Dr. Akshay Nair, N12639, Dr. Suchit Dadia, Dr. Simranjeet Aulakh
Aim: To assess patient perception regarding the use of smart devices as cameras for external ophthalmic photography in the clinic.
Methods: A cross sectional survey conducted among 280 patients at two oculoplastics clinics in Mumbai, India.
Results: Of the 280 patients surveyed, 68% felt that medical photography had an impact on their understanding of the disease & treatment. 72% felt that the use of smartphones for medical photography was acceptable in the clinic. A majority (40%) did not have any preference with regard to the preferred device for photography, 28% preferred a hospital-owned camera, 22% preferred the doctor’ own camera. 68% of the patients had no specific concerns regarding the use of smartphones in clinics.
Conclusions: Smart devices have gained acceptance among patients as devices that can be used for medical photography. However, patient identification and breach of confidentiality remain issues that some of the patients have with the use of smart devices.