ACTIONED – EHR, Monthly Blasts, and New Courses in 2011
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| www.actioned.org |
Each month, more eye care professionals are taking advantage of 100+ courses on www.actioned.org.
Starting as low as $10, this is the quick and inexpensive way for eye care personnel to earn continuing education credits online. If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s the time. Read on for some of the latest additions to the E-Learning site.
Electronic Health RecordsACTIONED (www.actioned.org) launched a new electronic health records (EHR) course series in late March. The credit-based course is supported in part through an unrestricted educational grant from ophthalmic EHR and practice management solutions leader Compulink Business Systems, Inc.
The first in the series of planned courses, titled “Electronic Health Records (EHR) Training Module I,” is now available.
New Courses from ASOA & ASORN ACTIONED partners, the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators (ASOA) and the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses (ASORN), launched new courses in March 2011. Click on any of the links below to learn more about each course.
Monthly News
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Monthly ACTIONED e-blast featuring news and course specials. |
With a host of new courses launching in the coming months, we want to make sure you stay up to date. Watch for monthly e-mails from JCAHPO & ACTIONED detailing new and popular courses, news updates, and course specials.
Visit www.actioned.org for new course updates in the coming months.
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Join us in Orlando, FL. |
ACE 2011 - Important News & Information
The 2011 Annual Continuing Education (ACE) Program is right around the corner. Be sure to mark your calendar October 21-24, 2011, and join us in sunny Orlando, FL for the premier event in eye care education.
We’re excited for this year’s program to bring you over 75 brand-new courses and 4 new workshops. Courses start Friday, October 21 at 12:40 p.m.
Important Travel Information Friday Courses: Please be advised that the AAO shuttles only run from 6:30-9:30 a.m. on Friday morning and then again from 3:00-6:00 p.m. in the afternoon.
If you cannot make the shuttle, you will need to make other arrangements to get to the meeting on Friday morning (taxi, bus, etc). No AAO shuttles will drop off or pick up at the Hilton Orlando Hotel, due to its close proximity to the Convention Center. The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando is approximately a 15-minute walk from the West Building to the Hilton Orlando where JCAHPO’s Program will be held.
Visit the 2011 ACE page for more information.
Wanted: Faculty for ACE 2011 Workshops We are currently seeking faculty instructors and co-instructors for the 2011 ACE Program. Establish yourself as a leader in the eye care field and gain valuable experience in the process. If you are interested in instructing or co-instructing a workshop(s) in 2011, please return application forms by May 11th, so that we may begin our planning process. Click here for more information or to print the form. |
Entering the Profession: More Ways Than One
Newcomers to the profession often ask “How do I become an eye technician?”. Last winter, we posed this question to followers on JCAHPO & ATPO’s Facebook page. The answers were pretty interesting. What’s clear is that each individual has a unique account about how they first got started in the profession, who inspired them, or what about eye care first caught their attention. Below are some of the more common ways according to working eye care professionals.
Front Desk to Phoropter
More than a few people identified with getting their first introduction to the profession from behind the front desk. Answering phones, directing calls, taking messages, setting up appointments – all the behind the scenes office tasks that keep a clinic running. This is a quick introduction into the world of eye care, especially for candidates with little to no experience.
“I started out in reception for an eye clinic and eventually moved up through every secretarial position and coordinator position until I earned my COA,” says Teresa Currier, COA. "Now, I’m working on my COT. It was the best decision I ever made.”
Entering the profession initially as a receptionist or front desk staff enables you to learn how a clinic functions. Here you get to manage incoming patients and truly observe the work of ophthalmologists and eye care professionals. It’s a practical way to figure out if eye care is for you. Are you the kind of person who likes working with people? Do you feel comfortable in a clinical setting? These are important questions to ask before fully committing.
2nd, 3rd, and 4th Careers
Nowadays, the average American worker will change careers a staggering 8 times. So it’s not surprising that for many professionals, eye care was not their first calling. In fact, several professionals indicated working in a completely different part of the medical field before discovering eye care.
“I couldn’t get a job working in the library field so I answered an ad for an ophthalmologist. He trained me and then I took some classes and earned my COA. Eventually, I went back to college and was able to earn my COT.” Alice Boydstun Wiest, COT.
In eye care, candidates discover that the ease and flexibility of the profession fits well into phases of career transition. Home study courses, on-the-job training, and/or 1-2 year programs make entering the profession straightforward for someone looking for a new career.
From Scratch
Many people indicated knowing absolutely nothing about eye care, and complicating matters, had no idea where to start. This didn’t stop them from pursuing career hopes though. Candidates often know family or friends who work at a clinic. Sometimes they ask during their own eye exam about employment opportunities. Other times, it can be a random twist of fate.
“It was completely by accident. I was desperate for a job when my husband was relocated with the Army. I sent out a ton of resumes and never thought I’d get a call back, but I did. That was 8 years ago and I’m still working in the field,” says Stacey Hunter, COT.
The key ingredients for these individuals are a combination of determination and luck. Employers appreciate someone who is hungry and willing to do whatever it takes, so don’t shy away from taking initiative. This can showcase your skills, strengths, and ultimately what kind of long-term employee you will be. Actively job hunting and taking steps to be prepared ensures that when opportunity knocks you'll be ready.
On Your Terms
A career as an ophthalmic assistant, technician, or technologist is unique, challenging, rewarding, and full of opportunity. In the end, how you get into the profession is less consequential than taking the action to make it happen. If you or someone you know is serious about pursuing a career in eye care, remember there are many pathways. Find the best fit for your circumstances and make this important professional decision like so many others did.
ATPO Career Connection - Job Finder
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In March, ATPO & JCAHPO proudly partnered with Local Eye Site (LES) to deliver the most comprehensive online employment network for eye care professionals. ATPO’s Career Connection, powered by LES, helps personnel to:
Visit ATPO’s Career Connection pages to find or post a job today!
2011 Continuing Education (CE) Programs
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JCAHPO offers a series of quality continuing education (CE) programs for ophthalmic professionals year-round in select cities. Look for programs in your region to earn credits and gain valuable skills and training as an ophthalmic professional.
Featured Programs
Additional CE program opportunities* in 2011 include:
| Date | Location |
| June 24-25, 2011 | Palm Beach, FL |
| August 20-21, 2011 | Boston, MA |
| September 16-17, 2011 | Asheville, NC |
| October 21-24, 2011 | Orlando, FL (ACE) |
| November 19, 2011 | New York City, NY |
*Dates and topics are subject to change.
Visit the JCAHPO Events and Registration pages for more information.
Webinars
Each month, JCAHPO & ATPO Webinars give personnel the chance to earn credits and gain knowledge from the comfort of their home or office. In March, we offered a course on Technical Efficiency, in April a course on DSAEK. We keep topics interesting and relevant to trends in the field of eye care.
In May, a total of three (3) Webinars will be available to ophthalmic personnel as part of a course series on ophthalmic instruments:
Below is a list of upcoming Webinars:
| Date | Time | Topic | Speaker |
| May 10, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Roadmap to Visual Fields | Sandra Mohring |
| May 17, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Optical Techniques for Optic Nerve-Head Imaging with the HRT | Eva Kroneker, CCOA |
| May 24, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Advanced OCT Visualization | Greg Hoffmeyer, CPT |
| June 14, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Five Triage Decisions That Can Save a Life | Andrew Lee, MD |
| June 16, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | COA Written Review | Karen Susco, COMT |
| June 21, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Entering A History in EHR | Heather Bush |
| June 23, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | COA Written Exam Review | Karen Susco, COMT |
| June 21, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Entering A History in EHR | Heather Bush |
| July 12, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | The Role of Staff in Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Anne M. Menke, RN |
| August 9, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Stevens-Johnson Syndrome | William H. Ehlers, MD |
| September 13, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Optics in the Human Eye (Part II) | Aaron V. Shukla, PhD, COMT |
| October 11, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Oculoplastics | C. Robert Bernardino, MD |
| November 8, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | TBA | Hilary A. Beaver, MD |
| December 13, 2011 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Laser Refractive Surgery in Children | William F. Astle, MD, FRCS(C), Dipl. ABO |
| January 10, 2012 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | The Abnormal Optic Nerve Head | Karl C. Golnik, MD |
| February 14, 2012 | 7:30 p.m., CDT | Ophthalmic Surgical Assisting | Aaron V. Shukla, PhD, COMT |
Dates, topics, and presenters are subject to change.
Did You Know?
You can skip the live presentation of any Webinar and view a recorded version for up to one week after the live broadcast date.
Learn more about Webinars or click here to register for upcoming events.
Canadian Survey Identifies Value of Certified OMP
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A recent survey of Canadian ophthalmologists and ophthalmic medical personnel (OMP) found that ophthalmic practices can increase overall productivity by adding certified OMP to their staff.
The comparative analysis titled “Survey of Allied Health Personnel in Canadian Ophthalmology: The Scalpel for Change,” by William F. Astle, MD, et al and published in the February 2011 volume of the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, showed that training of OMP was a need among ophthalmologists. One hundred and sixteen Canadian ophthalmologists and 98 OMP completed the online survey on OMP recruitment, training, certification, and productivity. Additional highlights from the survey include:
The analysis reinforces recent U.S studies in the same category that emphasize the need for additional certified OMP to help the field of eye care meet growing demand and staff shortages.
Time to Recertify? Earning Credits is Easy & Cost-Effective
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Whether you’re recertifying or getting certified for the first time, JCAHPO offers many ways to enhance your skills, reach your potential, and build job confidence. Take advantage of one or more of the following ways to earn credits and advance your career.
Questions? Call JCAHPO’s Certification Department at (800) 284-3937 to discuss how certification or recertification can help your career.
ASCRS Recap
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Thanks to all who attended JCAHPO’s recent Technicians and Nurses Program at the ASCRS/ASOA Symposium in San Diego, CA.
We are currently processing credit reports from the event and will post JCAHPO CE credits to your JCAHPO account in approximately 6-8 weeks (from the final meeting date). For attendees seeking ASORN nursing credits, verification letters will be mailed (not posted electronically through JCAHPO) around the same time.
Questions? Call or e-mail (800) 284-3937 or jcahpo@jcahpo.org.
Tech Life
JCAHPO recognizes that ophthalmic personnel contribute greatly to the eye care profession in varied and remarkable ways. In each issue of Eye Lights, we’ll feature interesting eye care professionals in our Tech Life series who stand out.
Off-Duty Eye Techs: How They Saved A Life
In late December 2010, St. Paul Eye Clinic Manager Dianna Graves, COMT and about 25 of her colleagues gathered just a few days before New Year’s Eve. It was part holiday get-together and part office party at a local Maplewood, MN restaurant as they bid farewell to a retiring colleague. Heavy snowfall over the region that evening meant the worst of their worries that night would likely involve shoveling snow off a car and a cautious drive home; nothing at all serious. But when one of the patrons unexpectedly collapsed near the entrance, their festive night quickly veered in a different direction.
Dianna recalls the whole experience well, describing her location before the chaos. She was seated next to team member including Christin Dickinson. The rest of the staff was scattered about, trading work stories and catching up on one another’s personal lives. When she first noticed the commotion, she assumed someone had slipped on some ice near the entrance. Startled and sensing it might be more, Christin decided to take a look. When she headed around the corner and didn’t come back, Dianna and the other technicians at the table immediately knew something was wrong.
“I remember looking through a divider in the restaurant and not being able to make out what was happening, but still thinking something wasn’t right,” said Dianna.
Around the corner, Christin discovered the woman, unconscious and on the ground, her husband standing over her scared and in a panic. The cause would later be attributed to sudden cardiac arrest. Restaurant staff had already phoned 911 but nobody else was prepared for what to do next. It took only a few moments for Dianna, Christin and team members Lori Stromgren, COA, and Lori Fotsch, COA of eyeing the unconscious woman on the floor with no signs of breathing before springing into action.
“I looked down at one point and she was turning blue,” Dianna said. “CPR training is mandatory in our clinic, so we all knew exactly what to do and started working together. Almost immediately we began administering hands-only CPR.”
While the four women directly involved in the resuscitation hurried, the other medical personnel in the restaurant (their colleagues) went to work as well.
“It was a sight to see in retrospect. The entire staff was working together. We had team members on the phone with the paramedics, others minding the door and keeping the crowd at a safe distance. I was so proud of everyone.”
With emergency response being administered by the eye care technicians, everything seemed to be going well so far, given the circumstances. More importantly, their CPR efforts seemed to be working. The woman’s condition was stabilizing.
“I have a pulse,” voiced Christin early on.
The technicians paused, still attentive and checked for signs of breathing. The room was eerie and frozen as everyone watched and waited.
“We lost it,” yelled one of the techs.
Three separate times her pulse returned, only to fall off abruptly. Each time, just as quickly as her pulse returned it was suddenly gone. But the attending technicians were unrelenting, fighting to keep the woman alive, if only long enough until emergency responders could arrive.
There was another problem as well. The winter storm was impeding travel, even for EMTs. One of the St. Paul Eye Clinic team members was on the phone with the responders, feeding updates to the 911 operator. It would be a staggeringly long 10 minutes before EMTs arrived at the scene. In that time, the technicians did everything in their power to keep the woman alive. In the end, that’s exactly what they did.
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St. Paul Eye Care team pictured with EMTs and the woman they all helped save. |
When the EMTs arrived, the woman had a weak pulse thanks to the eye care professionals' quick response and the EMTs rushed her off to the hospital with her husband.
Two weeks after the event, Dianna and the other women received a welcome visit from their new friend at the clinic. She was almost fully recovered and stopped to say how grateful she was to them for saving her life. On Valentine’s Day a few weeks later, the four women and the local emergency responders were honored by the city of Maplewood, MN with an award for their commitment to service.
“The whole experience is hard to put into words,” says Dianna. “It’s so humbling. We’re all just so grateful to have been in the right place at the right time and so glad that she is okay today.”
For the technicians, the experience has reinforced the importance of maintaining their skills and training as ophthalmic professionals. That night, their training meant the difference between life and death.
Illumination Foundation Makes A Difference - Volunteers Needed
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Top: Illumination Foundation logo. Bottom: Volunteers provide vision care during an event. |
When cuts to California's government health care program Medi-Cal went into effect two years ago, vision care for adults in the state took a big hit. Optician Sam Hahn, who works in an Orange County practice with an ophthalmologist, saw the impact first hand. “All of a sudden, we were encountering a lot of patients who were no longer covered and had no access to basic vision care,” said Sam. So he decided to do something about it.
In early 2010, he contacted the Illumination Foundation, an Orange County, California based non-profit dedicated to bridging the gap in existing services for the most underserved to break or prevent the cycle of homelessness. Through a range of housing, health care, and other social service programs, the Illumination Foundation works to reduce the impact of homelessness in the community and empower individuals to rebuild their lives. When they heard Sam’s idea for adding a vision program, they were immediately onboard.
Since founding, Sam and eye care volunteers have done over 1000 free eye exams and given over 600 new prescriptions with free eye glasses. During events he noticed a lot of the patients also had eye diseases, so he worked with volunteer ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, and technicians to get them proper follow-up care, even partnering with the local college of optometry. Part of the program’s strength and effectiveness stems from the outstanding teamwork taking place across professional specialties.
“This is a great model for the rest of the country. We have ophthalmologists, optometrists, technicians, and all levels of eye care professionals coming together to make a huge difference in the community.”
Eye Care Providers Needed Be a part of the Illumination Foundation’s mission and volunteer. Volunteer eye care providers are needed for a one-day health care expo to serve homeless and low-income families in the Orange County area. Ophthalmologists, technicians, opticians, and administrative services are needed.
Saturday May 14 (9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Health Care Expo Coastline Community College Garden Grove, CA 92840
If you’re interested in volunteering, contact Sam Hahn at 949-338-9340 or vision@ifhomeless.org. Visit www.ifhomeless.org/vision for more information.
Foundation News - Grants & Awards
The JCAHPO Education and Research Foundation (ERF) offers a variety of scholarships and travel grants to qualifying candidates. Since its founding in 1991, the Foundation has awarded over $700,000 in scholarships and travel grants to students and eye care professionals. Read below for more information on how these opportunities can help you.
Guidelines and applications for each grant and scholarship are available on the Foundation Web site.
Continuing Education Grant
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Grants of up to $500 are available to help cover the cost of registration fees and travel to JCAHPO's ACE Program. This competition is open to all ophthalmic medical personnel who have not received a Continuing Education Grant from the Foundation between 2008 and 2010. Receipt of a Certification and/or Disaster Relief Grant is not included in this guideline. Application deadline is July 22, 2011.
All applicants must submit ORIGINAL papers or videos about: “Certification – A Stepping Stone to My Future” “Why I Would Choose Ophthalmic Medical Assisting as a Career Again?” “Why Eye MDs Need Certified Ophthalmic Medical Personnel?”
Harold A. Stein, MD, Prize for Best Scientific Paper
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Harold A. Stein, MD |
A $1,500 cash prize, plus $500 travel and lodging reimbursement. All ophthalmic medical personnel are invited to submit an ORIGINAL written scientific paper on any ophthalmic topic of their choice, i.e., glaucoma, contact lenses, dry eye, animal eyes, cataracts, macular degeneration, etc. Application deadline is July 1, 2011.
ATPO Continuing Education Grant
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Grants of up to $500 are available to help cover the cost of registration fees and travel to ATPO's Scientific Session. This competition is open to only ATPO members who have not received a Continuing Education Grant from the Foundation between 2008 and 2010. Receipt of a Certification and/or Disaster Relief Grant is not included in this guideline.
All applicants must submit ORIGINAL papers or videos about: "How Has Continuing Education Improved My Patient Services?" Application deadline is July 23, 2011.
Training Program Scholarships
These are available for students accepted in accredited training programs* for ophthalmic assistants, technicians, medical technologists, and orthoptists. Application deadline is June 1, 2011. Assistant level programs may submit at any time during the year.
*Assistant, Technician, and Medical Technologist programs must qualify with the Foundation prior to students submitting applications.
Disaster Relief Grant
Grants of up to $300 per individual are available and may be used for JCAHPO continuing education programs, JCAHPO continuing education products, certification examination fees, and recertification fees.
Legacy Society The JCAHPO Education and Research Foundation established the Legacy Society in 2006 to honor individuals who have included JCAHPO in their planned giving, a part of estate planning that allows you to contribute to organizations you want to support long-term, either in your lifetime or after your death. Bequest, cash, life insurance, IRAs, and securities are just some of the ways you can include JCAHPO in your estate plans. Talk to your legal counsel or financial advisor about special opportunities that allow you to give. The total number of Legacy Society members is currently 13.
Experience peace of mind by taking control of your future in a way that benefits you, your loved ones, and the world around you. A planned gift to the JCAHPO Education and Research Foundation will ensure a continuation of your commitment to the values of our profession for years to come, and will enable the Foundation to continue to provide valuable support to JCAHPO and ophthalmic medical personnel.
Contact the Foundation office at (800) 284-3937, ext. 244, or e-mail nweirens@jcahpo.org for free brochures, including, "Easy Ways to Remember the Foundation in Your Estate Planning."
