In late March, there was a substantial showing of POA optometrists at Senator Chris Gebhard’s fundraiser. The Senator, currently sponsoring the children’s vision bill, and his staff were impressed by the number of ODs present at the event and appreciative of the tremendous support shown. Leading into April, our annual Spring Congress in Gettysburg was a massive success! There was an array of quality continuing education with high attendance, robust engagement between industry supporters and doctors in the exhibit hall, roaming Welcoming Ambassadors, the second POA Board meeting of 2023, our House of Delegates, the annual POA Awards Ceremony, and plenty of social events for friends and families to mingle and have some fun. It was a memorable weekend for sure!
In March and April, the POA and the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO) continued a dialogue on several different initiatives where Optometry and Ophthalmology are confident we can work together. Some of these efforts will include low vision, scleral and medically necessary contact lenses, third party center mutual challenges, and medicaid.
From June 21 to 24, Optometry’s Meeting and AOA on Capitol Hill will be held in Washington, D.C. Please contact me, or the POA office, if you would like to act as a Pennsylvania delegate at the AOA House of Delegates. Please also consider advocating with us for our patients and our profession on the Hill in Washington that same weekend.
Keep alert for more details on another course on Ophthalmic Laser Procedures for the Anterior Segment presented by Salus University and supported by the POA. It will be on the road in Western Pennsylvania sometime this fall.
Additionally, you should save the dates of September 29 and 30 to volunteer in Harrisburg by performing eye exams in an underserved area.
And lastly, please join us November 1 to 3 for our final 2023 POA Board of Directors meeting and Fall Educational Conference with an exhibit hall in luxurious Bedford Springs!
I am immensely proud of what our POA Board, committees, and staff have accomplished so far this year. Let the hard work and collaboration continue! I look forward to seeing you again soon and, of course, meeting new people too.
Appreciatively,
Jesse
