The Center for Vision Care Policy and Research is a multi-disciplinary research center within the State College of Optometry, State University of New York. The Center’s mission is to conduct studies on the quality and cost effectiveness of vision care services at the individual, institutional and system levels through research, policy analysis and education. This mission is to be fulfilled through collaborative interdisciplinary efforts involving social scientists, clinicians and health leaders in the private and public sectors. The Policy Center is dedicated to continue and expand its analytical investigations of policy and research studies. Activities will focus on health services research, vision care utilization studies, epidemiological studies, outcomes research, needs assessment, workforce issues and program evaluation in eye and vision care.
The policy center fosters interdisciplinary research with personnel with varied skills including a health economist, a biostatistician, a survey researcher, a sociologist and health services researchers.
- A small core of interdisciplinary faculty/research associates;
- Conducts applied research and policy analysis. Conduct utilization and epidemiological studies.
- Develops new initiatives on workforce issues in the organization, delivery, and financing of vision care
- Evaluates vision benefits within health plans and third party programs
- Engages studies in outcomes research
- Sponsors educational and training programs
- Provides technical assistance and disseminate critical information intended to improve visual health
- Develops long term collaborate research efforts with faculty in other institutions
- Develops a strategic research and policy agenda that draws on the expertise of collaborative researchers
- Seeks grant funding for research and policy studies.
- Stimulates public health activities to reduce the incidence and prevalence of blindness and vision disorders
- Developments of a clinical scholars fellowship program in quality management and policy research
- Develops advanced education and training opportunities for optometrists and others in health services and public health optometry
Health policy and health services research is very broad in scope and priorities need to be set to develop expertise in sub sets of issues in health policy and research related to vision care. We intend to examine changes in the professions of optometry, ophthalmology and opticianry, the ophthalmic and contact lens industries, the shifts in the delivery of eye care, the implications of these changes for health plans, managed care organizations, hospitals and health programs, its effect for provider staffing and the impact on the quality, cost and availability of care. There are numerous potential areas for research including: clinical outcomes studies on vision care; studies of the optometric and ophthalmologic work force; analysis of the efficiency and economy of optometric health care services; optometry as a primary eye care profession and its relationship to ophthalmology, pediatric and adult medicine; studies of the ancillary work force that supports the practice of optometry; credentialing and certification in residency education; clinical performance indicators that have policy implications (low vision and driving licensure).These quantitative studies require efficient data collection procedures, sound statistical sampling and superior analytical skills spanning survey instrument design, sample selection strategies, extraction of clinical data and advanced computational and statistical techniques. The Center seeks to develop its capabilities in obtaining health information through individualized data collection (e.g. in-person, telephone, mailed surveys), record abstraction and participant observation. State of the art statistical analysis, data collection, programming and data management methods are needed to provide improved survey research.
GOALS
- To conduct regional and national policy studies on workforce issues and in the organization, delivery and financing of vision care services.
- To study the eyecare marketplace, the contributions of all eye care providers and the trends occurring in the medical, surgical professions and the ophthalmic and contact lens industries
- To evaluate vision benefits in health plans and third party programs.
- To assess the implementation and adherence of clinical practice guidelines in eye care
- To educate the general public, policy makers in government, business, labor and the eye care professions about important vision policy issues and clinical outcomes;
- To advocate, through position papers, publications and other communications, policies that address the health and vision care needs of the public;
- To undertake applied research and analysis.
- To conduct outcomes research, utilization and epidemiological studies
- To identify issues of national and regional concern relating to vision care services:
workforce issues, third party programs, Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, cost-effectiveness, patient access, and quality of vision care, outcome studies;
- To study the impact of vision disorders and blindness in society.
- To heighten the awareness of the major causes of visual impairment and preventable blindness and to stimulate public health activities to reduce the incidence and prevalence of vision disorders.
- To conduct cost benefit analysis studies on health promotion and disease prevention programs in eye care services
- To serve as a resource on public health optometry curricular content for faculty at schools and colleges of optometry and other health professional institutions;
- To develop the opportunity for optometrists and others to receive advanced education and training in health services research and public health optometry as they relate to public and professional policy issues.
- To develop a clinical scholars fellowship program in quality management and policy research
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