The initial phase of this project, coordinated by the AQuAS and involving four primary care teams, has analyzed 549 retinal scans from 543 patients since July 2026. The technological solution, a collaboration between the Servei Català de la Salut (CatSalut), the Institut de Diagnòstic per la Imatge (IDI), and the Fundació TIC Salut i Social, aims to streamline the screening and referral of patients affected by this condition.
In the last month alone, 300 retinal scans were analyzed using AI, a 78% increase compared to the previous four weeks. These figures represent 33% of the total scans performed by the participating primary care teams during this period. A key advantage is the speed of results, with an average time of 11 minutes from image capture to the healthcare professional receiving the findings.
The new AI solution assists healthcare professionals in classifying patients based on their risk of diabetic retinopathy, facilitating clinical decision-making and expediting the referral process to ophthalmology. The goal is to contribute to earlier disease detection.
Concurrently with the pilot, primary care teams across various health regions have undergone training. It is anticipated that by the end of 2027, all primary care teams in Catalonia will be trained in using this technology. This project has been funded by the European Union through Next Generation funds.
