Op-Ed: Bill envisions expanding health services
I’m no longer surprised when people ask me to clarify just what exactly it is I’m studying. In healthcare, which includes eye health, there are a lot of “ologies” to remember, and a specialist for every one. “So what’s the difference then,” they ask, “between an optometrist and ophthalmologist? Don’t you all just prescribe glasses anyway?”
Though separated by the letters MD and OD, ophthalmologists and optometrists work more closely together with eye-care patients than some may think. Most don’t know that a Doctor of Optometry undergoes rigorous post-undergraduate education and training, and both optometrists and ophthalmologists can diagnosis diseases and prescribe medications.
Personally, I can’t imagine a more exciting time to be a Doctor of Optometry candidate. Since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, more people are getting access to healthcare, and millions of new patients have created a demand for more vision care specialists.
As a student of optometry, I’m preparing myself to meet the growing needs in our evolving healthcare system. But more than that, I want to provide my future patients with the best possible care, both immediate and thorough, a care that represents the full extent of my capabilities.
Because more than just prescribing glasses, optometrists already offer comprehensive vision care — the diagnosis and treatment of serious injuries and diseases, chemical burns and glaucoma. We’re even trained to identify the signs of certain systemic diseases, like cancer and diabetes. But optometrists are able to provide much more to their patients, especially when much more is needed from healthcare providers.
Since the ACA, about five million Californians have entered an already overburdened healthcare system. New patients struggle to find providers, and established patients find it harder to meet with the doctors they already have. And that gap is growing. The Assn. of American Medical Colleges says that in the next five years the United States could face a shortage of more than 90,000 doctors.
Unfortunately, that gap grows paradoxically more complex. Optometrists must refer patients to other specialists for procedures well within the scope of their training and education. And here in Southern California, we understand congestion. The estimated wait time for a Medi-Cal patient to see an ophthalmologist is about nine months. A wait too long for any patient.
In an attempt to unburden healthcare specialists from minor procedures, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law in 2013 that allowed pharmacists to offer immunizations. But California can do much more. Like 40 other states that have already passed similar legislation, California is considering a bill that will allow optometrists to offer immunizations as well as other health services.
Introduced earlier this year by Sen. Ed Hernandez, Senate Bill 622 will allow optometrists who undergo additional training and certification to perform vaccinations and minor procedures.
With rising healthcare costs and fewer providers, it offers patients more options for their primary care. Already, seven out of 10 vision care patients visit optometrists first, and those patients shouldn’t have to be shuffled from one provider to another — especially not for smaller procedures.
While passing Senate Bill 622 will provide patients with the choice between an optometrist and other specialist, for some patients an optometrist is the only available choice. With an optometrist in more than 1,000 California cities and towns, primary care would virtually be within reach of any patient, even the most rural.
Ultimately, SB 622 isn’t just a preventive, or a means to stem the rising tide of patients. SB 622 is good for California, by creating a healthier healthcare market, with more providers, more competition. That doesn’t just translate to relief for healthcare providers, but also to better care for patients.
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LILIA BABAKHAN is a resident of Burbank and a doctoral candidate with the class of 2017 at Western University of Health Science. She can be reached at lbabakhan@westernu.edu.