Kings County Hospital Center
Local director, Douglas R. Lazzaro, M.D.
This major, city-operated hospital—among the largest in the United States—is the center of the Ophthalmology Department’s teaching program. With nine ophthalmology residents, it has been a primary focus of faculty and program upgrades since 1996. By mid 1999, every facet of the Kings County ophthalmology program had undergone significant adjustment, including modification of the previous care model.
The most visible change at Kings County is a complete expansion and renovation of the eye clinic, completed in 1997. Clinic space has been increased from 2,200 to 5,000 square feet, with examination facilities increased from three to eight modern and fully-equipped exam rooms. Other modernized facilities include a newly equipped treatment room for ambulatory surgical procedures, and four rooms for patient screening by ancillary ophthalmic staff. New equipment, including a new visual field analyzer, Argon, Krypton and YAG lasers, and a new phacoemulsification unit, has made it possible to perform a far wider range of procedures on site, including state-of-the-art cataract surgery.
A new clinic space in E building will be the home for ophthalmology in the spring of 2006. A state-of-the-art 9,000 square foot clinic area will be ready for occupancy by April. A new computer system now allows more efficient and patient-friendly appointment scheduling. In addition, a fully-equipped ophthalmic examining room was constructed at the affiliated Susan Smith-McKinney Nursing Home to allow on-site eye care for its residents.
Outpatient visits to the Kings County Ophthalmology Service have increased by a remarkable 59 percent since 1995: from 12,352 to 19,405 total yearly patient visits. The 1998 case mix included 316 surgical procedures. Operating room volume was up 36 percent in 1998. Surgical volume continued to increase with an average of 525 cases now being performed between 2002 and 2005
