Eye Care is Transforming Too (Part 1 of 3)

In his December 6 post (What are you doing about Health Care Reform? Part 2), Alistair finished with a very important point: eye care providers (ECPs) who are not acting now are losing ground on “survive and thrive” issues. Throughout medicine, we see organizations and providers redefining their roles, leading a cultural transformation in the fundamental way health care is delivered.  Many of these changes are based on a changing health care delivery system structured around Accountable Care Organizations (ACO’s) and other team delivery concepts.  There are a number of team delivery models functioning but the ACO model based on the Medical Home structure is rapidly dominating the market. For ECPs not to lose ground on key survive and thrive issues, it is important to understand what preparatory steps are needed right now. 

I see four ways ECPs are responding to this challenge:

1)      Many are not even aware of the changes occurring and, therefore, are not acting

2)      Some see changes taking place in health care but the topics are so daunting and confusing on the surface, they don’t know what to do, therefore end up doing little or nothing

3)      Some providers are reacting to the obvious changes, such as the incentives to begin using a certified EHR, thinking they are adequately preparing without looking any deeper

4)      A small number of ECPs - a rapidly growing group – are analyzing and collaborating to create true solutions that lead eye care to a level of involvement in health care reform that not only maintains our current role but, further, expands our value within the overall health care system.

Let me give you an example of what some providers and organizations are doing in this fourth group. (Continued in Part 2)

Jim Grue, O.D.