• Highlights from Hawaiian Eye 2013: Research and Technology

    Highlights from Hawaiian Eye 2013: Research and Technology

    The comprehensive ophthalmology program of this year’s Hawaiian Eye meeting, which was recently held at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, featured an expanded 7 day agenda covering a wide range of topics: oculoplastics, practice management, cataract surgery, glaucoma, retina, ocular surface disease, and refractive surgery. The presentations reviewed important subjects general ophthalmologists deal with on a daily basis, summarized findings from recent clinical trials, and updated the status of new technologies and procedures. read more
  • Why Cloud Based EMR is the Only Way to Go

    Why Cloud Based EMR is the Only Way to Go

    With current incentives and future requirements, all physicians will soon be using electronic medical records. While they offer many advantages (so space requirements for records, instant access to patient information), many complain that they greatly slow down the workplace. While no system may be perfect, we will all have to choose a platform eventually, if we do not already own one. While there are different bells and whistles in each system, first one should decide broadly whether to choose a system that is client-server based or cloud based. In my opinion, cloud based is the absolute best choice for an ophthalmology EMR. read more
  • When Things Go Badly

    When Things Go Badly

    While ophthalmology had become more precise each year with improved instrumentation and techniques, mistakes still occur. Though recent studies suggest the rate of endophthalmitis at approximately 1/3000, for that one person there is often a severely poor outcome. While we do our best to control the rates of endophthalmitis with well-constructed wounds and/or antibiotics post-operatively, other consequences we may feel more responsible for. These may include rupturing the posterior capsule, dropping the cataractous or intraocular lens, traumatic iridodialysis, etc. When these events occur, it is important to know what to tell the patient. read more
  • Interesting Eye-Pad Apps

    Interesting Eye-Pad Apps

    PEW research reported that 17% of mobile phone users are using their devices to look up health and medical information. Juniper estimated that 44 million health apps were downloaded in 2011. The increasing popularity of health and medical apps are due in part to the wearable, portable and user-friendly devices using smart sensors that can capture and transmit a variety of biometric data. read more
  • The Top Five Things Your EMR Should Not Do

    The Top Five Things Your EMR Should Not Do

    When deciding to make a major purchase, we approach the seller with a list of items that we must have. For instance, when we make the decision to purchase a home, we have a mental or physical list of things that we want, such as “a master on the main.” Likewise, there is a complimentary list of things that the home should not have, such as noisy neighbors. read more