From December 6, orthoptists installed in an ophthalmology office will be able to monitor patients to reduce waiting times.
Making an appointment with an ophthalmologist is for the vast majority of French people an obstacle course. In some jurisdictions, the wait time can be up to 368 days.
To shorten these interminable waiting times, orthoptists working in an ophthalmologist’s office will be able to monitor patients for whom the pathology has stabilized, announces a decree published this Monday, December 5 in the Official Journal.
Thus, from this Tuesday, December 6, these eye care professionals specializing in eye rehabilitation, will be able to relieve ophthalmologists of many appointments for a simple replacement of glasses. They will also be able to “carry out training sessions in the handling and fitting of eye contact lenses”, indicates the text.
These measures of the Health law should halve the waiting time to obtain an appointment, hopes the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas) which had proposed these reforms supported by the unions of ophthalmologists.
Accept new patients
It must be said that the delegation of tasks to orthoptists tested in several departments and extended to the entire territory last January convinced professionals. In the Pays de la Loire, where the initiative was launched more than 3 years ago, progress was not long in coming. Thanks to the device, patients needing a prescription to renew their glasses can only wait 15 days, compared to 12 months previously.
Less consultations for the ophthalmologist who can now receive new patients. These time slots also make it possible to accept the patient base of colleagues who have retired. An essential call for air as between 200 and 250 specialists retire each year and a shortage is emerging.
New roles for the optician
Another advance of the Health Act to relieve ophthalmology practices: the prerogatives of opticians have been extended. Since mid-October, they can adapt the optical corrections of the lenses within the framework of a renewal of the dispensation if the patients present a prescription of less than 3 years, and one year for those under 16 years.
They are also authorized to issue “exceptionally” a new pair of glasses in the event of loss or breakage of corrective lenses, and in the absence of a prescription. New possibilities which have also satisfied ophthalmologists.
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