UK to Host Inaugural Vision Health Care Summit

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 23, 2013) − The University of Kentucky will host a first of its kind Vision Healthcare Summit on May 31 to examine the effects of the new health care environment by bringing in experts from across the country – in academia, private practice, government, and business - to provide their insights on navigating the complex challenges ahead.  

"We have gathered visionary leaders in academia, successful solo and group practitioners, accomplished clinician scientists, and industry leaders in an effort to create a broad-ranging interactive discussion that will generate new strategic concepts" said Jayakrishna Ambati, professor and vice-chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the UK College of Medicine and director of the summit.

The expanding and dynamic role of health care economics and policy reform will undoubtedly affect patients, physicians, and the tangled networks responsible for delivery and payment of clinical services. In the field of ophthalmology, a tremendous drive towards efficient practice models, improved clinical outcomes, and successful academic departments stands to undergo significant transformations amplified by newly incorporated technologies for patient care and practice management.

Current and anticipated policy shifts in America’s health care system leave many questions unanswered as to how these changes will affect ophthalmologists, academics, practice patterns and reimbursements. While a wealth of reports prepared by government agencies and committees, media outlets, consulting firms, and academic groups are available, a collective prospectus from leaders in the fields of ophthalmology and health care policy has not been formed. 

The Summit will take place 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31, in 124 of BioPharm Complex, 789 South Limestone St. in Lexington.. It is open to physicians, clinical researchers, certified medical coders, health administrators, public health professionals, medical students, ophthalmology residents and fellows, and anyone interested in Ophthalmology topics. Registration for the event is online at http://www.visionhealthcaresummit.org/ and required fees are listed there. Registration is free of cost for UK employees and trainees.

The Vision Health Care Summit promises to offer attendees a unique perspective on healthcare economics and the future of ophthalmology in the United States. 

Media Contact: Ann Blackford at 859-323-6442 or ann.blackford@uky.edu