@article {742246,
	title = {Internet-based versus Conventional Referral System for Retinopathy of Prematurity Screening in Iran.},
	journal = {Ophthalmic Epidemiol},
	volume = {23},
	number = {5},
	year = {2016},
	month = {2016 Oct},
	pages = {292-7},
	abstract = {PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of an internet-based versus traditional referral system for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening in Iran. METHODS: Two referral screening systems were compared in this prospective observational study. Group A (internet-based) comprised premature babies who were registered into an online system for screening. Their appointments were scheduled automatically based on standardized criteria. Group B (conventional) comprised premature babies whose referrals were based on oral or written recommendations. Babies were referred based on standard criteria (gestational age, GA, \&lt;37 weeks or birth weight \&lt; 3000 g). RESULTS: A total of 2115 neonates were screened between October 2011 and October 2012. From these 1896 met the inclusion criteria (group A n = 856, group B n = 1040). Time of first examination for neonates with GA<=27 weeks was 30.07{\textpm} 2.72 weeks postmenstrual age in group A and 38.52{\textpm} 7.03 weeks in group B (p = 0.049), and for neonates with GA\&gt;27 weeks was 4.86 {\textpm}1.77 and 8.16 {\textpm}4.93 weeks after birth in groups A and B, respectively (p \&lt; 0.001). All registered babies in group A attended their first screening exam. One case (0.1\%) of advanced ROP developed in group A (in a patient with poor follow-up compliance), whereas advanced stages of ROP were seen in 26 cases (2.5\%) in group B (p \&lt; 0.001). CONCLUSION: An internet-based registration system for ROP screening resulted in fewer cases of delayed first examination and resulted in fewer babies with advanced ROP.},
	issn = {1744-5086},
	doi = {10.3109/09286586.2015.1136653},
	author = {Ebrahimiadib, Nazanin and Roohipour, Ramak and Karkhaneh, Reza and Farahani, Afsar and Riazi Esfahani, Mohammad and Khodabande, Alireza and Zarei, Mohammad and Taheri, Arash and Imani Fouladi, Marjan and Yaseri, Mehdi and Modjtahedi, Bobeck S}
}
