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We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.<\/strong> <\/p>\nBack to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\nKey takeaways:<\/h2>\n\nOut of 11 states that expanded the scope of optometry, only one had a significant increase in malpractice payouts post-expansion.<\/li>\n The main malpractice allegation was \u201cfailure to diagnose.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOptometrists had some of the lowest rates of malpractice payouts of all health professions, including after states allowed them to perform certain injections and laser surgeries, according to a study.<\/p>\n
\u201cOptometry\u2019s scope of practice has expanded substantially over the past several decades, including increased authority to prescribe oral medications, administer injections and perform in-office laser procedures,\u201d study author Robert S. Duszak<\/b>, <\/b>OD, FAAO<\/b>,<\/b> of Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Delaware, told Healio. \u201cDespite these changes, there has been limited contemporary data on whether these expanded responsibilities have influenced malpractice risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Duszak and colleagues used the National Practitioner Data Bank to review malpractice payments spanning from 1996 to 2023. The results were published in Optometry and Vision Science<\/i>.<\/p>\n
The study analyzed malpractice payments in 11 states that expanded optometrists\u2019 scope of practice to include procedures such as injections and laser surgery, Duszak said. <\/p>\n
According to the results, malpractice payments by optometrists were \u201cextremely rare,\u201d Duszak said. There was a total of 1,040 malpractice payments from 1996 to 2023, averaging 38.5 cases per year and $220,918 per payment.<\/p>\n
The most common types of malpractice allegations were \u201cfailure to diagnose\u201d (40%) and \u201cdelay in diagnosis\u201d (6.4%). \u201cFailure\/delay in referral,\u201d \u201cimproper performance\u201d and \u201cimproper management\u201d made up 5.5%, 5.2% and 4.4% of allegations, respectively.<\/p>\n
Among states that expanded scope of practice, Indiana was the only one with a statistically significant post-expansion increase in malpractice cases (P<\/i> = .049). There was no significant increase in the other 10 states: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.<\/p>\n
\u201cStates with expanded privileges mirror national trends, suggesting that training, credentialing and modern technology are effectively supporting safe practice,\u201d Duszak said.<\/p>\n
The number of malpractice payments per year \u201cincreased slightly\u201d from 1996 to 2023, but payments were still rare compared with other specialties, the researchers wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cOptometry\u2019s liability profile continues to compare favorably to other health professions, and the stability of malpractice payments over nearly 3 decades speaks to the profession\u2019s strong emphasis on education, evidence-based care and patient communication,\u201d Duszak said. \u201cAs scope continues to expand, ongoing monitoring is essential, but current data offer reassuring evidence that optometrists are delivering high-quality care even as their clinical responsibilities grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information:<\/h2>\n Robert S. Duszak, OD, FAAO<\/b>, <\/b>can be reached at robert.duszak@va.gov.<\/p>\n\n
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