Insights Into Ophthalmology Workforce Dynamics And Procedural Trends: A Targeted Literature Review
Published 2024 - 42nd Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: PPE1.18 | Type: ESONT Abstract | DOI: 10.82333/63zs-vg11
Authors: Lawrence Woodard 1 , Manisha Lin 2 , Carine Hsiao 2 , Li-Chen Pan* 2
1Atlanta Eye Surgery Center,Atlanta,United States, 2Alcon Laboratories,Fort Worth,United States
Purpose
Understanding workforce trends and procedural dynamics plays a role in informing decision-making and policy development in ophthalmology. The aim of this study is to review and summarize existing literature concerning trends and future projections in ophthalmology, particularly focusing on workforce dynamics and procedural trends.
Setting
Not Applicable
Methods
A targeted literature review was conducted using PubMed to identify relevant English-language studies spanning the last 10 years, from January 1, 2014, to February 14, 2024. The search strategy was organized around four main categories, covering topics in ophthalmology, workforce dynamics, procedural demands, and future projections. Key search terms encompassed ophthalmology, demand, capacity, volume, supply, workforce, personnel, projection, trend, and forecast. No constraints were imposed regarding study design.
Results
20 out of 186 studies were included based on full text review, covering various regions, including the United States (6), England (1), Canada (8), Pakistan (1), Saudi Arabia (1), 16 countries in Africa (1), Singapore (1) and 1 global study. Among them, 14 studies focused on ophthalmology in general, 5 specifically addressed cataract surgery, and 1 pertained to neuro-ophthalmology. 15 studies examined the present workforce supply and/or procedural demand. 5 studies forecasted future demand highlighting an anticipated increase in procedural demands and projected a shortage of surgeons to meet this growing demand, with projections extending up to 2050 for certain regions. However, rates and approaches to assessing future trends varied.
Conclusions
Several studies have assessed the workforce dynamics and procedural trends. Overall, there is an anticipated gap in the growth in the population requiring ophthalmic services, particularly cataract surgery, and the projected workforce. This gap presents challenges in addressing future shortages and may potentially impact patient care. However, the extent of this anticipated gap varied across studies, highlighting the need for further research to understand the disparity in approaches.