Collaborative Care Clinic has hit a milestone of 200 clinics over seven years.
An initiative of The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (Eye and Ear) and the Australian College of Optometry (ACO), the clinic provides diagnostic and ophthalmic review for suspected and low-risk glaucoma patients from the Eye and Ear.
The program was developed to provide patient-centred, cost-effective care. Its primary focus is on facilitating community-based follow-up when appropriate, while also improving access to specialist hospital-based care for patients with diagnosed glaucoma at higher risk of disease progression.
Running fortnightly from the ACO’s main clinic in Carlton, the glaucoma clinic’s innovative approach demonstrates how a team-based effort, involving ophthalmologists, optometrists, and orthoptists, is integral to supporting positive eye care outcomes for patients.
Dr Catherine Green, Head of the Glaucoma Clinic at the Eye and Ear, said the “shared care management of glaucoma patients has resulted in a more streamlined approach in the diagnosis and treatment of suitable patients”.
Glaucoma Australia estimates that 50% of the more than 300,000 Australians projected to have glaucoma are unaware they have it, risking significant vision loss due to lack of treatment.
The clinic aims to alleviate pressure on in-demand public health ophthalmologists and ensure appropriate care for patients.
Originally serving as a pilot project between 2016–17, it was based on the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmology (RANZCO) new model of collaborative glaucoma care guidelines.
