Ophthalmology

Lt. Col. Richard Lane, director of retina service in the 59th Surgical Specialty Squadron, administers a shot to Ms. Betty Disler at Wilford Hall Medical Center Dec 11. The medication is a drug that prevents macular degeneration, a disorder that affects central vision. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Erin M. Peterson)

Air Force ophthalmology team saves government big bucks

Published April 30, 2008
By Linda Frost
59th Medical Wing Public Affairs

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Two 59th Medical Wing team members are recipients of the Air Education and Training Command's 2007 Air Force Exceptional Innovator Award.

Ms. Pamela A. Singleton and Lt. Col. Richard G. Lane's implementation of a new drug project has saved the U.S. government $990 per unit dose of a drug used to treat Age Related Macular Degeneration.

Ms. Singleton, a retired Air Force Master Sgt., is the former NCO-in-charge of Ophthalmology and Colonel Lane is the director of the retina service at the Wilford Hall Medical Center Ophthalmology Clinic.

In 2005, researchers at the University of Miami identified a promising new drug to fight macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. Colonel Lane and Ms. Singleton wanted to bring the new treatment to Wilford Hall but the drug was not commercially available to ophthalmologists.

At the time, the treatment for macular degeneration was costing the U.S. government $995 per unit dose and the results for patients were disappointing. Each patient was re-treated every six weeks for two years, at a total annual cost of $16,915 per patient.

Ms. Singleton discovered that the same drug was already being used at Wilford Hall in the hematology-oncology service and could be specially prepared by the bone marrow transplant pharmacy for about $5 per dose. She coordinated with the University of Miami and the pharmacy to ensure the drug was properly prepared for use in ophthalmology.

As a result of these efforts, they proposed the less expensive treatment, an FDA-approved drug that has recently been reported to work as well or even better in the treatment of AMD.

Patients are now benefiting from the state-of-the-art treatment for AMD for approximately $5 per injection compared to $995 for the original dose, and they are experiencing better outcomes with the new treatment. Their efforts saved the Air Force $878,000 in the first year.