Update about Eye Care and Referrals

12/9/2020

Author: Provider Outreach

As a reminder, the VMC Eye Clinic is on HOLD for accepting new patient appointments for ophthalmology and optometry, except for those who are members of the Valley Health Plan or UW Medicine Accountable Care Network*.

We recently updated the list of practice groups who offer eye and other vision care services, including diabetic eye exams. The practice groups who offer those exams were identified based on a review of our Epic patient records with submitted exam notes from those groups. Some of the groups on the list may also offer diabetic exams and we recommend inquiring with them individually about current service offered. Note: this is not an exhaustive list as you may find other practice groups who are able to offer the vision care needed for your patients.

We currently have a task force working with Quality and Safety leadership to identify care standards and notification to PCPs about patients who complete eye exams for diabetic retinopathy, and it will be communicated when finalized. If you have questions or concerns about the Eye Clinic, please contact Heather Mauk at 425.690.3202 and if you have recommendations for other providers offering ophthalmology and optometry services to add to the list, please send them to provider_outreach@valleymed.org.

*Note the ACN contract currently includes Boeing and PEBB/SEBB subscribers. Effective Jan. 1, 2021, the ACN vision plan for PEBB/SEBB will exclude routine eye exams