Further development of collaborative models of eye healthcare are a key plank of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmology (RANZCO) Vision 2030 and beyond plan.1
The RANZCO Glaucoma Collaborative Care Working Group met with key stakeholders last year to workshop several models of collaborative care, concluding that “no one model would work everywhere, so local consideration/ customisability is important”.
The workshop was chaired by Dr Anne Lee. Attendees discussed various models, identified those with potential for scaling up, and pinpointed key challenges in implementation. The key threads of the discussion were outlined in the Glaucoma Collaborative Care Workshop Report,2 summarised below.
The workshop identified “appropriate and quality referral pathways” as key enablers of collaborative care models.
Data Management and Sharing
Data management has been identified as a critical aspect for collaborative care, due to the high reliance on clinical investigations and generation of huge amounts of clinical data in ophthalmology. The collection and management of an agreed minimum dataset for glaucoma was a key recommendation. Additionally, safe, effective data sharing between eye health professionals with “robust protocols and appropriate guidelines on information sharing” is required to inform decision making when managing glaucoma, the workshop report concluded.
Funding
The workshop identified funding – specifically payment for eye health professionals – as a barrier to collaborative care. “Sustainable financial incentives are required to support the collaborative care models in recognition of the clinical and administrative workload required, and the important role of asynchronous telehealth,” the workshop report said.
Clinical Practice and Referral Pathways
The workshop identified “appropriate and quality referral pathways” as key enablers of collaborative care models. It suggested enforcing state-wide referral criteria, including risk stratification, and developing and implementing sector-wide practice guidelines.
Communication and Interprofessional Trust
Workshop participants discussed the need to foster “strong feedback loops between various eye health professionals” including “real time communication” to build trust and increase quality of care.
Workforce and Training
Successful collaborative care requires providers to have “clearly defined roles and responsibilities”. The workshop participants identified upskilling of the workforce to participate in collaborative care as a factor that would help to address service delivery gaps and meet community needs.
Advocacy
A united eye healthcare sector, working together on an agreed plan, would be more effective in securing government support for the implementation of sustainable collaborative care models. Advocacy efforts also work to build health literacy in the community, the workshop participants concluded.
References
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, RANZCO’s vision for Australia’s eye healthcare 2030 and beyond, available at ranzco.edu/ wp-content/uploads/2023/06/RANZCO-Vision-2030-andbeyond-v2.pdf [accessed Jan 2025].
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, Glaucoma collaborative care workshop report. Jun 2024, available at: ranzco.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/RANZCO-Glaucoma-Collaborative-Care-Workshop-Report.pdf [accessed Jan 2025].
