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Thread: Summit Updates

  1. #1
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    Summit Updates

    Summit Updates
    Why have a Summit?
    Because the world of eyecare is changing

    Baby boomers will need more eyecare and eyewear
    ACA will add 25% more eye exams to the system beginning in 2015
    Optometry’s role is becoming more medical
    A shortage of healthcare workers
    Internet eyewear retailing
    Electronic dispensing aids
    Salaries stagnant
    No uniform credentialing or educational standard
    Opticianry’s scope of practice seems stalled

    Strategic Areas
    Branding & Consumer Confidence
    Emerging Theme:
    Define what an optician is & their value
    Healthcare Reform & Managed Care
    Emerging Theme:
    Define scope of practice
    Education & Certification
    Emerging Theme:
    Define an educational direction (technical &practical) required for certification/licensure
    Collaboration Among Opticianry Groups
    Emerging Theme:
    All key organizations (OAA, NAO, CLSA, ABO/NCLE, NFOS,independent optician rep, NAOO) should be represented in a collaborative committee to have a unified voice in opticianry
    Refraction
    Emerging Theme:
    What is the role of refraction in opticianry’s future?

    NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS, LICENSING, ACCREDITATION, AND CERTIFICATION
    Purpose Statement
    To define an educational plan (technical and practical) required for nationwide credentialing and certification.
    OPTICIANRY STUDY
    Purpose Statement
    To study the value that opticians provide consumers and businesses and provide tangible proof that can be used to market/brand today’s optician.
    To identify the most effective ways to identify and develop future optician candidates in a manner that provides the greatest benefit to apprentices/opticians, consumers, and businesses at a reasonable cost.

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Small six-person Working Group represents all aspects of our industry, including certification bodies, state boards, opticianry schools, education in print, retail organizations, state associations, and independent practices
    Held first Working Group meeting May 6
    Completed a Request for Proposal (RFP) to have a third-party agency to manage the study.
    Agency to manage the study has been selected
    Discussions to study and collect data are currently ongoing

    MENTORING THE MENTOR
    Purpose Statement
    To provide a comprehensive reference source for eye care professionals mentoring opticians in training
    § Eyecare professionals serving as mentors lack training and references regarding mentoring procedures and evaluating competencies performed by mentees
    § Opticians learning on the job, participating in a formal apprenticeship program or attending a degree program all need guided hands-on experience in the workplace

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Mentoring plan and documentation created
    Outlines for mentoring videos prepared
    Partial funding secured through ABO-NCLE
    Hillsboro Community College’s Digital Media Program has agreed to produce the five pilot videos with an expected completion in late December
    Formed a workgroup for mentoring techniques
    Identifying subject matte rexperts as “talent” for the videos
    Identified a video production vendor
    Determining where and how to host mentoring videos
    Awarded a grant from ABO-NCLE to fund this pilot project

    1. Create five videos of approximately 10 minutes in length for the following subject areas:
    Best mentoring practices
    Dispensing: Video on frame adjustment
    Laboratory: Video on final inspection
    Contact lenses: video on patient education
    Sales: Greeting and prescription analysis
    2. Expand the Mentoring Video series

    BRANDING

    Purpose Statement
    To define the role of the optician in the eyecare process to the consumer and create a national branding campaign to preserve and promote opticianry nationwide. To create a buzz in the consumer’s eye as to who opticians are and why they do what they do.

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Developed and implemented National Survey of opticians, receiving over 800 responses
    Developed a consumer definition (elevator speech): An Optician is a vision expert,a health professional specially trained to supply, prepare, and dispense optical appliances through interpretation of written prescriptions. An Optician is an integral part of the vision care experience and adheres to exacting standards in order to enhance your vision. (This definition has not yet been accepted by the leadership team.)
    Develop a CE (The American Optician)
    o Unified message to opticians
    o “Train the trainer” to promote the optician’s brand
    Utilize the survey data in other ways
    National video contest promoting The American Optician
    o OAA handling this
    Creating a presentation that would be available for state association meetings
    o Help the OAA produce the video
    Create a national opticianry branding campaign

    HealthCare Reform& Managed Vision Care
    Purpose
    To monitor the ongoing changes in healthcare, assess how they will impact opticianry and develop programs to ensure opticians are included
    To have opticians included on vision care plan panels
    § To level the playing field with Eyemed and VSP for opticians and independent opticianry practices
    § Obtain the same services as practices owned by OD’s and MD’s
    § Greater representation on the healthcare panels for opticians

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Met with both VSP and Eyemed one-on-one and in a joint meeting during the Vision Expo events
    Met with congressional representatives
    Have been following the changes taking place due to the ACA in regards to the optical industry
    § Ongoing conversation with VSP
    § California RE: “Stand Alone Plan”
    Trying to align with VSP to work on supporting their efforts to maintain “Stand Alone Plans” in other states
    Watching healthcare expansion
    Include vision services within the EHB Mandate as directed by HHS in DC.
    Watching the individual states position of moving vision services into the state exchanges as well as the increase in Medicaid services to include exams and materials in all states
    Gain parity for all independently owned businesses with VSP and Eyemed.
    Work to enforce “Any Willing Provider”Laws through communication with legislators and MVC providers
    Gain greater knowledge of the optician’s presence and role in the Healthcare Law
    § Communicate with HHS officials if necessary to establish an identity for opticians within it.
    Continue to follow ACA as it goes into effect January 1, 2014.

    REFRACTION

    Purpose Statement

    To evaluate the role refraction plays for opticians and their patients
    § Define this role for the future and how we might move forward

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    A Mastermind Group has been formed with 9 members
    Past U.S. efforts have been reviewed
    The European model has been summarized
    Established that
    Refracting is alive and well within opticianry
    Opticians who have learned refraction provide better solutions for the public
    Learn More
    Gather information on what education is currently available
    Tell the Story
    Develop a paper that tells individual success stories of opticians that use refraction in some form in their opticianry practice
    Compile results by year-end

    COLLABORATION

    Purpose Statement

    To provide a forum for state and national opticianry organizations to discuss common goals and challenges
    To share information about key activities and decrease duplication.
    Annual in-person meetings
    Web-based events

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Held meetings at the last three Expos
    Representatives from over 15 optical organizations attended
    For some participants, it was the first time meeting
    Continue to meet bi-annually at Expo East and West
    Help bring the Opticianry Study and Mentoring the Mentor programs to fruition
    Last edited by Wes; 10-16-2013 at 06:11 AM.
    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

  2. #2
    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wes View Post
    Summit Updates
    Why have a Summit?
    Because the world of eyecare is changing

    Baby boomers will needmore eyecare and eyewear
    Obamacare will add 25%more eye exams to the system beginning in 2015
    Optometry’s role isbecoming more medical
    A shortage of healthcareworkers
    Internet eyewearretailing
    Electronic dispensingaids
    Salaries stagnant
    No uniformcredentialing or educational standard
    Opticianry’s scope ofpractice seems stalled

    Strategic Areas
    Branding & Consumer Confidence
    Emerging Theme:
    Define what an optician is & their value
    Healthcare Reform & Managed Care
    Emerging Theme:
    Define scope of practice
    Education & Certification
    Emerging Theme:
    Define an educational direction (technical &practical) required for certification/licensure
    Collaboration Among Opticianry Groups
    Emerging Theme:
    All key organizations (OAA, NAO, CLSA, ABO/NCLE, NFOS,independent optician rep, NAOO) should be represented in a collaborativecommittee to have a unified voice in opticianry
    Refraction
    Emerging Theme:
    What is the role of refraction in opticianry’s future?

    NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS, LICENSING, ACCREDITATION, ANDCERTIFICATION
    Purpose Statement
    To define an educational plan (technical andpractical) required for nationwide credentialing and certification.
    OPTICIANRY STUDY
    PurposeStatement
    To study the value that opticians provide consumersand businesses and provide tangible proof that can be used to market/brandtoday’s optician.
    To identify the most effective ways to identify anddevelop future optician candidates in a manner that provides the greatestbenefit to apprentices/opticians, consumers, and businesses at a reasonablecost.

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Small six-person Working Group representsall aspects of our industry, including certification bodies, state boards,opticianry schools, education in print, retail organizations, stateassociations, and independent practices
    Held first Working Group meeting May 6
    Completed a Request for Proposal (RFP) tohave a third-party agency to manage the study.
    Agency to manage the study has been selected
    Discussions to study and collect data are currently ongoing

    MENTORING THE MENTOR
    PurposeStatement
    To provide a comprehensive referencesource for eye care professionals mentoring opticians in training
    § Eyecare professionals serving as mentors lack training and references regardingmentoring procedures and evaluating competencies performed by mentees
    § Opticianslearning on the job, participating in a formal apprenticeship program orattending a degree program all need guided hands-on experience in the workplace

    Accomplishments To-Date, andPlans Going Forward
    Mentoringplan and documentation created
    Outlinesfor mentoring videos prepared
    Partialfunding secured through ABO-NCLE
    HillsboroCommunity College’s Digital Media Program has agreed to produce the five pilotvideos with an expected completion in late December
    Formed a workgroup for mentoring techniques
    Identifying subject matterexperts as “talent” for the videos
    Identified a video productionvendor
    Determining where and how to hostmentoring videos
    Awarded a grant from ABO-NCLE tofund this pilot project

    1. Create five videos ofapproximately 10 minutes in length for the following subject areas:
    Best mentoring practices
    Dispensing: Video on frame adjustment
    Laboratory: Video on finalinspection
    Contact lenses: video on patienteducation
    Sales: Greeting and prescriptionanalysis
    2. Expand the Mentoring Video series

    BRANDING

    Purpose Statement
    To define the role of the optician in theeyecare process to the consumer and create a national branding campaign topreserve and promote opticianry nationwide. To create a buzz in the consumer’seyeas to who opticians are and why they do whatthey do.

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Developed and implemented National Surveyof opticians, receiving over 800 responses
    Developed a consumer definition (elevatorspeech): An Optician is a vision expert,a health professional specially trained to supply, prepare, and dispenseoptical appliances through interpretation of written prescriptions. An Opticianis an integral part of the vision care experience and adheres toexacting standards in order to enhance your vision. (This definition has not yet been accepted bythe leadership team.)
    Develop a CE (TheAmerican Optician)
    o Unified message to opticians
    o “Train the trainer” to promote the optician’s brand
    Utilize the surveydata in other ways
    National videocontest promoting The American Optician
    o OAA handlingthis
    Creating apresentation that would be available for state association meetingsHelp the OAA produce the video
    Create a national opticianry branding campaign

    HealthCare Reform& Managed Vision Care
    Purpose
    To monitor the ongoing changes inhealthcare, assess how they will impact opticianry and develop programs toensure opticians are included
    To have opticians included on vision careplan panels
    § To level the playing field with Eyemed andVSP for opticians and independent opticianry practices
    § Obtain the same services as practicesowned by OD’s and MD’s
    § Greater representation on the healthcarepanels for opticians

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Met with both VSP and Eyemed one-on-oneand in a joint meeting during the Vision Expo events
    Met with congressional representatives
    Have been following the changes takingplace due to the ACA in regards to the optical industry
    § Ongoing conversation with VSP
    § California RE: “Stand Alone Plan”
    Trying to align with VSP to work onsupporting their efforts to maintain “Stand Alone Plans” in other states
    Watching healthcare expansion
    Include vision services within the EHBMandate as directed by HHS in DC.
    Watching the individual states position ofmoving vision services into the state exchanges as well as the increase inMedicaid services to include exams and materials in all states
    Gain parity for all independently ownedbusinesses with VSP and Eyemed.
    Work to enforce “Any Willing Provider”Laws through communication with legislators and MVC providers
    Gain greater knowledge of the optician’spresence and role in the Healthcare Law
    § Communicate with HHS officials ifnecessary to establish an identity for opticians within it.
    Continue to follow ACA as it goes intoeffect January 1, 2014.

    REFRACTION

    Purpose Statement

    Toevaluate the role refraction plays for opticians and their patients
    § Definethis role for the future and how we might move forward

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    AMastermind Group has been formed with 9 members
    PastU.S. efforts have been reviewed
    The European model has been summarized
    Establishedthat
    Refractingis alive and well within opticianry
    Opticianswho have learned refraction provide better solutions for the public
    Learn More
    Gather information on whateducation is currently available
    Tell the Story
    Develop a paper that tellsindividual success stories of opticians that use refraction in some form in theiropticianry practice
    Compile results by year-end

    COLLABORATION

    Purpose Statement

    To provide a forum for state and nationalopticianry organizations to discuss common goals and challenges
    To share information about key activitiesand decrease duplication.
    Annualin-person meetings
    Web-basedevents

    Accomplishments To-Date, and Plans Going Forward
    Heldmeetings at the last three Expos
    Representativesfrom over 15 optical organizations attended
    Forsome participants, it was the first time meeting
    Continue to meet bi-annually atExpo East and West
    Help bring the Opticianry Studyand Mentoring the Mentor programs to fruition
    Hell yeah brother keep me in the loop.

  3. #3
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    Thanks to Steve for making this forum available! I look forward to participating in the conversations, and to show my support for Optiboard, I have become an Optiboard Gold Supporter, and I urge everyone else that appreciates this forum to do the same.

    Thanks also to Wes and the others for all the hard work they continue to put into this project.

  4. #4
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

  5. #5
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

  6. #6
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    The Opticianry Summit Foundation now has a community page on Google+ as well.

    https://plus.google.com/u/0/communit...09348641950144
    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

  7. #7
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    A group of opticians gathered in September to begin work on a study of opticianry. The day after the National Opticians Convention in Cincinnati, the team, which uses the name Optical Summit Working Group (a working team of the Education and Certification Goal Team of the Opticianry Summit Steward Team) was tasked with implementing a plan to identify an appropriate and well-defined set of knowledge, skills and behavioral competencies that could be employed to develop a curriculum and utilized to produce opticians who effectively meet the needs of both consumers and businesses. The study will also produce a credentialing program model that ensures competent opticians who provide high level eyecare outcomes for consumers, leading to more successful business results. In doing so, the study’s results will support the future of opticianry and eyecare, as opposed to attempting to validate past performance.

    The overall plan for this study and its goals can be described in four Phases:

    1. Define the result, or need for qualified opticians
    2. Develop a profile of a top performing optician
    3. Define the education and training required
    4. Validate the results of the education/training program through certification and testing

    The team hired Dr. Michael Campion, Ph.D., as a consultant for this project. Dr. Campion is an active Professor of Management at Purdue University, and holds an MS and Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology. The Working Group’s task at this first meeting was to begin the creation of a survey to be sent to hundreds of opticianry business owners and optical office managers whose results will indicate the characteristics of top performing opticians. This data will be used to create a profile of a top performing optician, which will be used to develop an education and training program that should produce top performing opticians. It’s envisioned that a system such as certification testing will ensure the educational outcomes desired.

    “We know that our opticians provide incredible value to patients and consumers,” says Doug Pelkey, co-chair of the Opticianry Summit Steward Team. “We currently measure success, to a large degree, on the passing of an exam or certification. But then what? In today’s environment, holding a credential isn’t enough. We need to reconnect opticianry in a way that demonstrates not only knowledge but the results they produce for employers and consumers alike.”

    “This is an ambitious project but it’s one that opticianry needs and it will benefit our profession greatly, said Ed De Gennaro, Chairman of the Opticianry Summit Steward Team. “Having a well designed and integrated professional development process like the one we envision will benefit everyone including consumers and vendors; not just the opticianry profession, De Gennaro shared.

    The Working Group will complete its Phase I work by the end of this year and the survey will be launched the beginning of 2014. The team will then address the second phase of the project.

    The Steward Team is the leadership group created after the Opticianry Summit in May of 2012, which brought all of opticianry’s stake holders together to create a shared vision for the future and a plan to attain that vision. The Steward Team’s purpose is to facilitate the implementation of the plan’s objectives by helping all opticianry organizations work collaboratively.

    For more information and updates, please visit www.opticianrysummit.com. Please send questions or comments to opticianrysummit@gmail.com.
    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

  8. #8
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    The OSF board is meeting today in Alexandria Va.
    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

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