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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Pablo J. Calzada, DO, MPH, Fern Jureidini Webb, PhD, and Marcia Funderburk, MD. Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, University of Florida, 1255 Lila Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32208
Abstract: For medical and socioeconomic reasons, vision care should be interwoven into a comprehensive health care delivery system. Realizing that underserved populations are at increased risk of low vision with approximately 14 million Americans having low vision and $22 billion spent annually to treat people who are blind or have extended visual impairments, the US Department of Health and Human Services released Healthy People 2010 vision objectives, which include regular eye exams and screening. Although there is a recognized need for vision care services that will increase the quality of years of health life and eliminate health disparities, underserved communities often lack access to adequate care. The purpose of this presentation is to describe steps involved when creating this vision care program.
Interventions that remove barriers to vision care access are a critical need in the population our clinic serves. Preliminary steps include 1) determining the need for vision care delivery which will be assessed by patient surveys and a community assessment; 2) identifying local optometric physicians who want to provide services to underserved populations, and 3) developing an operational plan, such as services, location and budget, which will be modeled from other operating optometric centers. The goal is to deliver preventive vision services to underserved populations and the surrounding community, which will assist to reduce health and vision disparities.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.