The DR
Barometer program was formed to address the findings of the DR Barometer
study, and to be a platform for knowledge exchange and solution driven
actions to build best practices, inform policy, and increase patient
education and awareness. Central to the DR Barometer Program is the
Community of Practice (CoP) comprising of highly motivated professionals
working collaboratively to create and/or share knowledge, and drive
evidence to actions that address gaps in policy and practice.
To
formally launch the DR Barometer Community of Practice, two virtual
workshops were convened in June and July 2020 comprising 18 delegates
from 11 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Greece, Mexico,
Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States).
Experts and thought leaders in the fields of ophthalmology, diabetology,
primary care, geriatric care, public health, diabetes advocacy and
vision health advocacy gathered at the workshops to discuss evidence,
practical challenges, solutions and strategies on the three focal areas:
patient education and empowerment; guidelines and protocols; and
coordinated care.
Five key questions were raised under each of the three focal areas:
- What is the evidence?
- Where are the gaps?
- Who needs to receive the evidence?
- What is the format/timing of the information to be received?
- What are the actions needed to facilitate the uptake of evidence in the context of its use?
Chairs,
expert advisors, and members of the Community of Practice sought to
expand on the role of patients as educators and use media in patient
education; improve implementation of guidelines and protocols by
learning of suggested pathways to application, detect barriers, and
develop solutions to overcome them; and improve the coordinated care
pathway by understanding patient perspectives.
The
opportunities unveiled at the workshops include:
- Creating a resource
repository to share best practices garnered over time and support the
application of knowledge and evidence in the local context.
- Developing a digital workplace to post productive inquires, seek
implementation supports, and demonstrate successful practice of using of
the DR Barometer study evidence in the local context.
- Exploring the value and pathway for a Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) for patient education at country/region level for Community of
Practice members.
- Better understanding the way to inform
integrating eye care into the WHO Guidelines on Integrated Care for
Older People (ICOPE) Model.
- Empowering patient associations
in Latin America in response to challenges faced by CoP members in
consolidating advocacy voices of patient organizations to inform policy
and practice change.
Knowledge assets and good practices shared by
expert members in the workshops can be further leveraged and localized
to help build the capacity of stakeholders at a country level who are
working to inform policy and practice in vision health as it relates to
diabetes