Open AccessOphthalmic plastic and orbital surgery in Taiwan☆
Author(s) -
Chi Hsin Hsu,
IChan Lin,
Yun-Dun Shen,
Wen-Ming Hsu
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the chinese medical association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.535
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1728-7731
pISSN - 1726-4901
DOI - 10.1016/j.jcma.2013.05.014
Subject(s) - medicine , yearbook , plastic surgery , payment , health insurance , health care , family medicine , optometry , general surgery , surgery , ophthalmology , library science , computer science , economics , economic growth , world wide web
We describe in this paper the current status of ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery in Taiwan. Data were collected from the Bureau of National Health Insurance of Taiwan, the Bulletin of the Taiwan Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Society, and the Statistics Yearbook of Practicing Physicians and Health Care Organizations in Taiwan by the Taiwan Medical Association. We ascertained that 94 ophthalmologists were oculoplastic surgeons and accounted for 5.8% of 1621 ophthalmologists in Taiwan. They had their fellowship training abroad (most ophthalmologists trained in the United States of America) or in Taiwan. All ophthalmologists were well trained and capable of performing major oculoplastic surgeries. The payment rates by our National Health Insurance for oculoplastic and orbital surgeries are relatively low, compared to Medicare payments in the United States. Ophthalmologists should promote the concept that oculoplastic surgeons specialize in periorbital plastic and aesthetic surgeries. However, general ophthalmologists should receive more educational courses on oculoplastic and cosmetic surgery.