A fond adieu

Have you ever noticed that once you finally figure something out, something changes and you have to adjust? It feels like the last year flew by so quickly. As an association, we started the year virtually, with the pandemic halting yet another Spring Congress. Questions of “will there be a vaccine” lapsed into “which one did you get?” And then there’s the mask thing. One would have thought that someone would have at least mentioned that people had to wear masks in healthcare facilities. Through it all, the POA moved forward. The Children’s Vision bill gained traction and now has 40 co-sponsors thanks to the hard work of our legislative team. The Keyperson Committee and Legislative Affairs Committee collaborated to make “How To” educational videos for legislator meetings. The Children’s Vision Care Alliance (CVCA) also grew, developed talking points, a pediatric near point card, and reached out to school nurses. We began working with ophthalmology on public health issues. The Early Drop Legislation will allow our patients to renew their drop prescription if they run out of drops before the end of the month. I hope that this blossoms into an ongoing collaboration between the eye care professions on matters of public health. 

Just as the strategic plan was set to begin implementation, the unthinkable occurred. We lost our executive director, Joe Ricci, to COVID-19. This virus is a cold, unfeeling malady that has left many to pass quietly on a ventilator without the comfort of family. It was a terrible blow to the POA and to me, personally. However, the Board of Directors are the guardians of the organization, and the Personnel Committee met immediately to develop a plan to maintain the integrity of the POA. With the full support of the Board, past presidents, and many others, we moved mountains: message triage, emergency meetings, and the formation of an executive director search committee—none of which would have happened so smoothly without the POA staff. I called the POA office so often that Deb and Ilene became Debilene. It was a rough few weeks, but we all pulled together to make it work. Our immediate past executive director, Dr. Charlie Stuckey, has stepped up and will be the interim director for the next six months. Over the years, he has been an ED, friend, and mentor for many of us and lends some calm to an otherwise high stress and tragic event. The search committee is actively moving forward to attempt to fill the shoes left behind by Joe. 

I have the unique perspective of not only moving the POA through a pandemic, but also losing our executive director to the virus. If there is one thing I learned about the POA during this time, it’s that it is a family and everyone is essential. Countless calls offering condolences, help, and guidance. It was an all hands on deck situation and the POA structure, once in place, moved forward like clockwork.

I want to thank the POA Board for all of their support and effort, the POA staff… well, for all that you do, and all of the members that offer their time and talents to this great organization. It’s time for me to say a fond adieu to my time at the helm. Expect big things next year. The foundations have been set and you are in some of the most capable, hard-working hands as we move into 2022.

Until soon,

Ed

Essential

Everything looked like we were moving out of the pandemic. Cases were lower, hospitalizations were down, and then variant began to take its toll on the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike. I wondered how optometry fit into all of this and the word ‘essential’ kept coming to my mind. 

Optometry is an essential component of the health care system, but what is essential to optometry? A healthy staff, a sound supply chain, and a professional organization to guide the profession through this unprecedented time. On the surface, the POA has delivered numerous updates regarding the practice of optometry during the pandemic. CDC guidelines, PA Department of Health and OSHA mandates were all brought to the forefront and shared with members to better keep ourselves, our staff, and our patients safe. 

But, as POA Executive Director Joe Ricci would say, “all of the action is under the duck.” In addition to what you see happening, there is even more happening behind the scenes. POA President-Elect Dr. Tracy Sepich is well into our strategic planning for the next three years. By this time, you have already received—and hopefully completed—a survey regarding the strategic initiatives of the POA for the next three years. We are a member-driven organization and rely on your input.

Through the efforts of the Third Party Center, Versant Health has become a business partner with the POA and will be at the fall meeting in October to answer your questions and listen to your concerns. From October 28 to 30, please join the POA and our exhibitors, business partners, and lecturers in making the most of our meeting. Registration and details can be found at https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/education-and-events/poa-fall-educational-conference. 

In other good news, the Children’s Vision Bill is garnering a lot of attention. Drs. Rich Christoph, Lori Gray, and the POA lobbyists have opened the eyes of legislators regarding the importance and value of this initiative. We expect that the legislature will come to the aid of the more than 30,000 children that are marginalized annually because they have an undetected vision disability. 

Although the Covid variant is looming and this year may end up being as strange and new as the last, I hope you’ll trust the POA to run an incredible educational conference this fall in Hershey. See you there!

Ed

A summary of summer so far

 Well, here we are…mid-summer and the pandemic emergency has finally been declared over. Though the mask mandate has been lifted, it’s still enforced at healthcare facilities. So, at least for us, the mask saga continues—with the addition of a few more requirements from OSHA. Mask or no mask, the POA continues to move forward and make itself heard. The most recent way? The AOA’s 2021 Optometry’s Meeting that was held in Denver.

The Meeting was all about Pennsylvania! Dr. Michael Mittleman and Dr. Satya Verma were inducted into the Optometry Hall of Fame; Tyler Lesko, a fourth-year PCO student, won the National Quiz Bowl; and the POA Board of Directors’ own Dr. Erick Henderson received the Young Optometrist of the Year award. It doesn’t get any better than that!

The Presidents Council and the Eastern States, through the NEO Forum, brought to light the legislative goals of each state and how they had succeeded so far. The POA led the conversation amongst both groups regarding Bioptic Driving and Children’s Vision. 

There were no surprises at the AOA House of Delegates—the open Board positions were filled by an equal number of candidates. The most controversial motion was to incorporate a diversity statement within the optometric oath. It ultimately passed with strong support of the delegates.

While every state had their own initiatives, they also had common challenges like growing and maintaining membership, adding member benefits, and association income. Here at the POA, we hold the line on dues increases by providing member benefits that produce non-dues income for the association. We have endorsed two new programs for our members over the last few months. The first, Digital on Demand, advises clients on how to most effectively market their business online at the lowest cost. The second is a HIPAA compliance authority, Abyde. HIPAA Compliance violation fines are ridiculously high and Abyde helps to avoid violations. I use them in my own practice and am now confident that we will pass any compliance audit. Bring it on!

Enjoy the rest of the summer, and know that the POA has never stopped working for you…

Edward Savarno, O.D.

POA President

How quickly things can change...

Do you ever notice how things evolve? Take COVID-19, for example. In January, it was all about the vaccine and then March brought us: “Which vaccine did you get? Did you have any side effects?” Now in May, it’s: “I got my vaccination, but I still don’t go anywhere and why do I have to wear this mask?”

The level of sophistication concerning COVID-19 has tripled over the last few months, but Pennsylvania is behind in vaccinating according to the goal set by President Biden. It is now an “all hands on deck” situation to catch up. As I write this message, legislation that would allow optometrists to administer the vaccine has passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and we are waiting for the Senate to return so that they may take up this issue. The Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University stands ready to deliver any education necessary should the bill, HB 63, become law. This is an opportunity for optometry to, once again, be on the front lines and make a difference during this public health emergency. Your participation is vital in moving toward the resolution of this pandemic.

On another front, Representative Zimmerman’s Children’s Vision Bill continues to move forward thanks to the quick action of the Legislative Affairs Committee, Children’s Vision Care Alliance, Clinical Practice Committee, and POA Executive Director Joe Ricci. The language was modified, reviewed, vetted, and resubmitted within hours of the original language coming into question. The teamwork on this bill has been exemplary and is telling of the commitment we have to the children of Pennsylvania. There are an estimated 28,000 children, kindergarten through sixth grade, with an undiagnosed visual disability that are marginalized annually. Their disability will likely be missed in vision screening as the data, in some studies, purports that they miss at least 50% of the maladies. Next, they are labeled for life as learning disabled and provided special education, IEP’s, and reading intervention without ever evaluating for a potential root cause. Optometry is the tip of the spear in attacking this issue. There is no other profession that has the education and training to define and potentially remediate a visual disability in the way that Optometry can. The opportunity to be successful in academics is life-changing for these children. As a doctor and a parent, I bear personal witness to the success of optometric intervention. I am pleased to report that my daughter, who experienced and remediated a vision disability will be graduating with a degree in biochemistry. She will be going for a Master’s in biochemistry/molecular biology this fall. This legislation is all about the children, their academic success, and, ultimately, their future. I am asking for your support by letting your legislator know that you support children’s vision by clicking on this link to send the message: https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/advocacy/poas-legislative-priorities (you will be asked to log in). 

Currently, there are 31 co-sponsors for the Children’s Vision Bill, a remarkably high number. If you have already sent a message and your legislator is still not on the co-sponsor list, please do it again. They need to hear from you.

Co-sponsor list as of April 20, 2021

Zimmerman (Prime Sponsor); Diamond; Mackenzie; Miller, D; Kulik; Kauffman; Gillen; Irvin; Toohill; Guenst; Rozzi; Sturla; Brooks; Hershey; Freeman; Millard; Smith, B; Pickett; Ciresi; Ryan; Howard; Saylor; Webster; James; Pashinski; Stephens; Pennycuick; Boback; McNeill; Hamm; Cook

The 28,000 children, as well as many others, will benefit from a vision evaluation by the best, most qualified professionals in vision, optometrists. 

Until soon,
Ed

COVID's still the word

Well, here we are again… COVID is still the word of the day but now it’s paired with a more positive word: vaccine. Healthcare providers all over the state have been or are in the process of being vaccinated. Like when the pandemic began, unanswered questions have crossed everyone’s minds. Who is eligible? Where do you get it? Are doses available? Why can’t I schedule for it? Pfizer or Moderna? Do I have a choice? Then there is the question of complications that continue to evolve. The POA continues to advocate for and provide information to members in hopes of answering these questions. Members will know when the POA staff knows. Check out the latest information on the COVID-19 Updates webpage at https://pennsylvania.aoa.org/doctors/poa-member-resources/covid-19. Everything from vaccination locations to SBA PPP COVID relief loans are covered on this resource page. 

One thing to know for certain is that the vaccine is highly effective and limits the serious complications of SARS CoV-19. We all know that the pandemic has had a huge effect on the delivery of healthcare, but it is not the only issue that faces Optometry in 2021. The POA is like a duck on a pond, looking tranquil on the surface, but the feet are moving 100 MPH below the surface. The new ground created by the “Modernization of Optometry Act,” Bioptic driving, and the pending Children’s Vision legislation have many committees in high gear. We are aiding in the development of regulations and standards that will carry these initiatives far into the future. Also, other committees are developing public service messages that highlight Optometry and aids to help school nurses better define children with covert binocular vision anomalies. All of this activity is being performed by volunteers with the outstanding support of the POA staff. 

We are the POA: multiple generations of optometrists working together, giving their time, unique skills, and effort to move Pennsylvania Optometry forward! I am asking you to join us in our effort by participating on a committee and use your unique skills to advance optometry. You will find that the rewards are unlimited. After 35 years, that’s exactly my experience.  

Until soon,

Ed 

Edward Savarno, O.D.
POA President