An OD I know has been working for a dispenser for over 7 years. The boss won't contribute a stitch to CE even though the OD has contributed meaningfully to the practice. The OD has been trying to initiate low vision services, which requires some investment in coursework, meetings with Lighthouse contacts, and the like. All of this can be done locally with no travel expenses. Just a couple of days of CE, and maybe a lunch or two.
Who's right?
CE's are a luxury to the employee, correct? It is the employee who wants them and not the OD who is making him or her take them?Originally Posted by fjpod
Then it is the employee's duty to pay for them.
Sounds to me like the OD is working for an Optician(?)
The person with the checkbook is always right (usually the customer,but in this case the optician). Just like selling a pair of glasses, point out to the optician the benefits (how this could increase their income), and explain the investment required and they should come to the same conclusion. If it won't help put more money into their pocket, don't expect them to want to take any out of it to pay for the training. Just my .02
oops! just re-read the original post. (I thought you were talking about CE for a doctor's assistant). If your friend is an employee and the contract doesn't say the optician will pay for CE, then you (they) are just SOL. Once you learn what you need to learn to provide the additional services, then you can hit the optician/employer up for an increase in base pay or bonuses for the additional services (You might want to come to an agreement before you spend the time getting trained)...in any case the Golden Rule still applies.
Its nice to see you again! I haven't read the other post, but was wondering if this in response to it? I wasn't aware that an OD could work for an Optician.
With that being said, in the scenario you lay out, I believe that the Optician is being cheap. When I had my own store I tried to encourage the OD's I worked with to get and maintain every tool available to them. They were often the first impression of my store that the patient got. We had visual fields and fundus camera and had access to GDX and a topographer if we needed it.
OD, Optician, it doesn't really make any difference to me. I believe that in order to be successful you have to invest time and money.
I hope you're having fun and making money!!
:cheers:
Days where my gratitude exceed my expectations are very good days!
1. Sounds a lot like what opticians face often.
2. After 7 years, doesn't this Dr have a sizable patient base and could open up across the street?
3. Does this Dr care about improving his skills? If he does, he'll do what many opticians do, flip the bill himself for extra training.
4. Doors are not just for walking in, you can walk out of them too.
5. This sounds eriely like the cheap Dr. thread.
Your right and like I said there what's good for the goose is good for the gander, the optician isn't being the doctor is responsible for their own education.
On a side note most doctors I know that have working relationships with optician usually keep all the exam fees, so even though the material could be a revenue stream the time and energy spent on LV patients might be better filled from an opticians standpoint with more refractions that could be potential eyeglass sales. Maybe if the doctors heart is really set on LV this is where he should consider his own digs or finding a suitabel rpactice that focuses on this.
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Ditto that here.
OD's can be hired by opticians? Where's that?
Oh, and this IS a great post. It really drives home the what others have been trying to get across in the other thread. Very clever!!
:D:cheers::cheers::D
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
Not really. Two completely different situations.
Really. Man I am glad I did a moral inventory, I sure was being too harsh on OD's. Sorry Guy's you all still suck :p but not so bad.
(The above statement was made in jest, unless your tryign to bring it on)
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How?
1. You've got someone calling their boss cheap for not paying for education
2. The someone complaining says they deserve it because they contribute to the bottom line.
How are they different?
It's a ruse!:D
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
Because in one case the person is seeking to educate himself and in the other the owner is sending the person in for training.
I find it amazing that after all of these posts that concept is still missed (or ignored).
Oh! You mean that in one case the person's trying to educate himself, and in the other case, they're trying to get their boss to educate them!:p
I've got it now!:cheers:
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
No, I mean the one guy gaining education for himself and the other sending the employee to a conference for the company.
It is like when I went to a land use planning seminar for my company to help my organization better deal with land use planning. What I picked up there will not help me in the future, but will help the organization.
If I have to put out money for my own education, let me choose what courses are best for me.
For real, is this post just to see if reactions are different from the other thread?
Never? Ever? You download/dump everything you learn if it's not personally related, and retrieve it when you need it for work? What if you ever became a private contractor, or started your own company?
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
No, I will not use it again, because it will be changing and is only applicable to my current organization (which I am leaving). Plus, I am changing positions.
So yeah, my pay, plus $150 registration, plus food, hotel, and travel is not worth it to me.
Only food. The only thing in question was the food.
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
New York...and in some other places I am sure.
More than the food. It was for not getting paid for his attendance. So he was forced to take two days off without pay to attend this conference.
Of course, I am sure John you would accept a job where you do not get paid, but instead your employer just pays to educate you. Especially in something you have no desire to learn.
Since 1989 I see....
In this day and age? That's unreal.
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
uhh, not sure what you mean, but in NYS ODs have always been employable by opticians and lay corporations...no side by side, no lease stuff..just plain employed. The other options are allowed and sometimes used, but it is very common for ODs to be employed by opticians.
I'm just so accustomed to those relationships you mentioned...side by side, seperate entrances, leases, and so on. I had no idea opticians could hire ODs.
I guess I need to get out more often.
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
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