New Program Communicates Eye Health Information to the Medical Home

P E E R S: Pediatric Eye Exam Reporting System

In October, 2009 Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic launched their pilot PEERS (Pediatric Eye Exam Reporting System) program.  Recognizing eye health and vision as important parts of a continuum of health care, the PEERS committee developed the program to keep primary care providers informed of their pediatric patients' eye exam results.  The four PEERS committee members, all Richmond area optometrists, implemented this pilot program in their practices. 

Eye care professionals can easily and systematically share children's eye exam results with their patients' "medical homes" through the PEERS program.  With parental permission, this information is entered into a secure electronic database and sent to the child's medical home to become part of their medical file.  The pilot program was sponsored by Pediavision and is managed by Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic.

The initial pilot period ended in mid-January, after well over 200 patient reports were submitted to area primary care physicians.  A survey of the primary care physicians that received PEERS reports for their patients shows a demand for the continuation and expansion of this effort.  The survey results mirror the committee's stance that a fully inclusive medical file on a patient allows for the best overall health care.  Those surveyed unanimously agree that this program would be an important addition to the services provided by other eye care providers.  The committee is currently working on plans to expand the program regionally.