>> CLINICAL KNOW-HOW
You’re ready to hit the ground running: you’ve completed your training and have a plan in place with immediate candidates in your patient base. This is just the beginning of making myopia management a flourishing segment of your business. By connecting with local health care professionals, you can tap into a pool of new potential patients while strengthening relationships with existing patients.
It’s time to demonstrate the value of the care you provide. Establish a network with optometrists, pediatricians, pediatric ophthalmologists and school nurses in your community to become their trusted referral. Pediatricians tend to refer to pediatric ophthalmologists rather than optometrists.1 This can be frustrating for parents, who are faced with long wait times for appointments and limited access to care. Optometrists can educate health care professionals about the specialized care they offer beyond routine refraction and how myopia management benefits patients and their eye health.
STEPS FOR CO-MANAGEMENT SUCCESS
Glenda Aleman, OD, of Miami, Florida, offers six steps for cultivating a network of health care professionals aimed at achieving positive outcomes for shared patients:
1. Engage with your local optometric society: Actively participate in local events and initiatives to network with other optometrists. Building relationships can lead to increased referrals and collaborations.
2. Invite local ODs not providing myopia management services: Encourage optometrists who do not yet offer myopia treatments to visit your practice. Establishing personal connections and showcasing your expertise can foster trust and increase referrals.
3. Share comprehensive chart notes with referring ODs: Providing detailed feedback about treatments enhances confidence in your practice. Clear communication fosters collaboration and encourages future referrals.
4. Maintain patient continuity: Ensure patients requiring follow-up care or additional services are referred back to their primary care optometrist. Respecting the patient’s relationship with their OD reinforces trust and encourages ongoing referrals.
5. Host educational events: Organize programs to raise awareness about myopia management among local optometrists. Sharing knowledge and resources can prompt referring ODs to recognize the importance of early intervention.
6. Prioritize patient satisfaction: Uphold a high standard of care and treat every patient with exceptional attention. Satisfied patients are more likely to communicate positively about their experience, leading to increased referrals.
POWER IN THE PEDIATRICIAN NETWORK
At Gwinnett Pediatric & Adult Eye Center in Suwanee, Georgia, the team sends an average of 80 to 100 exam summary letters each week to pediatricians. This communication keeps pediatricians informed about their patients’ eye health and fosters professional relationships that encourage referrals. Practice owner Shundale Mixon, OD, notes that consistently sending detailed reports has proven invaluable for practice growth and shares these best practices.
ENCOURAGING EYE CARE PROFESSIONALS TO GET ON BOARD
Pediatric ophthalmologist Rupa Wong, MD, of Honolulu Eye Clinic in Honolulu, Hawaii, has a strong myopia management practice. On her website, parents can access a myopia quiz to assess the level of risk—minimal, moderate or high—that their child has of developing myopia based on lifestyle and family history questions. The two-MD, two-OD practice also has established protocols for myopia patients.
“I have a lot of ophthalmologists who tell me that they don’t have enough time to offer myopia management or that their patients won’t pay for out-of-network services,” she says. She calls that making the decision for the patient, “which is ultimately doing them a disservice. While I think any practice could benefit from offering myopia management, for practitioners who don’t offer these treatments, as eye care professionals, we have an obligation to know the options for our patients and refer them to those doctors who provide myopia management care.”
Dr. Wong shares the information on her website and social media to draw awareness. “I want every parent who has a child with myopia to be knowledgeable about treatment options, whether or not they choose to pursue them. The worst thing a parent could tell me is that they had no idea a certain treatment option was available to their child. I take the time to educate patients and their parents both inside and outside the office.”
BE A RESOURCE TO SCHOOL NURSES
School nurses are vital connections to the pediatric demographic in your community. They can educate schools and keep parents informed about eye health. Vittorio Mena, OD, MS, of Optical Academy in Clifton, New Jersey, emphasizes the importance of discussing the American Optometric Association (AOA) and available resources with school nurses.
School nurses conduct vision screenings for all students in the school; some have a hand-held autorefractor or spot screener, but this is not always available. When a student fails a screening, indicating a vision problem, they will write up a form with the findings and send a note home to the child’s parent or guardian. Dr. Mena says that all schools have access to the Commission for the Blind, and some schools are partnered with Head Start programs for vision evaluations. However, many times these children do not receive glasses.
The next step is for parents to find an eye care practitioner to get a comprehensive eye examination for their child. The only problem is that statistics show that 67% of students who fail a vision screening do not go and get an eye exam.2 Parents often cite access to care, cost or timing as factors in not scheduling the exam.
Invest the time in these important relationships. Every outreach is an opportunity to make sure parents and school nurses know you are local and prepared to offer solutions.
References:
1. Johnson & Johnson Vision. (2022). Pediatrician Survey, July 13, 2022.
2. Lazarus, R. Are School Vision Screenings Reliable?
Related Articles
Top 5 Best Practices to Co-Manage with Pediatricians
Educating Health Care Professionals about Myopia Management Gets More Patients Treatment
How to Develop Referral Relationships with ODs Who Don’t Offer Myopia Management
Working Together with Pediatric Ophthalmology
Best Practices for Cultivating Referrals from Pediatricians
Fostering Relationships with Ophthalmologists and Pediatricians
How To Educate School Nurses to Grow Your Myopia Management Practice
Read more articles in the Getting Started with Myopia Management series. Be sure to check back as the series will be updated regularly with more content.
