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Optometry Associations Come Together

January 31, 2014

Optometry Associations Come Together
Four of the leading associations meet to build better Communications and Understanding  

 

January 30, 2014

 

Associations:

American Optometric Association, AOA

Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry, ARBO

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, ASCO

National Board of Examiners in Optometry, NBEO

 Committee Name:

Inter-Organizational Communications and Cooperation Committee, IOCCC

 Dallas, Texas, January 12/13, 2014 – Leaders of American Optometric Association (AOA), Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry (ARBO), Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), and the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) held a facilitated  two day meeting with the expressed desire to come to a better understanding of each organization’s operating realities, vision for the future and stakeholder requirements to build an enhanced and formal working relationship with the goal to better serve their respective stakeholders and the general public’s desire for high quality eye care.

The IOCCC held phone conferences this past summer to develop goals, agendas and operating guidelines for their first face-to-face (F2F) meeting.  The IOCCC anticipates that its next F2F meeting will be sometime later this summer following the annual meetings of ARBO, ASCO and AOA, all in late June.

Goals and Outcomes of the IOCCC

The overriding goals and outcome for the IOCCC:

  • To build a more structured environment for the exchange of ideas.  Optometric community adjustments are driving organizational change; therefore, the IOCCC wishes to have an ongoing understanding of each organization’s current operations and their vision for the future.
  • To enhance the systematic dialog and working relationships between the organizations in an open environment to facilitate synergism among the organizations to better serve the optometry community.
  • Enhance regular lines of inter-organizational communications for constructive conversations.

These gatherings are more for understanding and dialog on vital optometry issues of the day, not the typical agenda packed with action items.  The desire is to come to a common understanding of issues seen through the different stakeholders’ lens and possible strategies to find synergistic solutions. Following are some of the items discussed.

  • Organizational independence, authority & responsibility
  • Multi-organizational board membership
  • Financial, strategic, and organizational structures and alliances
  • Maintenance of licensure
  • Accreditation of continuing education
  • Board certification & maintenance of certification

While this was the IOCCCs’ first F2F meeting on issues that warrant considerable additional dialog, it was the unanimous consensus that this was a very productive first step to help facilitate the organizations’ goals to better serve their representative stakeholders.

The group agreed that an ongoing, open and honest dialog between their groups will prove beneficial for each of their organizations, members and the general public.

Organizational Representatives (alphabetical by organization):

AOA = American Optometric Association

  • Mitch Munson, O.D., AOA President, Practice: Highlands Ranch Vision Center, P.C. (Colorado)
  • Chris Quinn, O.D., AOA Board of trustees (New Jersey)
  • William Reynolds, O.D.,  AOA Board of trustees, Practice: Richmond, KY

ARBO = Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry

  • Ernie Schlabach, O.D., ARBO President (Virginia)
  • Michael J. O’Hara, J.D., Ph.D., ARBO Board, Nebraska Board of Optometry, Professor,

Finance, Banking, and Real Estate Department, College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha

  • Greg Moore, O.D., ARBO Board, Practice: Appalachian Eyes LLC (Charleston, WV and Ashland, KY)

ASCO = Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry

  • Jennifer Smythe, O.D., ASCO President, Dean, Pacific University College of Optometry (Oregon) NOTE: absent due to illness
  • David Heath, O.D., M.Ed., ASCO Immediate Past-President, President, SUNY College of Optometry (New York)
  • Richard W. Phillips, O.D., ASCO Secretary/Treasurer, President, Southern College of Optometry, (Memphis)

NBEO = National Board of Examiners in Optometry (Charlotte, NC)

  • Nancy Peterson-Klein, NBEO Past President, Michigan Board of Optometry
  • Jack E. Terry, O.D., Ph.D., NBEO Executive Director (North Carolina)
  • Alan J. King, O.D., NBEO President, Practice: King Family Eye Clinic, (North Dakota)

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The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) is a non-profit association representing the interests of optometric education. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Rockville, Md., ASCO is committed to achieving excellence in optometric education and to helping its member institutions prepare well-qualified graduates for entrance into the profession of optometry. Its membership encompasses the schools and colleges of optometry in the United States and Puerto Rico. A number of optometry schools outside the United States are affiliate members.