Alexander P, Rahi J S, Hingorani M
Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust, Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon, UK.
Br J Ophthalmol. 2009 May;93(5):645-9. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2008.149203. Epub 2008 Dec 19.
AIMS/BACKGROUND: Population-based information is useful for future strategic planning of healthcare resources. We wished to describe and cost the provision of eye services, beyond those of basic primary and emergency care, for the paediatric population of a single primary care trust.
Data from healthcare purchaser and provider records were collected for the year 2004/5 on provision and costing of hospital eye services, provision of spectacle vouchers, orthoptic screening, social services and visual-impairment team services to children in the Huntingdonshire Primary Care Trust population.
In the year of study, in a population of 33,564 aged under 18 years, 1870 (5.6%) children underwent screening by an orthoptist. 1970 (5.9%) children required outpatient appointments, 445 (1.3%) were prescribed spectacles, and 87 (0.3%) children needed surgical procedures. A small proportion (69, 0.2%) of children were visually impaired. The total cost of providing comprehensive eye services to children within Hunts PCT was pound 366,727.
Although the prevalence of significant visual impairment is low in childhood, overall, eye conditions are common in children and may have lifelong implications. The resources required to provide a comprehensive paediatric eye service, to screen for and manage common eye conditions, and support those with serious eye conditions or visual impairment, are significant. This study aids quantified prediction of future service usage, and facilitates decision-making on resource allocation and workforce organisation for children's eye care in the UK.
目的/背景：基于人群的信息对未来医疗资源的战略规划很有用。我们希望描述并计算为单一初级保健信托基金辖区内的儿童人群提供除基本初级和急诊护理之外的眼部服务的情况及成本。
收集了2004/5年度医疗保健购买方和提供方记录中的数据，内容涉及亨廷登郡初级保健信托基金辖区内儿童的医院眼科服务提供情况及成本、配镜券发放情况、斜视筛查、社会服务以及视力损害团队服务。
在研究年度，在33564名18岁以下儿童中，1870名（5.6%）儿童接受了斜视矫正师的筛查。1970名（5.9%）儿童需要门诊预约，445名（1.3%）儿童被开了眼镜处方，87名（0.3%）儿童需要手术治疗。一小部分儿童（69名，0.2%）有视力损害。在亨茨初级保健信托基金辖区内向儿童提供全面眼部服务的总成本为366,727英镑。
尽管儿童中严重视力损害的患病率较低，但总体而言，儿童眼部疾病很常见，可能会产生终身影响。提供全面的儿科眼科服务、筛查和管理常见眼部疾病以及支持患有严重眼部疾病或视力损害的儿童所需的资源相当可观。这项研究有助于对未来服务使用情况进行量化预测，并促进英国儿童眼科护理资源分配和劳动力组织方面的决策。
