AOA v AOS

Optometrist Physician Status Statement Corrected, Risks Continue with AOS Suit

Following action by AOA’s House of Delegates and outreach to other organizations by the AOA, a federal judge has agreed to correct statements in court documents that say optometrists “are not physicians.” The corrected statement now reads, “Optometrists are professionals who perform eye exams and check for vision problems and diseases, but they are not medical doctors (M.D.s).”

In response to presentations by AOA Special Counsel Wayne Henry, O.D., and AOA’s Advocacy Group in the AOA House of Delegates on June 29, the House approved two substantive motions reaffirming the AOA’s commitment to defend the status of optometrists as physicians in federal law. Both motions passed unanimously, with 2,075 votes cast in favor.

The first substantive motion calls for the AOA Board of Trustees “to reaffirm and defend the physician status of optometrists by any and all available means.”

The second substantive motion calls upon the American Optometric Society (AOS) to join the AOA in petitioning a federal judge to correct his June 12, 2012, order stating optometrists “are not physicians.”

That statement was included in a summary judgment order issued by U.S. District Judge A. Howard Matz in a lawsuit filed by the AOS against the American Board of Optometry (ABO).

The AOA was alarmed that one of the outcomes of the AOS/ABO lawsuit could be a statement in federal court that potentially undermines years of effort to advance and defend the standing of the optometry profession under federal law.

The AOA is pleased to announce that, in keeping with AOA’s outreach efforts, the AOS requested that Judge Matz correct the statement that optometrists “are not physicians.” Judge Matz’s ruling now states that optometrists “are not medical doctors (M.D.s).”

AOA leadership termed the move by AOS to correct the statement as, “one step in the right direction of protecting the physician status of optometrists under federal law, which should be of paramount importance to all optometrists. “

Immediate Past President Dori M. Carlson, O.D., has noted, “The classification of optometrists as physicians under federal statute is one of the AOA’s most significant accomplishments of the past quarter century. It is the AOA’s view that physician status underpins all of AOA and AOA affiliates’ efforts to maintain equality of access to patients. The AOA will continue to vigorously reaffirm and defend that physician status, and calls upon all optometrists and optometric organizations to do the same.”

A personal side of Optometry's meeting

I thought I would share with you my personal side of going to Chicago for 5 days representing the MOA.

Two days before I left my washing machine broke, the afternoon of my flight I found myself in the laundromat, talk about flashbacks. My flight was on time. Got to hotel around 11 pm Chicago time.  Woke up to go to Presidents Council at 7am and I realized I forgot to pack dress socks.  They sell socks for $9 a pair in the hotel.   Problem solved.

After PC I headed out to Cog Hill to play golf. We got pushed off the championship course because of an outing. Major disappointment. The carts looked they were there since 1980. I found out why they call it the Windy City. All day non stop 20mph wind.

Thursday morning went to AOA general session and say several 3D movie previews, then off to HOD, while there my phone starts blowing up with texts.  Turns out the contractors showed up a day early to work in my office. I had to send my staff home.  Not one hour later I found out my wife was taking my son to Urgent care  for  x-rays due to injury in a lacrosse game.  (negative). Then she tells me my daughter had gone to urgent care the night before .. minor burn while working on her car.

Off to exhibit hall. I purchased 2 items, both vendors used an ipad with square up credit card processing. Very impressive.

On to dinner with my fellow MOA team.. aside from a dark restaurant with every waiter holding a flashlight to show you the menu and later your food we survived. I learned there is something called a Tomahawk Steak.. (48 oz with a bone looking like tomahawk) I passed.

Friday 7 am Northeast meeting.  No texts.. too early in morning.  I then left to attend a Power Practice all day seminar on practice management.  Uneventful seminar.  I did learn about The 4 Disciplines of Execution from the Franklin Covey Company. Made it back to Chicago Hilton and went to Presidential Celebration where I got a text from home telling me about a power outage. Told my daughter to check the sump pump. What is that see asks? Ughhhh.

Saturday morning off to HOD, the morning ran  by 1.5 hours due to all the bylaw changes we voted on.  Good news from home, power on and sump pump is fine. Off to Wrigley on the "L" to see Cubs, wonderful time and they won.

Sunday morning up early, quick run around Grant Park, off to airport and cabbie had Square Up to pay for ride.  Flight was on time, thought I would head to watch Tiger at Congressional, my mind was changed when my daughter texts me a photo of my back yard which was covered in tree limbs. Thankfully no damage to house.

Then I decide to head to my office Sunday at 4pm to check on contractors, they lost one day due to loss of power. We managed to get my exam room and tech room back to working order. Then one of the contractors hits a water pipe installing the last frame board. ( Quick thinking  stopped the leak and no damage to my brand new floor).

Opened Monday with no frames on the board, luckily my first two patients cancelled , they had no power, this allowed me get some frames up. We made it through the day.

Monday 9pm conference call. Day is done.  Blog is over.I hope next years trip is not quite as eventful from a personal point of view.

Talk soon.

John