK RECHTS DER ISAR - DEPT. OF OPHTHALMOLOGY Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 22,ismaninger str. 81675 Munich See on map BIERMANN VERLAG GMBH Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 18,nideggener str. 53909 Z_lpich See on map IFA INFORMATIONSSYSTEME F_R AUGENDRZTE GMBH Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 38a-44a,ostlandstr. 50858 K+ln See on map MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL MUNICH-BOGENHAUSEN;III.DEPT. OF MEDICINE Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 77,englschalkinger stra_e 81925 Munich See on map Royal Postgraduate Medical School GB EU contribution € 0,00 Address Du cane road W12 0NN London See on map Università degli Studi di Torino Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via verdi 8 10124 Torino See on map
