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New research · Ophthalmology
Research square · 23h
Cross-sectionalResearch square · 2026

Understanding Primary Care Physicians' Comprehension of Eye Care Notes to Improve Diabetes Care Coordination.

Lauren E Wedekind, Fritz Gerald P Kalaw, Helena Gali … Christine Thorne
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OphthalmologyCross-sectional

Only 37% of primary care providers correctly identified diabetic retinopathy status from eye notes.

Understanding Primary Care Physicians' Comprehension of Eye Care Notes to Improve Diabetes Care Coordination.

Lauren E Wedekind et al. · Research square · 2026
Background

Diabetic retinopathy screening and management involve collaboration between primary care providers (PCPs), endocrinologists, and eye care providers, yet eye care documentation poses challenges to inter-specialty communication.

Purpose

To assess PCP and endocrinologist comprehension of ophthalmology notes, identify barriers to interpretation, and identify strategies for improvement.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 82 PCPs and endocrinologists across three academic tertiary health systems between November 2022 and December 2024.

n = 67 participants
Results
Only 37% of primary care providers and endocrinologists correctly identified diabetic retinopathy status.
n = 67 participants
More results

Self-reported comprehension of eye care documentation was modest: 47% agreed and 6% strongly agreed that they generally understand eye care notes.

29% of respondents who answered fewer than half of the questions correctly reported confidence in their general understanding of eye care notes.

“
Conclusion · 1 of 2

PCPs and endocrinologists demonstrated variable confidence in their comprehension of eye care documentation, with measurable gaps in interpreting key clinical elements of notes.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

More standardized and structured documentation may improve inter-specialty communication and coordination of care for patients with diabetes.

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