The Pennsylvania Diabetic Eye Health Alliance
Diabetic Eye Health Alliance (PDEHA) is a program designed to target known public health concerns surrounding the care of diabetics.
About the PDEHA
On June 7, 2008, Pennsylvania optometry, through its House of Delegates, made a commitment to provide expedient, comprehensive eye care to diabetic patients. The resolution called for the association to "develop and implement a statewide program to ensure the provision of timely optometric care to diabetic patients and to communicate findings to the other members of the diabetic patient's healthcare team." A task force was immediately assembled, and the "The Pennsylvania Diabetic Eye Health Alliance" began to take shape. On February 22, 2009, the Pennsylvania Diabetic Eye Health Alliance was launched in conjunction with the POA's one-day "Inter-professional Management of Your Diabetic Patient" seminar in Hershey. Knowing that Pennsylvania optometrists are already providing excellent care to diabetic patients, it is our hope that all members will embrace the additional components of this program that solidify optometry's role as primary eye care providers.
While this program is not currently designed to generate direct referrals, it has resulted in a list of optometrists who have committed to a certain standard of care that includes dilated fundus exams, seeing diabetic patients expediently, and communicating exam results to the patient's primary care provider and other members of the health care team as appropriate. This list is provided to third party payers to document optometry's commitment to providing the highest level of care to diabetic patients, and will help optometry continue to build bridges and partnerships with third party payers and others in the health care delivery system.
Mission Statement
Diabetic Eye Health Alliance (PDEHA) is a program designed to target known public health concerns surrounding the care of diabetics. It specifically addresses the optometric evaluation of the diabetic patient and disease management issues such as timeliness, accessibility of care, professional communication, quality management, delivery system cost efficiencies and clinical outcomes. This program and its participating health care professionals will devote serious and sustained effort to deliver comprehensive and expedient diabetic eye care and intercommunicate the information to all those involved in the patient’s care.
Objectives
• Completion and administration of the 2008 Pennsylvania Optometric Association House of Delegates resolution to develop and implement a statewide program to ensure the provision of timely optometric care to the diabetic patient and to communicate findings to the other members of the diabetic patient’s health care team
• Improve care to underserved diabetic patients
• Demonstrate to third party payers optometry’s commitment to and role in providing quality care to the diabetic patient
• Build alliances and strengthen relationships with other professionals involved in the care of the diabetic patient
• Improve HEDIS scores for commercial payers
• Improve PQRI reporting
• Promotion of and participation in PDEHA by third party payers and providers
Summary of Conditions & Requirements
PDEHA is a program in which Pennsylvania optometrists are asked to uphold the following:
• Communication with all health care professionals involved in the care of every diabetic patient, with emphasis on the diabetic patient’s primary care physician
• Accessibility and availability of care for every diabetic patient through expedient scheduling
• Consistent reporting to third party payers for every diabetic patient
• Proper coding and billing through the diabetic patient’s medical insurance, when available
• Embrace the alliance with other diabetic care providers including podiatry, dentistry and pharmacy
• Provide standard of care to the diabetic patient as defined in POA’s Diabetes Primer
If you have any questions about the Pennsylvania Diabetic Eye Health Alliance, please contact Kelsey at the POA by calling (717) 233-6455.
Member poster
The POA has a diabetes poster, which is FREE to members in the Pennsylvania Diabetic Eye Health Alliance (PDEHA). The poster is a 18" x 24" full-color design suitable to proudly display in your office. Posters are available at the POA and can be mailed upon request.
