Ophthalmic Care Plans offer an excellent way to encourage patient compliance with management regimens. For example, patients can share their cell phone numbers with their eye care providers so that they can receive reminders of scheduled follow-up appointments. Using this technology has increased patient trust in the eye care system and improved compliance with management regimens. Additionally, patients are reminded to take prescribed eye medications and come back for follow-up visits. Hence, Ophthalmic Care Plans can help improve the patient’s quality of life and help them avoid the costs and hassles that can come from non-compliance.
Postoperative education
Postoperative education is a critical component of the overall health of ophthalmic patients. It provides patients with information on the anticipated outcome of the procedure, as well as on immediate postoperative care while the patient is in the hospital. It may also provide valuable information about what patients can expect after discharge. Although the study was limited to a single institution, it offers a valuable tool for healthcare providers. Postoperative education should also be reinforced by the use of health education manuals and educational posters.
After the procedure, patients must be instructed on how to care for their eyes at home and how to properly use eye medications. During the postoperative period, patients are also taught about the importance of rest and avoidance of actions that may increase intraocular pressure, such as showering or shampooing. Moreover, patients must sleep on their side unless they have both eyes affected. Patients should also prepare their bowels the night before the operation to avoid straining to pass stool during the immediate postoperative period.
Preoperative evaluation
The inclusion of preoperative evaluation in ophthalmic care plans is mandated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Although these new regulations give surgery centers greater latitude in determining the level of preoperative testing, the practice should remain uncomplicated. A nurse practitioner or licensed vocational nurse may perform most of the preoperative evaluation, with the ophthalmology department ordering additional tests when necessary. A nurse practitioner at LAC-USC may also be involved in the preoperative evaluation, as they are familiar with the specific risks and benefits of surgical procedures.
A preoperative evaluation may not benefit patients who require emergent surgery, but is nonetheless helpful for those who do. It is not necessary to “clear” a patient for surgery; it is used to determine the level of medical risk and develop a plan to mitigate it. In addition, consultants must understand their role in the patient’s care. A formal consultation is a decision-making process resulting in suggestions, but not writing orders. In contrast, co-management requires medical consultants to take responsibility for all nonsurgical aspects of the patient’s care.
Treatment options
Patients with ocular cancer may need to be evaluated for possible treatments that can help them maintain good vision. Treatment options for macular degeneration may include laser therapy to shrink the tumor. Laser therapy is also known as transpupillary thermotherapy and may be used with radiation therapy to reduce the size of the tumor. Other options include clinical trials and careful observation. However, some patients may have to switch treatments if the tumor grows too quickly or in an unfavorable location.
Surgery is an option for a patient with a large tumor. It removes the tumor and some healthy tissue. An ophthalmologist performs this type of surgery, and the doctor may remove part or all of the eye or place a radioactive disc for internal radiation therapy. Brachytherapy is another treatment option for patients with intraocular melanoma. In some cases, additional brachytherapy is also an option.
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Compliance with plan
Ophthalmologists in developing countries face a range of challenges related to patient access and adherence to treatment regimens. This article addresses the importance of compliance in chronic therapy, and explores ways to incorporate it into clinic practice. Despite the importance of compliance, this issue often gets short shrift. Here, we will consider the most common reasons why patients fail to follow treatment regimens. In addition, we will outline the best practices for incorporating compliance into your practice.
One of the most important issues in ensuring the compliance of ophthalmic practices is understanding when services are paid separately from global surgical payments. In an audit conducted by the HHS Office of Inspector General on March 29, 2021, an ophthalmology clinic in California failed to understand its own billing requirements. It was found that patients were billing for intravitreal injections and other services on the same day, despite not receiving a global surgery payment. The practice had opened in 2008, and was audited on March 29, 2021.
Cost
Cost of ophthalmic care plans can be prohibitively high unless you’re insured by an employer-sponsored vision plan. The biggest vision plans are vertically integrated companies, meaning they control every step of the process from lens prescription to prescription eyewear. These companies have leverage to limit choice, increase profits, and lower fees for physicians. While the AOA does not address the question of whether or not vision plans should be standardized, it has criticized the current model of vision plans as based on outdated models from the 1950s.
While vision plans have a reputation for reducing costs, they don’t necessarily reflect public policy. While physicians may be expected to contribute to the public good by seeing Medicaid patients at discounted rates, they shouldn’t be forced to subsidize billion-dollar vision plans. As a result, optometrists don’t compete on a level playing field with other health care professionals, like ophthalmologists, who often receive higher income per patient.
