-
Ophthalmology Sep 2023To quantify trends in ophthalmology practice consolidation in the United States.
PURPOSE
To quantify trends in ophthalmology practice consolidation in the United States.
DESIGN
A retrospective cross-sectional study.
PARTICIPANTS
Providers in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Downloadable File with a primary specialty designation of ophthalmology.
METHODS
We used the CMS database to determine national practice consolidation trends in ophthalmology on individual physician and group practice levels and analyzed by region, sex, and years spent in practice. We used the Cochran-Armitage test to determine the statistical significance of practice size differences between 2015 and 2022.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Temporal practice size trends for physicians and practices in ophthalmology and regional, sex-specific, and age-related trends.
RESULTS
Between 2015 and 2022, the number of ophthalmologists decreased from 17 656 to 17 615 (-0.2%), whereas the number of practices decreased from 7149 to 5890 (-18%). The percentage of ophthalmologists in practices of 1 to 2 members decreased from 35% to 28%, whereas those in groups of 50 or more increased from 7% to 11%. The percentage of practices with 1 to 2 members decreased from 75% to 71%, and those with 50 or more increased from 0.2% to 0.4%. Consolidation trends were significant on individual ophthalmologist (P < 0.001) and group practice (P < 0.001) levels. All regions, sexes, and subgroups of years spent in practice demonstrated consolidation (P < 0.001). The Northeast showed the greatest increase in groups of 50 or more physicians (+7%) between 2015 and 2022. Proportionally fewer female than male ophthalmologists were associated with practice sizes of 1 to 2 members in 2015 (29% and 36%, respectively) and 2022 (23% and 30%, respectively). Proportionally fewer ophthalmologists with 0 to 10 years of experience in practice were associated with practice sizes of 1 to 2 members than those with more than 30 years in practice in 2015 (18% and 48%, respectively) and 2022 (14% and 40%, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
Ophthalmology has undergone practice consolidation from 2015 to 2022. A decrease in the proportion of physicians affiliated with smaller practice sizes seems to have occurred.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)
Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
Topics: Aged; Humans; Male; Female; United States; Ophthalmology; Retrospective Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Medicare; Ophthalmologists
PubMed: 37169261
DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2023.05.006 -
Die Ophthalmologie Sep 2023Leadership in healthcare institutions has a direct impact on the practice of the medical and nursing professions. The respective leadership style that is cultivated in... (Review)
Review
Leadership in healthcare institutions has a direct impact on the practice of the medical and nursing professions. The respective leadership style that is cultivated in a medical institution therefore has a direct impact on the personnel and thus a direct impact on the treatment of patients, in both senses of the word. Leadership in healthcare should therefore inspire, motivate, and guide healthcare workers to use their individual and collective skills as well as the available resources in the best possible way for the benefit of patients. This is the task and obligation of all those working in the healthcare system. The German Society of Ophthalmology (DOG) has established a leadership academy for ophthalmologists to meet the requirements of the modern healthcare market for leadership qualifications.
Topics: Humans; Leadership; Ophthalmology; Health Personnel; Delivery of Health Care; Ophthalmologists
PubMed: 37582889
DOI: 10.1007/s00347-023-01909-2 -
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde May 2024The general physician as well as the medical specialist may be confronted with a patient with one or two red eyes. To be adequately equipped we answer a series of...
The general physician as well as the medical specialist may be confronted with a patient with one or two red eyes. To be adequately equipped we answer a series of questions on diagnosis, treatment and referral of patients with red eyes after trauma, or with conjunctivitis, keratitis, scleritis, uveïtis, endophthalmitis or acute glaucoma. Refer to an ophthalmologist or not?
Topics: Humans; Acute Disease; Conjunctivitis; Diagnosis, Differential; Endophthalmitis; Eye Diseases; Referral and Consultation; Scleritis
PubMed: 38780203
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Optometry 2023This work seeks to identify the most impactful journals, papers, authors, institutions, and countries that cite optometry journal articles.
PURPOSE
This work seeks to identify the most impactful journals, papers, authors, institutions, and countries that cite optometry journal articles.
METHODS
The Scopus database was searched for papers citing at least one article published in any of the 18 optometry journals included in that database (i.e. 'optometry articles'). The 10 most highly cited papers that cite optometry journal articles were determined from 82,830 papers found. A h-index for "optometry journal citations" (the h-index) was derived for each entity in the categories of journals, papers, authors, institutions and countries to serve as a measure of impact.
RESULTS
The h-index of the body of papers citing optometry journal articles is 370. Papers citing optometry journal articles have themselves been cited 2,054,816 times. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (h = 154) is the most impactful journal citing optometry articles and Optometry and Vision Science the most prolific (5310 papers). The most impactful paper citing optometry journal articles (5725 citations) was published in Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. Ophthalmologist Seang Mei Saw (h = 69) is the most impactful author and optometrist Nathan Efron is the most prolific (288 papers). Harvard University (h = 127) is the most impactful and UNSW Sydney is the most prolific institution (1761 papers). The United States is the most impactful and prolific nation (h = 313; 28,485 papers).
CONCLUSIONS
Optometry journal articles are cited extensively by optometrists, ophthalmologists, and vision scientists world-wide, as well as authors from a broad spectrum of non-ophthalmic research domains. This work confirms the utility and influence of optometry journals.
Topics: Humans; United States; Optometry; Periodicals as Topic; Bibliometrics; Ophthalmology; Databases, Factual
PubMed: 37271623
DOI: 10.1016/j.optom.2023.05.002 -
Die Ophthalmologie Sep 2023Managers in the healthcare system play a critical role in ensuring high quality patient care, optimization of resources, management of complex situations, creation of... (Review)
Review
Managers in the healthcare system play a critical role in ensuring high quality patient care, optimization of resources, management of complex situations, creation of a positive work environment and promotion of continuous progress. They set clear goals, support interdisciplinary collaboration, ensure patient safety and quality care, and assist in the development of future leaders. To accomplish these multiple tasks, important qualities such as integrity, communication skills, self-awareness, ability to learn, influence, empathy, courage, respect, ability to delegate and gratitude are essential. We conducted a survey among the followers and members of the Young-DOG to find out their desired characteristics of leaders. In this survey modern aspects of leadership styles such as communication, loyalty, support, reliability and trust were particularly important to young medical professionals. Classical attributes such as expertise and assertiveness were rated as somewhat less significant. This finding underlines the importance of leadership programs such as the Leadership Academy of the German Society of Ophthalmology (DOG) or the European Leadership Development Program of the European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE). The latter is briefly presented in an excursus.
Topics: Humans; Leadership; Ophthalmologists; Reproducibility of Results; Empathy; Learning
PubMed: 37582890
DOI: 10.1007/s00347-023-01913-6 -
Eye (London, England) Feb 2024This short review begins with the theories of Airy, Rayleigh and Abbe on microscope resolution. Next, the principal developments in microscopy in the last half-century... (Review)
Review
This short review begins with the theories of Airy, Rayleigh and Abbe on microscope resolution. Next, the principal developments in microscopy in the last half-century are examined for relevance to ophthalmology: confocal microscopy, photoactivation light microscopy (PALM), stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), stimulated emission depletion (STED), structured illumination (SI), 2-photon and multiphoton excitation microscopy with a focused beam. Except for confocal, these are difficult to apply to the eye in vivo, as are the interference methods available in microscopes. However, interferometry in the form of coherence tomography is now a major ophthalmic method which has diverged from microscopy. Multiphoton excitation microscopy with an unfocussed beam is a new, low-damage microscope method so-far not exploited in ophthalmoscopy. The Mesolens, which throws off the historic limitations in microscopy set by the human eye, is described as a possible future aid to ophthalmology of the anterior eye.
PubMed: 38374367
DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-02970-0 -
Clinics in Dermatology Jan 2024Adnexal neoplasms of the eyelid encompass a wide variety of benign and malignant tumors of sebaceous, follicular, and sweat gland origin. Due to the specialized...
Adnexal neoplasms of the eyelid encompass a wide variety of benign and malignant tumors of sebaceous, follicular, and sweat gland origin. Due to the specialized structures of the eyelid, these neoplasms present differently when compared with those of other locations. Although most dermatologists and ophthalmologists are familiar with the commonly reported adnexal tumors of the eyelid, such as hidrocystoma, pilomatrixoma, and sebaceous carcinoma, many other adnexal neoplasms have been reported at this unique anatomic site. Accurate and timely identification of these neoplasms is essential, as alterations of eyelid anatomy and function can have a negative impact on eye health, vision, and quality of life. We review the clinical and histopathologic features of common and rare eyelid adnexal neoplasms and discuss proposed treatment options.
PubMed: 38281687
DOI: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2024.01.004 -
Case Reports in Ophthalmology 2023A 38-year-old male with recently diagnosed HIV and gonorrhea presented with umbilicated facial lesions and blepharoconjunctivitis of the right eye. Polymerase chain...
A 38-year-old male with recently diagnosed HIV and gonorrhea presented with umbilicated facial lesions and blepharoconjunctivitis of the right eye. Polymerase chain reaction test was performed of the skin were positive for Monkeypox (MPX). The patients' ocular symptoms improved with acyclovir, azithromycin, gemifloxacin, and tecovirimat after 3 weeks of treatment. The incidence of MPX has been on the rise in 2022, and this case represents a unique presentation and an addition to the pool of data pertinent to diagnosis and treatment of MPX and its ocular manifestations. Due to the MPX reemergence, it is imperative for ophthalmologists to keep MPX on the differential for patients presenting with blepharoconjunctivitis.
PubMed: 38023611
DOI: 10.1159/000533914