Oral

Preventive management and disease treatment of visual health care consumes approximately 3% of the US health care budget, and easily correctable visual health problems are a major contributor to quality of life and productivity losses world wide. Over the past 20 years, vast improvements have been made in the diagnosis and medical treatment of complex visual disorders such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. At the same time many Americans suffer from easily treatable but undiagnosed uncorrected refractive errors that impair their daily activities of living. Given the different needs and interests competing for a share of visual health resources, public health professionals have a clear role to play in providing information about the societal value of different public health interventions. However, empirically estimating the value of visual health interventions can be complex. Economic decision analysis provides an increasingly important tool that can be used to organize visual health information in a way that directly addresses the merit and value of competing health priorities. This session provides four perspectives on the use of economic decision analysis and simulation models to inform public health policy and practice.

Session Objectives: Understand the way economic evaluations can been used to inform visual health policy making both abroad and in the United States. Understand the major economic and financing issues facing visual health care in the United States in the upcoming decade. Gain a better understanding of economic simulation methods.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)