President's MessageThe Fight to Provide Patient CareBy Kevin Katz, OD, MS
Guest Editor
Chair, Communications Committee I recently went to a lecture presented by Mark Dunbar O.D. who works at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Fl. The subject matter turned to blepharitis and one of the Texas doctors asked about Dr. Dunbar's protocol for doxycycline therapy. Turns out that in Florida he can't prescribe an oral and he has to ask the ophthalmologist that he works with to write the Rx. Oh my! At this point I was so grateful that I practiced in the Lone Star State and realized what the TOA had done for me in the last decade. The TOA got me the right to prescribe meds, and later on even got me the right to be paid for my clinical expertise by medical insurance companies. At the break I asked my friend Dr. Dixon Golden, chairman of the Texas Optometry Board and a colleague whose clinical expertise I aspire to, as to his protocols for doxycycline use in lid disease. He promptly reminded me that we are only allowed to prescribe oral antibiotics for a maximum of ten days, which is sometimes much too short a period to treat the patient's disease. Oh my! At this point I was really "aggravated" (a euphemism). I am clinically obligated to make the diagnosis, I know how to treat the patient, I can initiate therapy, but some law doesn't allow me to continue to provide optimal care to my fellow Texan. Something big isn't right here and needs to be fixed. It seems like all of us Doctors of Optometry need to work together to correct a few laws that prevent us taking care of our patients. New drugs are passing FDA scrutiny frequently and we should be able to administer drugs to our patients at appropriate medical dosages, and by recommended routes of administration. Our patients are being denied optimal care by laws intended to control our profession. It is time for you to help the TOA in its fight to allow you to provide the care that your patients deserve. Kevin Katz OD, MS. |
Reassure Your Patients With New TechnologyBy Stacie Virden, OD
TOA President-Elect Ed. Note: This is the last of a three part-practice management article.
"The views and opinions expressed in this article are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect any statement of standard of care or proposed mode of practice." Where are your color vision plates? Honestly. If you are like most ODs, you are likely not using them. Since none of us can predict which of our patients will develop MS, or if they will need to begin a medication for cancer or autoimmune disease that can damage the macula, we all need a baseline color vision assessment on every patient. Each step mentioned in the last three articles opens up yet another avenue of communication with your patient about how systemic conditions affect the visual system, and helps to ensure that they will know they saw a real doctor for their eye exam. The only equipment on this list I had to buy (other then the Optos contract) was the wrist cuff and tonopen. For the $3000 outlay, my return on investment has been exponential. Sixty-two percent of my new patients during the first quarter of 2008 were referred by another patient, not their insurance plan or the yellow pages. One patients told me he came in for his first exam in 10 years because his wife promised him there would be no puff of air. Another told me she had spent all morning before her appointment running errands. She knew that after she was dilated she'd end up at home sitting on her couch the rest of the day waiting for the effects to wear off. After the OptoMap, she decided to go home and read a book on her deck in the gorgeous spring weather because I had given her the rest of her day back. Now that is customer service! Technology lets us do a better exam for our patients. And remember, patients love gadgets. |
Remember: TOA Membership Challenge Pays OffTOA member optometrists can earn a percentage of their 2009 dues by bringing in a new member. As an optometrist practicing in the state of Texas you benefit from the actions of the TOA. We need to get as many doctors as possible to become active members for us to remain a strong, successful organization. Together with the membership committee, we are launching a Membership Challenge asking all members and local societies to promote the importance of membership to colleagues in their area. Without the TOA, the profession as we know it today would not exist. The scope of your practice would be without topical drugs, oral drugs, glaucoma drugs and various surgical procedures that we use every day to help and protect our patients. The challenge goal is to increase membership in 2008 by 10% from June 1 to December 31st. As a member, you will earn a percentage of your 2009 dues by bringing in a non-member who pays a prorated dues for 2008. For the winning society, TOA will host a reception for a local meeting and present a trophy to the society president and members at the TOA convention in Austin next February. If you have any questions, call Jennifer Belt, Membership Director, at the TOA office, 512-707-2020. |
Society Spotlight Societies are going digital. Many of the optometric societies in the state have or are starting their own websites to keep member optometrists up to date with what is going on in their own communities. TOA links with these sites through our own website on the society page. Societies such as Dallas County, Harris County, Central Texas, Rio Grande Valley and the newest, El Paso Optometric Society all have websites and/or newsletters to keep you informed about important issues and activities in those areas. society websites |
Billing, Coding and MoreDMEPOS Reprieve?From AOA's Washington Office: Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) is introducing legislation aimed at providing ODs and other providers with relief from CMS's misguided supplier enrollment/accreditation requirements. Rep. Camp's bill will contain a provision designed to exclude physicians - including ODs - from DMEPOS (Durable Medical Equipment) accreditation requirements until CMS develops provider-specific standards. It would also specifically allow CMS to waive physician accreditation if the agency determines they are subject to other mandatory quality requirements. AOA's analysis of Rep. Camp's language finds that it would cover the exclusion of post-cataract eyewear, currently considered DME. Also, CMS would be required to set up physician specific accreditation requirements and would be barred from applying any accreditation standards to physicians, including ODs, until the new standards are established. AOA, the Michigan Optometric Association and Federal Keyperson ODs in Michigan played a lead role in developing this possible legislative solution, and are now supporting fast-track consideration of Rep. Camp's bill by the House and Senate. One scenario AOA is actively urging is inclusion of language based on Rep. Camp's bill in the Medicare physician payment fix legislation that may be considered shortly. NEW Testing of New Eye Care Measures Beginning July 1, 2008 through September 30, 2008 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will accept data submission for a test set of 11 quality measures, including three eye care measures. The submission of quality data for the test measures will provide information for a preliminary evaluation of the test measures for data submission. There will be no financial incentive payment associated with the reporting of these test measures. These test measures will not be counted toward the three measures an optometrist must report to qualify for the PQRI bonus payment. Feedback reports regarding reporting and performance rates will not be provided to eligible professionals. Eligible professionals may only report the measures by submitting eligible Part B claims containing quality-data codes for dates of services from July 1, 2008 through September 30, 2008. Quality-data codes should be submitted in accordance with each individual measure's data specifications. PQRI Test Measures
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2008 ELECTION DATES TO REMEMBERVoter Information Available: August 25 — Democratic National Convention opens in Denver September 1 — Republican National Convention opens in Minneapolis November 4 — General election for all national, state, and county offices Find Your Legislator:http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/  If you do not know who your legislators are, here is an easy way to find out by adding your address or county.
Please support your profession by voting in the Texas primary March 4 (early voting begins February 19) and the general election in November. |
| Thank you for reading our monthly e- news. Please send us your suggestions and comments or thoughts about stories we might include. We are working hard to insure that your dues dollars bring you the maximum benefits of membership. This is a work in progress. Email Bj Avery at the TOA office at texop@aol.com
Sincerely, Brian Blount, O.D., President The Texas Optometric Association Inc. |
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