Taking Australian ophthalmology to a new level

The new president will help steer RANZCO’s new strategic plan for 2017–20, the main focus of which will continue to be driving improvents in eye healthcare and ensuring best patient outcomes, both nationally and internationally, through education, advocacy, mber engagent and the provision of high-quality eye healthcare services.The 2017–20 plan is also the first to clearly articulate the organisation’s vision and mission: “To be recognised as a world leader in eye-care education, training, and setting of policy and standards.”CHALLENGESWhen asked about the challenges Australian ophthalmology was currently facing, Assoc Prof Daniell listed workforce maldistribution and a shortage of specialist eye services in rural and rote areas as major issues.“While the overall supply of ophthalmologists is sufficient in Australia, the majority of ophthalmologists are concentrated around the major cities,” he said. “This means that there is limited access to ophthalmology services in rote areas, where the prevalence of eye disease is significantly higher than in urban areas.“Another challenge is closing the gap in eye health between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. The recent National Eye Health Survey published by Vision 2020 Australia and CERA [Centre for Eye Research Australia] showed that, while progress is being made towards improving vision and reducing avoidable blindness in Australia, indigenous people are three times more likely to have a visual impairment or blindness than non-indigenous people.”{{quote-A:R-W:450-I:2-Q: We hope to reduce the prevalence of eye disease in places where the rate of eye disease and avoidable blindness is considerably higher than in developed countries, -WHO:Associate Professor Mark Daniell, new president of RANZCO}}To address these challenges, RANZCO plans to set up innovative programs such as satellite clinics, which would position more visiting ophthalmologists in rural and rote areas, and to lobby for government to adopt policies that facilitate and encourage specialists to operate in rote areas.“We plan to work with GP groups, teaching interpretation of retinal photos to link in with the new Medicare rebate for retinal photography,” Assoc Prof Daniell added.This last comment speaks to RANZCO’s increasing focus on collaborative care, which was phasised in August this year when it announced it would be working with Specsavers Australia and New Zealand to develop a series of eye-care referral guidelines.The first of these, the RANZCO Referral Pathway for Glaucoma Managent, was launched on 3 August, and two more pathways for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy were introduced during the 2016 RANZCO congress.“Working with ophthalmologists, optometrists and GPs to refine those pathways through feedback by the people using th will help to make th as efficient, usable and effective as possible,” Assoc Prof Daniell stated.“We intend to build on this work, expanding how we collaborate with eye-health professionals, policy-makers and educators to ensure the best possible patient outcomes in the future.”INTERNATIONAL WORKRANZCO’s international development work is another key focus.“Working with domestic and international organisations, we intend to build on the work we are doing to work towards a world without avoidable blindness,” Assoc Prof Daniell stated.“This is an issue which our fellows are extrely passionate about and for which many of th give a great deal of their time and efforts. RANZCO is committed to supporting th in these efforts.”RANZCO collaborates with a number of international non-government organisations in Cambodia, Vietnam, the Pacific Islands and Indonesia, facilitating training and development programs to help maintain a high level of professional and clinical standards in developing countries where adequate training and ophthalmology services are limited.“Through these initiatives, we hope to reduce the prevalence of eye disease in places where the rate of eye disease and avoidable blindness is considerably higher than in developed countries,” Assoc Prof Daniell said.“We aim to build capacity for a skilled and sustainable ophthalmic workforce that meets eye care needs globally.”OPHTHALMOLOGY ADVANCENTSAssoc Prof Daniell predicted that the rapid evolution of ophthalmology would lead to workforce and economic pressures that would need to be carefully managed.“[Innovation] and advances in medical technology [are] making a huge difference to what can be achieved,” he commented. “We are constantly seeing treatments being developed or refined… The biologic agents have revolutionised treatment in many retinal diseases and the indications and need for treatment are constantly expanding…“With such rapid evolution, it is important to critically evaluate new treatments, measuring outcomes, discussing the results and promoting best practice. RANZCO is determined to promote measurent of patient outcomes and clearly articulate best practice as suggested by the evidence base.”Commenting on how he planned to take the profession forward in his new role, Assoc Prof Daniell said, “One of my main goals is to drive professional and clinical standards, ensuring that RANZCO fellows are not just the best ophthalmologists they can be, but also the best leaders and managers, the best collaborators and innovators, and the best advocates for their profession.“Our education syst is ready for modernisation, renewal and improvent. I plan to focus the attention of the College on raising the already high standards of education to a new level.”