Katherine M Overbey, Kwabena Onwona-Agyeman, Sarthak V Shah, Cindy S Zhao, Samuel Bondzie, Imoro Z Braimah, Arthur R Brant, Hanks Wallace, Ashna Ahya, Dave Young, Geoffrey C Tabin, Darius M Moshfeghi
The tROP-SS enhances both accuracy and usability for NICU staff. By simplifying complex classification into a single score, tROP-SS supports multidisciplinary care.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness. ROP management needs multidisciplinary coordination and clear communication of disease severity. This study aims to evaluate the usability of the Telemedicine ROP Severity Score (tROP-SS) among nonophthalmologists.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff completed a questionnaire with terminology from the International Classification for ROP, Third Edition (ICROP3) or tROP-SS. Participants were assessed on ease of use, identification of progression or regression, and communication with families. Accuracy, number of clicks, and time per question were recorded.
RESULTS: Accuracy was higher using tROP-SS terminology vs ICROP3 (76.5% ± 29.2% vs 51.7% ± 20.1%; P = .002). Participants preferred tROP-SS across all subjective domains (P < .001), citing improved understandability, disease assessment, and communication.
CONCLUSION: The tROP-SS enhances both accuracy and usability for NICU staff. By simplifying complex classification into a single score, tROP-SS supports multidisciplinary care.