Role of physician extenders: more regulation is necessary before full integration into practice.

Abstract

To discuss the drawbacks and propose recommendations for integrating physician extenders in ophthalmologic practice. In this article, the role of utilizing physician extenders in ophthalmology is discussed. A role for physician extenders has been suggested as more and more patients will require ophthalmologic care. Guidance is needed on how to best integrate physician extenders into eye care. However, quality of care is of the highest importance, and unless there is reliable and consistent training of extenders, using physician extenders to administer invasive procedures (e.g., intravitreal injection) should be avoided due to safety concerns.