Skip to main content
  •   

    Efficiencies of Ophthalmology-Led Eye-Care Teams

    By Ruth D. Williams, MD
    AAO2014
    Comprehensive Ophthalmology

    This is part 2 of a 6-part series on dealing with increasing patient volume. In 2020, the workload for ophthalmology is projected to be 47% greater than in 2001, based on the needs of the aging baby boomer generation. This demographic shift underscores the need to keep up with the growing eye care needs of the country and to prevent being overwhelmed. Ophthalmology can seize the opportunity to solidify its role as the leader of eye care by becoming more efficient and capable of meeting the increased and varied demands of the population. Ophthalmologists need to consider changes in workflow and to focus on specific areas of competency, delegation of duties, redesign of office space, and the use of physician extenders to fill gaps in the delivery of care, while maintaining the quality of care. In this series, the impending demographic trends are addressed and present the ophthalmology-led eye care teams, a calculator for measuring practice efficiency, and additional tools and resources the Academy has developed to help its Members. This was a combined meeting with the Committee on Practice Improvement.