I’m sitting here in my home office writing my very first of many editorials as the new chief medical editor of Ophthalmology Management. I feel honored and privileged to be the fourth person in 25 years of this incredible publication to hold this position.

I would be lying if I didn’t admit that the prospect of filling the shoes of the giants that walked before me wasn’t just a little bit daunting. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” So I suppose I am halfway there and looking forward to the opportunity to help shape the future of this great publication.

FIRST, A LOOK BACK

It is a somewhat surreal feeling to look back at the last 2 years and still be discussing the impact that COVID-19 had and continues to have on our personal and professional lives. Most practices are back to pre-COVID patient volumes, but changes reflecting the impact of COVID-19 are everywhere. Even our lexicon has been affected. We now talk about the dreaded “new normal,” “social distancing,” being “nimble,” “flattening the curve,” “contact tracing,” “super spreader,” “variants,” and the list goes on.

But from adversity comes creativity and innovation, and I am very proud of the way in which both our country and industry has tackled some extremely difficult challenges during this time. Although pandemic conditions forced us to close our practices, cancel surgeries, reduce patient office volume and continue wearing PPE, some great innovations evolved in record time — some that will likely permanently change the way we practice ophthalmology.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS TO MODERN PROBLEMS

While the field of ophthalmology is notoriously innovative, health care in general has traditionally been slower than other industries at adapting to digital solutions and operations. However, our traditional face-to-face patient-physician care model was dramatically challenged by the pandemic.

Our industry partners quickly “pivoted” and developed digital health solutions such as telehealth, artificial intelligence-driven tools to aid in diagnosis and treatment of disease as well as remote patient examinations and monitoring. Some of our ophthalmology colleagues have even stepped up and created digital technology to help streamline triaging, clinical care and staff training and retention.

In addition, remote patient monitoring for glaucoma and AMD is beginning to get traction. More and more offices are using slit lamp photography and videography for patient examinations, including cataract evaluations. This minimizes the amount of time patients are in the office and the number of staff required for an exam while maximizing physician efficiency. Although these practice models are not yet widespread in ophthalmology, the pressure of the ongoing pandemic and staff shortages have forced us to consider alternative models of care.

OUR FUTURE

Which changes will become permanent, which will we revert to and what changes are in our future? I think online meetings, conferences and CME are here to stay. The use of social media, apps, blogs and podcasts will continue to shape the way we practice medicine and communicate with our patients and each other. If you are a Star Trek fan, you will agree that “resistance is futile,” but as Max De Pree once said, “We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”

Over the next year, Ophthalmology Management will continue its tradition of sharing and educating readers on the most important and relevant aspects of clinical and office management. While we are on an accelerated journey, we will continue to provide the insight and guidance to help navigate your way in this evolving digital world. OM

Lisa K. Feulner, MD, PhD, is Ophthalmology Management’s chief medical editor. She is the founder and CEO of Advanced Eye Care & Aesthetics in Bel Air, Md., where she specializes in cataract surgery, medical and surgical glaucoma care and dry eye disease.