Ophthalmology practice owners work toward establishing post-pandemic ‘new normal’ of care
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The COVID-19 pandemic may change the way ophthalmology practices deliver services, ensure safety and educate patients even after the threat of the virus is gone, according to several practice owners during an Eyecelerator LiveStream presentation.
“What happens in our office is going to be what has to happen in an office, such as the most important testing and surgery. Our exams will be very efficient and very short, of course with our masks on and everything appropriate. Most of the patient education will also be happening remotely,” Vance M. Thompson, MD, owner of Vance Thompson Vision, said during the event.
Thompson said many practices could use telehealth options for patient education even when services are no longer affected by the virus. Moving this aspect of patient care out of the office for good may streamline in-office services and provide more time for surgeries, he said.
In the second of a series of events hosted by Eyecelerator, several ophthalmic industry leaders and practice owners discussed their views on the landscape of ophthalmic care and how the pandemic may change patient services moving forward.
The virus has forced practices to change the way they operate to ensure patient and employee safety, according to Jay S. Duker, MD, chairman of Tufts Medical Center.
Modifications will be necessary for practices to open when individual states start to relax social-distancing guidelines, he said.
“We have an open book here on what we have to do. We’re going to have to prescreen everyone to make sure they don’t have COVID symptoms. Family members will be limited in the waiting room, and the waiting rooms will have to be socially distanced, everyone 6 feet apart. We’ll all be wearing masks, the patients will be wearing masks, and the AAO says we probably should wear goggles as well,” Duker said.
Practice owners will also face the difficult decision on whether or not to test employees and patients for active virus or immunity. However, testing is not perfect, so the safety precautions currently in place will remain, Thompson said. – by Robert Linnehan
Reference:
RePlan: Financial survival and growth opportunities post-pandemic. Presented at: Eyecelerator LiveStream; April 22, 2020 (virtual meeting).
Disclosures: Duker reports he is the chairman of Tufts Medical Center. Thompson reports he is the owner of Vance Thompson Vision.