Vision Eye Institute (VEI) is working hard to encourage dialogue between ophthalmologists and primary eyecare providers as part of its goal to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
A VEI media release said that the organisation was harnessing the expertise of 130 doctors across 27 clinics and day surgeries to take the “multidisciplinary collaboration approach to a whole new level”.
“Encouraging dialogue between ophthalmologists and primary eyecare providers is crucial when it comes to achieving optimal patient outcomes – and that’s exactly what VEI’s clinical relationships team and its SHARED VISION educational network do,” VEI says.
It said VEI’s clinical relationships team was the vital connection between its clinics and ophthalmologists and the broader healthcare community, including referrers such as optometrists and general practitioners.
VIC clinical relationships manager Ms Kristina Iacovangelo says her goal is to facilitate communication between primary eyecare providers and VEI doctors to provide clarity and support.
“Each clinical relationships manager has a background as an orthoptist or optometrist, so we understand the challenges faced by referrers,” she says.
“It’s a matter of bridging the communication between optometry and ophthalmology to make sure the referral process is seamless for everyone involved. By working together, we can offer patients the best possible care.”
Others in the team are:
- Ms Sasha Kairouz, NSW clinical relationships manager; orthoptist.
- Ms Kathryn Rizk, NSW clinical relationships manager; orthoptist.
- Ms Stephanie Stavrinakis, SA clinical relationships manager; optometrist.
- Mr Sekar Ulaganathan, Brisbane clinical relationships manager; optometrist.
“What this looks like on a practical level is practice visits, phone calls and emails to answer queries, provide clinic updates such as each doctor’s specialties and urgent care availability, [also to] share educational content or resources, co-ordinate CPD events and seek feedback about our services,” says Ms Iacovangelo.
The clinical relationships team also oversees clinical placements for optometrists seeking therapeutic endorsement and final year optometry students (a total of 131 placements nationally in 2024).
The release said that another VEI initiative is SHARED VISION.
This free educational network features an extensive collection of clinical content, practice resources and tools, research by VEI doctors, and a high-quality CPD event program.
The clinical relationships managers use their expertise together with feedback from optometrists when planning new SHARED VISION content and CPD events. Ms Kairouz oversees the national CPD education calendar.
‘We really enjoy organising valuable educational opportunities for our network, which are appreciated by members,” says Ms Kairouz.
“Last year, we ran 25 VEI CPD events, delivering more than 42 hours of education to 3,258 attendees.”
To learn more about the Clinical Relationships Team and how to join SHARED VISION, visit the Vision Eye Institute website: Vision Eye Institute Healthcare Professionals.
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