Low Vision Devices and Rehabilitation Services

描述（由申请人提供）：最近完成的VA低视力干预试验（LOVIT）提供了第一个高质量的证据，证明低视力康复非常有效。最大的影响是阅读能力，这大约是在私营部门低视力诊所服务的患者的观察性研究中观察到的效应量的7倍。即使没有提供定向和移动性（O&M）指导，LOVIT患者也表现出移动性的显着改善，在私营部门的患者中没有观察到改善。VA和私营部门在低视力康复方面的一个主要区别是VA支付低视力设备和广泛培训的费用，而Medicare和其他医疗保险公司不支付低视力设备的费用，并且他们的培训覆盖范围有限。针对VA和Medicare覆盖政策之间的差异，目前拟议的项目将计划进行一项多中心随机对照试验，以衡量第三方覆盖低视力设备和O&M指导对低视力康复结果的影响。使用定性研究方法，我们建议在参与中心的临床医生中就低视力康复的常规护理指南达成共识。我们将为一项3x 2分层设计、多中心、随机对照试验计划并编写详细的操作和程序手册，该试验将衡量以患者为中心的低视力康复结果;衡量服务和设备的成本效益、成本效用和需求弹性;并衡量护理计划的变化与成本覆盖政策的变化。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The recently completed VA Low Vision Intervention Trial (LOVIT) provided the first high quality evidence that low vision rehabilitation is extremely effective. The largest effect was for reading ability, which is approximately 7 times the effect size seen in observational studies of patients served by private sector low vision clinics. Even though orientation and mobility (O&M) instruction was not provided, LOVIT patients also exhibited a significant improvement in mobility, an improvement not observed in private sector patients. A major difference in low vision rehabilitation between the VA and private sector is that the VA covers costs of low vision devices and extensive training, whereas Medicare and other health care insurers do not cover the costs of low vision device and their coverage of training is limited. Focusing on the differences between VA and Medicare coverage policies, the presently proposed project will plan a multicenter randomized controlled trial to measure the effects of 3rd party coverage of low vision devices and O&M instruction on the outcome of low vision rehabilitation. Using qualitative research methods, we propose to elicit and build a consensus among participating center clinicians on usual care guidelines for low vision rehabilitation. We will plan and write a detailed Manual of Operations and Procedures for a 3x2 stratified design, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that measures patient-centered low vision rehabilitation outcomes; measures cost-effectiveness, cost-utilities, and demand elasticity of services and devices; and measures changes in plans of care with changes in cost coverage policies.