Pediatric Associates of Davidson County puts patients on the Spot

LAKE MARY, Fla., Aug. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The staff at the Pediatric Associates of Davidson County in Nashville have become adept at using the latest technology to conduct vision screenings in their office during well visits.  The experience was gained over the past four years, using a vision screening device from PediaVision. Now, they have started using Spot, PediaVision's new vision screener, which has taken accuracy and efficiency to an entirely new level.

"Our patients are accustomed to high tech vision screenings, because we had been using the old screener," said Libbie Collum, nurse manager at Pediatric Associates, a pediatrician's office in Davidson County that has been delivering quality care to Nashville area children for more than 50 years. "When we added Spot last summer, it really made an impact on our office and our patients."

Utilizing research taken from customer feedback as well as industry experts, PediaVision developed the revolutionary new Spot vision screener.  The award-winning Spot is a portable, wireless, WiFi-enabled, handheld device that makes vision screening as easy as using a camera. What is the most remarkable thing about Spot?  It has an incredibly quick capture time of one second or less and is equally efficient in a physician's office or large-scale public screening. In addition, Spot's touchscreen interface clearly displays the results instantly and accurately. 

"Our use of PediaVision's screeners has created an understanding and appreciation from our patients and staff," said Collum, who helped train all of the nurses at the practice to use Spot. "It's not a mystery to them and they realize it's a really cool thing."

Unlike the 150 year-old Snellen eye chart, which requires time and extensive patient interaction, Spot requires just a few seconds for a screening that is objective.

Pediatric Associates is a medical home for children newborn to age 18. As a small private practice, there are four physicians and two physician assistants, providing emergency care as well as non-urgent care.  Vision screening is routinely conducted as part of the annual checkups.

To capture the attention of their young patients, the staff holds up Spot with a cartoon character on the front for the children to look at during the screening.  "It didn't take our staff and patients long to get used to the new Spot," said Collum. "It looks like a camera and we just tell them to look at the flashing lights. We can screen the children easily without any issue. The kids love it! The parents love it!"

When Pediatric Associates find something out of range, they print the report, give it to the parents, recommending an appointment at Vanderbilt University's vision center for a full eye exam.

"We have had our share of older kids with vision issues, but it's usually the kindergarteners we identify because they have just started reading," said Collum, pointing out that nationally-acclaimed Vanderbilt is convenient for patients, because it's only a few blocks from their office. "When we send them to Vanderbilt, we know the ophthalmologists there really like Spot. Vanderbilt really likes the printout report on the child's vision, which really helps them."

More information about Pediatric Associates can be found at www.padconline.com.

About PediaVision
PediaVision, inventor of the award-winning Spot vision screener, is dedicated to solving the critical health issue of undiagnosed vision problems and transforming the lives of thousands of children each day.  A child with an undetected or untreated vision problem is more likely to develop social or emotional problems. Thus, a child's vision problems can affect not only their own learning, but that of their peers.[1] Automated and objective vision screening empowers organizations in public health and private medicine to ensure children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Supported by ophthalmologists, optometrists, scientists and leading technology innovators, the Spot vision screener is breakthrough technology and represents what vision screening should be.  For more information, including how to order Spot, please visit www.pediavision.com. 

[1] 2010 Charles E. Basch, Teachers College, Columbia University. A Research Initiative of the Campaign for Educational Equity Teachers College, Columbia University.

SOURCE PediaVision