4/2/2023 0 Comments Charles retina institute“So, if you aren’t active in your state and local chapters, that’s another good place to start.” “A good turnout and discussion shows ophthalmologists our bond as a community and builds respect,” says Dr. For instance, many state and local optometry chapters ask ophthalmologists to speak at their meetings. Inviting specialists into the optometric community can lay the foundation for comanagement. “You may even get the doctor’s personal cell phone number, so the next time you have a patient who needs to be seen emergently, you don’t have to rely on their receptionist getting your patient in. “This type of approach is very likely to open up the lines of communication,” notes Dr. Spending time shadowing local providers is another way to build connections as well as learn more about their practice and how they interact with patients. “It always works better if both sides of the referral relationship know each other on a personal level.” “This is not only beneficial to establish personal relationships but create referrals for services an ophthalmologist does not offer in their practice,” he notes. Rafieetary also recommends optometrists take the initiative and invite specialists to events. This is an opportunity to get to know doctors and staff on both a personal and professional level.īeing proactive is key. If ophthalmologists host seminars or social events, Dr. “Often, ODs learn who to refer to by word of mouth from other area colleagues, either through personal connections or local society meetings.” So, at times the ophthalmologists are the ones reaching out to develop referral relationships,” says Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, also of the Charles Retina Institute in Memphis. “First, we have to realize that these relationships and trust have to work both ways. This begins by building connections with ophthalmologists and other specialists in your area. Successful comanagement requires strong relationships and open lines of communication. Monitoring dry AMD patients for risk factors for conversion to the wet form (such as the large, soft drusen shown here) is an ideal role for optometric skills in the continuum of retina care. And what more can a physician strive for than better care and outcomes for their patients?” “By building good comanagement strategies, patients will have better outcomes. Optometrists must use the relationships they build with patients to walk with them through any journey of referral and treatment, Dr. Having an existing connection with a trusted doctor can help immensely. The procedures of a retina practice-anti-VEGF injections, panretinal photocoagulation and the array of complex surgeries-all require strong buy-in from the patient for things to go smoothly. They may not know what to expect, and when certain treatments are recommended, they may be distrustful of that advice,” she notes. “Then on the other side, the patient walking into a specialist’s office has never seen this doctor before. “They don’t know whether the patient who is noncompliant with treatment needs a little bit of tough love, or perhaps they are scared and need more of a nurturing environment,” notes Jessica Haynes, OD, of the Charles Retina Institute in Memphis. The specialist, on the other hand, does not have this baseline knowledge. They not only understand their visual demands and needs, but also their personalities and what approach will work best. ODs often have strong relationships with their patients developed over years or even decades of care. Take the Fear Out of Comanaging Neuro CasesĬataract Comanagement: Relationships Get Results For ODs, it is a way to enhance your practice and professional development. From the standpoint of the surgical provider, sharing post-op responsibilities allows them to allocate more time to surgical care. It gives patients easier access to care than waiting for an opening with an ophthalmologist and lessens travel and cost burdens, to name a few. As the primary providers of eye care, ODs are perfectly positioned to take a leadership role when working with ophthalmologic subspecialists and other medical specialists.Įffective comanagement is beneficial for a number of reasons. There must be a desire to collaborate as well as mutual trust and respect. Fo stering viable comanagement relationships requires time and effort from all parties.
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