March 2004

Rural eye surgery initiative shows vision

Ballarat Health Services has joined forces with Southern Health’s Regional Eye Service at Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre (CICC) to reduce both the length of time people currently wait to have cataract surgery and the number waiting on the elective surgery ophthalmology list at Ballarat Health Services.

Funding for this collaborative was allocated under the State Government’s Rural Patient Initiative, a funding source that targets long-waiting, elective surgery, rural patients.

It will reduce the waiting time for cataract surgery from three years to six weeks and the number of people waiting on the elective surgery ophthalmology list from 200 to fewer than 100.

CICC is a designated Elective Surgery Access Service (ESAS) centre for cataract surgery and the model of care provided is based on internationally-accepted evidence-based guidelines, incorporating quality assurance activities including a routine clinical audit to measure patient quality of life and other health outcomes.

An initial audit of Ballarat Health Services ophthalmology waiting list was undertaken before any cataract surgery began, resulting in the removal of about 30 per cent of people from the Ballarat ophthalmology waiting list as surgery was not required.

So far, 82 people have accepted the offer to have their cataract surgery at Cranbourne and are delighted with both the quality and convenience of the Ballarat Health Services ophthalmology service.

All pre and post-operative care is provided in Ballarat and the cataract surgery itself is performed in Cranbourne as a same-day service.

The concentrated effort to tackle the Ballarat Health Services’ ophthalmology waiting list will allow for further development of this service for the people of Ballarat and surrounds.

• For more specific information about the evidence-based cataract surgery model of care provided by CICC or details of routine clinical audit activity relevant to cataract surgery contact Melanie Hendrata of the Department of Human Services’ Rural and Regional Health Branch Service Development Unit on 9616 2012 or email melanie.hendrata@dhs.vic.gov.au.