Advocacy
A Clear Voice for Eye Care in Alberta
EPSAA represents Alberta’s ophthalmologists in discussions with the Alberta Medical Association, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, and government.
The three O’s of eye care
Three Professions, Three Levels of Training
Opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists work together in a continuum of care. Select one to compare.
Typical pathways. University degree shown at four years for scale.
Surgeries and referrals
One Continuum of Care
The vast majority of ophthalmological surgeries in Alberta result from referrals from family doctors and optometrists to ophthalmologists.
Opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists work closely in a continuum of care, with a clear delineation of services regulated by Alberta Health and 28 self-governing regulatory colleges under the Health Professions Act.
Working with government
Active Collaboration with Alberta Health
EPSAA and its members have an active, ongoing collaboration with Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services to offer safe, high-quality, cost-efficient eye care, and to shorten the patient’s surgical journey from referral to recovery.
Ophthalmologists have partnered with AHS to improve access through reduced cataract surgery waitlists, central triaging and other initiatives. The Chartered Surgical Facilities program is being implemented in Calgary and Edmonton to focus on cataract surgery, and EPSAA members are on the front line of that work.
Through the Alberta Surgical Initiative, EPSAA has advocated for a clear definition of wait times and for system-wide standards, with wait list data reviewed zone by zone.