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JCAHPO Technicians & Nurses Program

Held at ASCRS - Boston, MA

Registration Now Open!

Click here for travel, housing and other program information.

Retina TechTraxSM will be presented at the following locations and dates:

11/21 - Las Vegas, NV

12/4 - Chicago, IL

2010 Meetings:

1/9 - Overland Park, KS

1/16 - Orlando, FL

2/27 - Sandy, UT

These presentations are supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Genentech Inc.



JCAHPO/ATPO Pocket Guide Launches for Eye
Care Professionals


In October, The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO), and the Association of Technical Personnel in Ophthalmology (ATPO) proudly launched a new tool for ophthalmic professionals: the "JCAHPO/ATPO Pocket Guide: A Clinical Skills and Reference Guide for the Ophthalmic Technician".




"By design, the Pocket Guide is a resource that technicians can keep in the office or on their person"

St. Paul, MN, November 11, 2009 -- Compact, informative, and convenient are just a handful of words that describe the newest resource for eye care professionals. In October, The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO), and the Association of Technical Personnel in Ophthalmology (ATPO) proudly launched a new tool for ophthalmic professionals: the "JCAHPO/ATPO Pocket Guide: A Clinical Skills and Reference Guide for the Ophthalmic Technician".


In response to a need for quick reference information for ophthalmic professionals, JCAHPO and ATPO teamed to create an innovative product. The result is the JCAHPO/ATPO Pocket Guide: an instructive, compact resource that includes 12 color-coded sections, simple tab navigation, and practical content.


JCAHPO President William H. Ehlers, MD, observes that creating a training resource to reflect the needs of today’s eye care professionals was vital.


“The health care industry is full of dense medical text books. While these resources are necessary in allied health education, we envisioned a tool that technicians could use on a daily basis,” said JCAHPO President William H. Ehlers, MD. “By design, the Pocket Guide is a resource that technicians can keep in the office or on their person, rather than referencing through large text books for answers.”


The Pocket Guide delivers relevant content seamlessly in a compact 8x4 size and 7 oz weight text. Content reflects practical, day-to-day information that personnel commonly utilize, with a chapter list covering ophthalmic fundamentals:

  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Clinical Skills
  • Coding
  • Contact Lenses
  • History Taking/Triage/Documentation
  • Pharmacology
  • Safety and Infection Control
  • Special Tests and Procedures
  • Surgical
  • Terminology
  • Optics
  • Reference and Tools

It is also valuable as an instructional resource for newcomers. Entry-level personnel will discover explanations to complex models and principles of eye physiology in minutes. Detailed illustrations, photographs, and diagrams make difficult concepts straightforward. Terminology throughout the text is also clearly outlined, including a whole section devoted to terms and definitions.


“This resource is long overdue for eye care professionals,” says JCAHPO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lynn D. Anderson, PhD. “Physicians, administrators, and technicians are eagerly utilizing the Pocket Guide, and we are excited at the implications for ophthalmic allied health personnel,” she added. “We foresee the Pocket Guide greatly assisting in training, confidence, and performance efficiency for OMP.”


The JCAHPO/ATPO Pocket Guide is available for purchase through the JCAHPO Bookstore.




Download Your Handouts


The 2009 ACE program handouts will be available until December 31. Please follow these instructions to download the handouts:

  1. Log into your account on the left hand side of the screen.
  2. Click here to be brought to the ACE 2009 registration page.
  3. Click the button titled "View Functions and Handouts", to access your handouts.



Visit Boston in April!


The JCAHPO Technicians and Nurses program is being held April 10-12, 2010 in conjunction with ASCRS, ASOA and World Cornea Congress VI. Build your own educational experience by moving between the clinical and surgical tracks based on your interest and practice background.


To view a preliminary list of topics, speakers and tracks, click here. The list will be finalized and updated in December.


Visit the ASCRS web site (www.ascrs.org) before the early-bird deadline of February 13th, 2010 to receive discount pricing and early selection for housing.


Watch this space in early January, as ATPO will be offering COA, COT, and COMT Review Courses on Friday, April 9th. Registration will be available directly on the JCAHPO website.




New Prometric Test Rescheduling/Cancellation Guidelines


After your application for a certification examination is approved, you will receive a confirmation notice. The confirmation
notice outlines how to schedule your examination at Prometric Test Centers, your eligibility period to take the examination, and other important guidelines.


Effective January 1, 2010, it is important to note the following changes to the guidelines for rescheduling or cancelling an examination appointment with Prometric:


Cancellation/Reschedule Period Cancellation/Rescheduling Fee
30 or more days before test date None
5-29 days before the scheduled test date $25 (to be collected by Prometric from the candidate)
Less than 5 days before the test date No-show fee paid to JCAHPO*
Fail to appear for a scheduled test or arrive more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start time No-show fee paid to JCAHPO*

*If your eligibility period is close to expiring, you may request a 30-day extension on your eligibility period from JCAHPO. Please refer to the fee schedule for the current no-show fees and extension fee. If your eligibility period has expired, it will be necessary to submit a new application with the full examination fee.


Requests for a refund of your examination fee need to be received in writing by JCAHPO more than five days before your scheduled test date or before the end of your eligibility period if you do not have a scheduled test date. A processing fee will be retained.


Please contact JCAHPO’s Certification Department if you have further questions.




Earn Credits Online – JCAHPO’s New Webinar Series


The latest way to take courses and earn continuing education credits online is through JCAHPO’s new Webinar (Web-based seminar) series.





OMP Career: Vision of Opportunity


The ophthalmic assisting and technician profession remains a hotbed for employment opportunities. Click here to read this article highlighting certification pathways for OMP.




Eye Care Profession Receives U.S. Occupational Listing


JCAHPO announces that the ophthalmic allied health profession received official notification of approval for a separate occupational classification, Ophthalmic Medical Technician, from the United States Bureau of Labor's 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Committee. JCAHPO calls the new occupational classification a landmark decision.





Contact Lens Fitting Certificate of Completion


The latest resource available for OMP is the Contact Lens Fitting Certificate of Completion. JCAHPO has assembled this self-study package to give OMP an educational and training advantage in this key category of eye care.





Ophthalmic Assistant Career Advancement Tool


Introducing the latest learning resource for entry-level ophthalmic medical personnel (OMP): The JCAHPO Ophthalmic Assistant Career Advancement Tool (JCAT).





COT Exam Packaging

Beginning January 1, 2009, the COT Multiple-choice Exam and Skill Evaluation will be available at a reduced application fee. In an effort to streamline the COT application process, both the Skill Evaluation and Multiple-choice Exam will be available at a packaged price of $325 for the first attempt.





JCAHPO Learning Systems®: High-tech Training Tools for OMP Success

This interactive, six-module software is a resource that provides training and professional knowledge to OMP at all levels.





My JCAHPOCE: Online Credits Fast & Easy

Earning online continuing education credits is easier than ever! MyJCAHPOCE.org utilizes the latest online technology to provide CE training to ophthalmic allied health personnel.


Phone: (651) 731-2944 / (800) 284-3937    FAX: (651) 731-0410    International: +1.011.651.731.2944

- TOP -     E-mail: jcahpo@jcahpo.org   JCAHPO   2025 Woodlane Drive   St. Paul, MN 55125-2998


Copyright © 2009 JCAHPO. All rights reserved.