Staff Writer

Advanced practice orthoptists Kylie Robinson (left) and Debra Gleeson have enjoyed the extra training and responsibility in the Eye and Ear pilot: Image: Eye and Ear.

A new pilot program in the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital's Acute Ophthalmology Services is boosting the clinic's efficiency and increasing job satisfaction.

A media release from the hospital said the Advanced Practice Orthoptist (APO) program upskilled orthoptists to provide additional support to ophthalmologists and deliver benefits to patients.

"The program is about making sure allied health professionals work to their full scope of practice," says Ms Catherine Mancuso, the Eye and Ear's manager of Diagnostic Eye Services. "This is great for our staff and patients alike."

Mancuso oversaw the program's launch in mid-2023, supported by a government grant.

Dr Lukas Sahhar, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Eye and Ear, was chosen as the pilot's ophthalmology champion and led the clinical education and supervision.

"We designed a clinical education structure that combined theory, review of previous work and clinical sessions to teach examination and documentation techniques," he says.

After a thorough interview process, two experienced orthoptists were recruited to be involved in the pilot, Ms Kylie Robinson and Ms Debra Gleeson.

"It's been a fantastic experience," says Robinson. "The program has made me feel motivated and excited to come to work."

Gleeson echoes those feelings. "Everyone in the team has been very supportive. They've empowered us to speak up and have confidence to be involved in that aspect of patient care."

The program provided many opportunities for professional development.

"I've known both Kylie and Debra for many years and it was incredibly rewarding to see their progression and growth," says Dr Kristen Wells, clinical lead in the Acute Ophthalmology Service, who works closely with Robinson and Gleeson.

Mancuso notes that the program's impact extends beyond those who are directly involved.

"This program benefits not only patients but also junior team members. Kylie and Debra, as experienced orthoptists, continue to grow in their practice, setting a strong example that there's always more to learn."

By upskilling orthoptists to make initial evaluations, the program improved the clinic's efficiency and allowed patients to be assessed more quickly.

Doctors can spend more of their time with complex cases without compromising the care received by more straightforward patients.

"We've worked very well together as a multidisciplinary team. Everybody complements each other to create an efficient system to deliver effective patient care," explains Mancuso.

The release said initial feedback from patients and those involved in the pilot had been positive, but further review was needed to examine the program's impact.

Mancuso is hopeful the program can be extended and perhaps expanded to other allied health specialties.

"Everyone within the program has spoken glowingly about their experience. Now we need to collect more detailed patient feedback to confirm we've had a positive impact there, but I think there's a lot of potential in models like this."

Gleeson highlighted the program's structure as a strength.

"Having structured learning and supervision was very important for our development, but it's also critical to show the program could be replicated in other areas," she says.

While the long-term impact of the pilot is yet to be determined, it's already a win-win for staff and patients, setting a strong precedent for future advanced practice programs.

"The whole experience has been very collaborative. I've really enjoyed the training and I can see the long-term benefits for audiologists and patients."

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