The Optometric Minute

Grow Your Practice in the Changing Landscape of Health Care Reform

Oct. 14, 2015

Harry Landsaw, OD, of Landsaw Eyecare in Tavernier, Fla., and a Vision Source administrator in South Florida, says health care reform offers great opportunities for growth. Members of Vision Source are able to leverage the power of the local and national network of Vision Source doctors when communicating with Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Acting as a local network of optometrists has allowed Dr. Landsaw, and other ODs in his area, to show the consistency of care, protocol and communications with primary care doctors that they can provide.

Getting Accepted By Insurance Panels
Embracing the Medical Model
Greater Demands, Greater Rewards

Health care reform has transformed patient insurance. Dr. Landsaw says that, especially in the South Florida area in which he practices, showing a strong medical model protocol helps a practice get accepted onto insurance panels.

Being part of a large organization like Vision Source with consistent standards of care and communication with doctors also helps practices get accepted onto insurance panels.

Dr. Landsaw and other Vision Source administrators have developed relationships with physicians, ACOs and insurance panels. These doctors and organizations appreciate the convenience and reliability of negotiating with one large organization, in the form of Vision Source, rather than having to negotiate with individual offices.

Vision Source educates physicians and medical organizations that its member practices can provide a consistent patient experience, and excellent care for patients with systemic conditions like diabetes.

Dr. Landsaw says emerging technology and electronic health records came at a perfect time for his practice, which he purchased in 2002, and began expanding into the medical model in 2004.

Similarly, he says many other Vision Source practices are finding ways to use technology like OCTs and digital retinal imaging to provide ongoing care and monitoring of conditions like diabetes.

Vision Source is able to approach ACOs and explain how the technology that is now available in their offices allows them to care long-term for patients with systemic conditions. Being part of a large organization with uniform standards also means following consistent protocols in communicating with co-managing physicians.

Doctors and medical organizations know that any Vision Source office will have the same technological standards, as well as the same ability and process for sending medical reports about the patient to the primary care physician and other doctors.

The demands of co-managing with an ACO are significant, including taking the time to input comprehensive data into electronic health records, and following up with co-managing physicians.

But the rewards are more satisfied patients and referrals from other doctors.

Each patient in Dr. Landsaw’s practice receives a print-out after their appointment with a summary of all tests done, diagnoses made and products prescribed.

The documentary and communications capabilities of EHRs, both for the patient and co-managing physicians, means Vision Source doctors can speak as equals with physicians in ACOs and the medical directors of major organizations.

Harry Landsaw, OD, is the owner of Landsaw Eyecare in Tavernier, Fla., and a Vision Source administrator. To contact him: LandsawEyecare@gmail.com

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