AOA Commends NCQA On Promoting Regular Eye Exams for People With Diabetes; NCQA Includes Important Statistics on Diabetic Eye Exams in its New State of Managed Care Quality Report.

ST. LOUIS, MO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1999--

The American Optometric Association (AOA), representing the nation's largest group of primary eye care providers, commends the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its continued support of diabetic eye exams in the NCQA's State of Managed Care Quality 1999 report. The report cites statistics that highlight the critical role of diabetic eye exams in protecting against blindness.

"According to the report, regular eye exams for people with diabetes reduce the risk of blindness due to diabetic retinopathy by an estimated 56 percent," says Dr. Harvey P. Hanlen, president of the AOA, whose member optometrists work to improve the quality and availability of eye care for all Americans. "Today's optometrists are highly trained in the detection of diabetic retinopathy and can meet the challenges of helping patients achieve better eye health. Optometrists can also complement health plan efforts to improve Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) scores." HEDIS is a set of performance measures designed to help healthcare purchasers understand the value of healthcare purchases and measure the performance of multiple health plans.

The 1999 NCQA report points out that diabetic eye exams help to prevent about 1,937 cases of blindness each year. If all health plans were performing at the 90th percentile benchmark of 57 percent, the report projects that more than 3,273 additional cases of blindness would be prevented each year.

The NCQA report measured the percentage of people with diabetes age 31 years and older who received an eye exam in the past year. Because some people with diabetes can safely be screened less frequently than annually, NCQA points out that one would not necessarily expect a screening rate of 100 percent in each health plan.

"Eye exams for patients with diabetes are critical: diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness in the United States," continues Dr. Hanlen. "The AOA concurs with the NCQA in recognizing the importance of regular eye exams for the approximately 16 million Americans with diabetes. Appropriate treatment can be initiated at the first sign of a problem, reducing the risk of blindness."

Optometrists work closely with the patient's primary care physician in the management of diabetic retinopathy. The participating doctor of optometry regularly evaluates the retina to determine if and how the diabetes is affecting the eye. If laser treatment becomes necessary, the doctor of optometry will obtain a consultation with a participating retinal specialist to have the retina treated by laser. After the laser treatment, the patient's doctor of optometry will continue to co-manage the eye care of the patient.

The third State of Managed Care Quality report takes advantage of the most comprehensive database of information about managed care plans available - NCQA's Quality Compass 1999. Quality Compass collects information from NCQA's Accreditation program in which more than 247 health plans throughout the United States participate, representing 410 individual health plan products i.e. HMO and point-of-service (POS) plans. Another 112 managed care organizations contributed their data for use in calculating averages and benchmarks.

To access more information about optometry's role in the diagnosis and management of diabetic retinopathy, contact the AOA Eye Care Benefits Center at 1-800-678-9262 for copies of the AOA's Quick Reference Guide to the Clinical Practice Guidelines or write to the AOA Eye Care Benefits Center at 1505 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. The Guidelines, a comprehensive reference guide to optometry's medical eye care services, provide pertinent information to employers, benefits managers, managed care executives, and primary care physicians regarding optometry's expanded scope of practice and how this can positively impact their memberships' eye health.

For additional information on the AOA and ongoing optometric quality medical eye care and vision care services and programs, visit the AOA's web site at www.aoanet.org.