UPFRONT

Just as Insight went to print, the

COMMONWEALTH

BANK (CBA) entered the healthcare payments and claims market – currently dominated by NAB’s HICAPS system – with the launch of CommBank Smart Health that can integrate with the optometry-focused Optomate practice management system. CBA’s foray into health payments follows the bank’s May 2021 acquisition of Whitecoat, Australia’s largest digital healthcare services directory that also included a digital payments solution capable of processing Medicare, private health insurance, and government scheme claims. IN OTHER NEWS, Hoya Vision Care and the International Myopia Institute (IMI) announced a new partnership. Their shared goal is to raise awareness about myopia and the importance of practising myopia management with an evidencebased approach. They also hope to advance research, collaborate on improving management standards and educate key stakeholders on prevention, treatment and management. “The eyecare profession plays a dominant role to educate the general public and make them aware of the impact of this progressive eye disease and the available management approaches. Early prevention and treatment are the keys to manage this ocular condition,” IMI chair Prof Serge Resnikoff said. FINALLY, Australian engineers have invented a new surgical glove with low-cost sensors that can record hand movements in fine detail, giving trainees and mentors data to evaluate and improve on intricate procedures. The Western Sydney University research team are working with surgeons and students at Liverpool Hospital to develop the technology, which they anticipate will augment rather than replace traditional surgical training. “Teachers will be able to give precise feedback on minute details post-surgery, and students can analyse their performance," Dr Gough Lui, who led the work, said.

n WEIRD

A New Zealand woman has taken her eye bank employer to the Employment Relations Authority, claiming constructive dismissal, after only learning the job entailed enucleation after she started. The employer said “retrieval, processing, storage, testing and evaluation of eye tissue” was mentioned in the job ad, but a judge said this could be interpreted as picking up, rather than surgical removal of an eye.

n WONDERFUL

The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board recently held its first optometry appointments for homeless citizens in Cardiff, Wales, in what is set to become a monthly service. Having teamed up with local dispensers and optometrists and being supported by suppliers, the clinic is held in the city centre and includes new optometry equipment and a refurbished clinical assessment room.

n WACKY

A UK optometrist has sounded the alarm over a Tik Tok trend seeing people fill a bag with bleach, hand sanitiser, jelly and shaving cream before holding it up to their eyes in an attempt to make them appear brighter. If the bag splits, the optometrist warned people could experience corneal scarring, extreme pain and blindness.

STAT

REGIONAL DIVIDE

Sixteen per cent of ophthalmologists practise in regional locations, despite 29% of the Australian population being regionally based. Full report page 45.

WHAT’S ON

THIS MONTH OSHOW2022

27 – 28 MAY

One of Australia’s largest optical fairs showcasing the latest lenses, frames and equipment is returning to Sydney. marketing@odma.com.au

Complete calendar page 57.

NEXT MONTH NOSA MEETING

9 – 12 JUNE

The Neuro-Ophthalmology Society of Australia’s annual meeting will take place in Canberra. kathpoon@bigpond.com insightnews.com.au

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DISRUPTION AS HOSPITAL SEEKS REPLACEMENT

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across the South Australian border to Mount Gambier (108km).”

Harvey is also concerned about his 150-patient Portland public surgical waitlist that would need to be redistributed to other hospitals already under pressure.

“In Warrnambool, the waiting list for public ophthalmology cataract surgery is two years. I’ve got Portland patients who have already been waiting a year, so that's not fair for them to wait longer again for public surgery,” he said.

“I’ve asked the Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley what is going to happen to those patients on the waiting list for surgery, and thousands of patients needing appointments for AMD, glaucoma follow up, diabetic retinopathy and anti-VEGF injections, but I’ve had no response.

“I'm particularly worried about anti-VEGF patients. One woman I see every month gets motion sickness so can only travel 2-3km in the car without getting severely motion sick, so this situation could lead to someone like her going blind.”

Harvey is continuing to work as an ophthalmologist in Mount Gambier and will increase his workload by one day a week to see the patients from Portland.

DOCTORS STAND UP TO BOARD Harvey said the issues have emerged after several resignations from the hospital board, with Minister Foley appointing new members, many whom are not locally based.

In the recent petition, Harvey and other doctors said they were “dismayed by the actions of the current hospital board” whose “stated aim is to save money”.

“Strangely the board is squandering scarce funds by employing numerous expensive medical locums. It seems the board wants to prove the hospital is not financially sound. This will inevitably lead to loss of some services and/or amalgamation with distant hospitals,” they wrote.

“We need junior doctors on the wards and in urgent care. These doctors get excellent training here, but training is only recognised when supported by accredited permanent medical staff. No new or replacement permanent medical staff are being appointed.”

They said PDH required $10 million dollars of additional annual government funding that would allow senior medical staff to be permanently appointed.

HOSPITAL RESPONDS In a statement, PDH told Insight it recently accepted Harvey’s resignation, and thanked him for his service.

“Given this resignation and the challenges faced by all regional healthcare providers in recruiting specialist services, we anticipate some minor disruption to some of our ophthalmology services during April as we find a replacement, but we are confident this will be rectified very soon,” a spokesperson said.

“Our staff will be working hard to ensure any delays to service are minimal and that we provide continuity of care for patients. We know how important high-quality ophthalmology services is for our community and will ensure all community members continue to receive the care they need.”

On February 10, PDH board chair Professor Peter Matthews responded to the doctor’s claims outlined in the petition, stating PDH faces challenges that have developed over several years and they will take time to remedy.

“Improvements will not occur without a willingness to embrace necessary change,” he said.

“It is well known that it is very difficult to attract medical specialists and GPs to regional and rural settings across Australia. This is not a challenge unique to Portland. To maintain services at an appropriate level it is necessary to engage locums, as do many other health services. We continue to actively recruit subject to requirements set by the Department of Health.”

Matthews said PDH would continue to explore partnership arrangements with neighbouring regional institutions.

“Again this is not new; it is a sensible approach, a benefit to not only the Portland community but potentially to the south west region,” he said.

“The PDH Board cannot and will not comment on individual employees nor will the board comment on matters regarding responsibilities of the Minister or Department of Health.

There is no substance to claims made by various parties that PDH will be closed, downgraded or amalgamated.” n

“THERE IS NO SUBSTANCE TO CLAIMS MADE BY VARIOUS PARTIES THAT PDH WILL BE CLOSED, DOWNGRADED OR AMALGAMATED.”

PETER MATTHEWS, PORTLAND DISTRICT HEALTH

PBS INVESTMENT TO BENEFIT MORE PATIENTS

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Torres Strait Islander people to undertake health care studies, including in allied health and optometry.

Additionally, Hunt announced $45.5 billion over four years to access more affordable medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), and more than $2.4 billion this budget to add new medicines to the PBS.

In keeping with its cost of living agenda, the government is investing $525.3 million to lower the PBS safety net thresholds from 1 July 2022 by the equivalent of 12 fully priced scripts for concession card holders and the equivalent of approximately two fully priced scripts for non-concessional patients. This is expected to benefit over 2.4 million people.

For concessional patients, the safety net threshold will be lowered by 25% from $326.40 to $244.80 – an $81.60 reduction for concessional patients. This means when a concession card holder reaches the safety net threshold, after 36 full priced concessional scripts, they will receive PBS medicines at no charge for the rest of the year.

For small business, including small business optometry practices, the government announced those with annual turnover of less than $50m can access:

Greg Hunt, Federal Health Minister. • A 20% deduction for the cost of external training courses delivered to their employees from budget night to 30 June 2024; and • A 20% deduction for the cost of expenses and depreciating assets that support digital uptake, up to $100,000 of expenditure per year, until 20 June 2023.

“Notably for small and medium businesses, the temporary full expensing measure has not been extended beyond 30 June 2023,” OA stated.

“This election period remains a critical time for us to continue our advocacy efforts and reinforce our conversations about eye health in Australia." n