AAO convenes advocacy group to address pressing issues in ophthalmology

WASHINGTON — The American Academy of Ophthalmology assembled an inaugural meeting earlier this month of a newly formed advocacy group to address eye care's most urgent issues, according to a press release from the AAO.

Including delegates from the agency's ophthalmological subspecialty societies, the assemblage, called Ophthalmic Advocacy Leadership Group (OALG), addressed Medicare's quality measures processes, as well as impending data registries that would make physician performance evaluations more outcomes-based. In addition, OALG reviewed scope of practice issues and measures to fight against the expansion of optometric surgical scope.

As a first course of action, OALG formed an Academy work group of specialty representatives charged with developing and managing a patient data registry specifically for the field of ophthalmology.

Each subspecialty organization has also pledged to appoint a member for a long-term position to work in conjunction with the Academy's health policy committee on reimbursement issues, according to the release.

"Members of OALG have communicated informally over the years, and this face-to-face meeting provided an opportunity for the ophthalmic community to discuss important advocacy issues," H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr., MD, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the AAO, said in the release. "We are making great progress in achieving our goal of a unified advocacy voice for the ophthalmic community."