EYECARE Key Trends in Ocular Telehealth By Staff Monday, June 22, 2020 12:31 AM RELATED CONTENT Virtual Vision Care Grows Up Special Report on Telemedicine: The Time for Optometry is Now Making the Leap into Telehealth ECP Groups Support Members’ Access to Telehealth Solutions Retailers Find Telehealth Options Improve the Patient Experience Mapping Ocular Telehealth’s Multifaceted Ecosystem Adjusting to the New Normal: How Ocular Telehealth Can Help Payers See Longer-Term Role for Telehealth in Eyecare Coming Soon: NAVCP’s Telehealth Statement Direct-To-Consumers: DIY Eye Tests Envisioning the Future of Ocular Telehealth 1. Ocular telehealth meets the requirements of today’s consumers, particularly younger ones, who want convenience, simplicity, instant access and increased choice, just as they do with other types of service providers. 2.Ocular telehealth is now available in many different forms, each designed to address the service requirements of today’s consumers. 3. The coronavirus pandemic has significantly increased the utilization of ocular telehealth, which can meet the requirements of social distancing with contactless care. 4.COVID-19 has also changed the way some ocular telehealth services are delivered, while creating opportunities for long-term growth. 5.Doctors and retailers that offer ocular telehealth are becoming more skilled at using it, and determining when to use it, and with which patients. 6. By shifting some types of eyecare away from optometric offices and into the home, ocular telehealth is helping practices operate more efficiently. 7. The ability for optometrists to quickly see patients with a telehealth consult can result in faster triaging, which is especially important for emergency cases. 8. Direct-to-consumer companies offering online eye tests and testing devices are thriving, despite ongoing opposition from national and state optometric associations. 9. ECPs report that ocular telehealth allows them to expand their access to patients, one of the telehealth’s fundamental mandates. 10.Insurance reimbursement for medical eyecare delivered via telehealth is becoming widespread, though reimbursement for refractive services still lags behind. n