Transforming Tele-Ophthalmology: Utilizing Cloud Computing for Remote Eye Care.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Tele-ophthalmology is gaining recognition for its role in improving eye care accessibility via cloud-based solutions. The Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Healthcare API enables secure and efficient management of medical image data such as high-resolution ophthalmic images. OBJECTIVES: This study investigates cloud-based solutions' effectiveness in tele-ophthalmology, with a focus on GCP's role in data management, annotation, and integration for a novel imaging device. METHODS: Leveraging the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Eye Care profile, the cloud platform was utilized as a PACS and integrated with the Open Health Imaging Foundation (OHIF) Viewer for image display and annotation capabilities for ophthalmic images. RESULTS: The setup of a GCP DICOM storage and the OHIF Viewer facilitated remote image data analytics. Prolonged loading times and relatively large individual image file sizes indicated system challenges. CONCLUSION: Cloud platforms have the potential to ease distributed data analytics, as needed for efficient tele-ophthalmology scenarios in research and clinical practice, by providing scalable and secure image management solutions.