Northern Sights Newsletter

Transcription

1 Northern Sights Newsletter North Dakota Optometric Association 921 South 9th Street, Ste. 120 Bismarck, ND Phone: Fax: WebSite: ndeyecare.com 2012 NDOA OFFICERS Dr. Todd Metzger President 1702 South University Drive Fargo, ND Dr. Taya Patzman President Elect 1830 East Century Ave. Ste. 1 Bismarck, ND tayaseyes@yahoo.com Dr. Paul Dunderland Vice President 522 Main Street Bottineau, ND idocfvc@utma.com Dr. Blaine Burdick Secretary/Treasurer 20/20 Eye Care PO Box 888 Devils Lake,ND burdick@gondtc.com Dr. Robert Nyre Past President 1100 N Broadway Ave. #110 Minot, ND nyreidr@srt.com Nancy Kopp Executive Director Vol. 24 Issue 3 May/June 2012 President s Message ~ Dr. Todd Metzger S pring is here the flowers are blooming, the grass is growing, the kids are outside biking and jumping on the trampoline and my golf handicap is on the rise from the long winter layoff. Spring to me though, is a time of rejuvenation, starting fresh and becoming more active in what s going on around me. My first leap, I was asked to help out in our local soccer club early this spring and I am now coaching my youngest daughter Mia s 1st grade girl s soccer team. I grew up in rural North Dakota and thus, soccer is a foreign sport to me, so I m like your old Junior High gym teacher, that rolled out the ball during gym class and yelled have fun and make sure no one gets hurt! But at 6 and 7 years of age, the girls have fun and I think they like the fact that they have a coach and someone that is investing time in them. Our team, the Antelopes, is 2-0 already, in a league that plays to have fun and that doesn t keep score. That s right, I m a coach and a dad I keep track of the score! So where is this little ramble of soccer, spring, rejuvenation and becoming active going? A few years ago at a CE meeting at the Oxbow Country Club in Fargo, I was approached by Nancy and Dr. Blaine Zieman, about becoming a member of the Board of Directors for the NDOA. Since I m writing this, you know what happened next. The point I m trying to make is, that there is ample opportunity for the membership of the NDOA to rejuvenate this association. We need people who are willing to invest back into the NDOA and the profession now and in the future. We will be looking for people to help take on the responsibility to lead this association through active leadership, as future board members, or in any way you feel you could be an asset to the NDOA. One area that has been discussed over the past couple of years, is Continued on Page 3 Inside This Issue ICD-10-CM Proposed Rule on Delay Issued NDOA Annual Golf Outing Agenda & Registration Form 3rd Party Conference Recap Job Seekers NDOA s 109th Annual Congress Tentative Agenda

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3 President s Message Continued... getting regional societies set up to get our members to become more involved on issues that are affecting your region NW, SW, NE and SE regions for example. The NDOA would like to see someone step forward to help us potentially organize these societies by year s end. We have some committees in place that are basically inactive, because of little to no participation. This association is so fortunate not to have many of the issues that burden and affect other state associations. When your NDOA leadership goes to national meetings and information and issues are shared among the state leaders, our association is the envy of most. I m asking for some of you to consider becoming more active in the NDOA, maybe making a fresh start within the NDOA, or just adding something to the association to help rejuvenate it. Unlike me coaching soccer, all of you do have a great understanding of our profession and our association. If any of you feel like you can and want to be an asset to the NDOA starting tomorrow, next month or next year, please contact Nancy, myself or any of the current board members. Have a great spring! ICD-10-CM Proposed Rule On Delay Issued O n April 9, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the proposed rule to change the compliance date for the implementation of the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code set and ICD-10-PCS procedure code set. The compliance date is changed from October 1, 2013, to October 1, There is a required 60-day notice in the Federal Register and this proposed rule has a 30- day comment period. After review of comments, the final rule will be issued. The compliance date of October 1, 2014, applies to all entities. CMS notes that a one-year delay will provide sufficient time for small providers to become ICD-10 compliant and would be the least financially burdensome to those entities who have been working towards the October 1, 2013, compliance date. Northern Sights May/June 2012 Page 3

4 North Dakota Optometric Association s Annual Golf Outing Friday, July 13, 2012 Hawktree Golf Club ~ Bismarck, ND Education Agenda ~ Hawktree Golf Club 9:00 A.M. Continental Breakfast Registration Deadline ~ Monday, July 2, :00 11:00 A.M. Amblyopia Today: Diagnosis & Treatment in a Primary Eyecare Practice Presented By: Dr. Thomas Samson Golf Tournament Agenda ~ Hawktree Golf Club 11:30 A.M. Registration/Warm-up/Lunch on the Go! 11:30 12:30 P.M. Tee Times 5:00 6:00 P.M. Social/Awards CE Only - Registration Fee: $25.00 (Continental breakfast, CE and lunch) Directions to Hawktree: Go 4 miles North on Hwy. 83. Turn left at the flashing yellow light. Go 2.8 miles West on Hwy Turn North at the Hawktree Clubhouse billboard sign (1/2 mile) then it will be visible! CE/Golf Registration Fee: $ (Continental breakfast, CE, lunch, green fee, cart & prizes) Name(s): GOLF HANDICAP (Best Guess) Clinic Address: Clinic Fax: $ Education and Golf Outing $25.00 Education Only Total Enclosed Please return form with payment to: NDOA 921 South 9th Street, Suite 120 Bismarck, ND Fax: Visa Mastercard Credit Card #: Exp. Date: CVV Billing Address: City, State, Zip: Cardholders Name (please print): Northern Sights May/June 2012 Page 4

5 From The Desk Of Your Executive Director ~ Nancy Kopp On a state level, the NDOA has been asked to consider a legislative proposal regarding transmission of prescriptions, by certified assistants and technicians, and to amend the Practice of Pharmacy. Following is the original draft for your review: Left to Right: NDOA Executive Director Nancy Kopp NDOA President Elect Dr. Taya Patzman AOA President & NDOA Past President Dr. Dori Carlson I n early April, Dr. Taya Patzman, Dr. Dori Carlson and I attended the AOA Congressional Advocacy and Third Party/State Governmental Conferences in Washington DC. We did have the opportunity to visit the offices of Senator Kent Conrad, Senator John Hoeven and Representative Rick Berg, to advocate optometry on your behalf. Of course the buzz words were health care reform! As a legislated profession, we ll never get away from the politics. As we speak, our very own Dr. Dori Carlson is wrapping up her AOA Presidential year. Two short months! Good Job Dori! Optometry s meeting is scheduled for June in Chicago. We have submitted our credentials based on all of you submitting at least your first quarters dues (THANK YOU VERY MUCH). We should have 3 delegates and 14 votes. Just as a reminder, 2012 is the third year of your CE cycle for obtaining 50 hours of CE for license renewal. As you can see, NDOA will provide 2 hours at the Golf Outing on July 13th and 13 hours at Annual Congress in Bismarck, September 30-October 2. Words of Wisdom You can t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and that has made all the difference in my life. Steve Jobs Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don t put off being happy until some future date.. Dale Carnegie Introduced by: The North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy A bill for an act to enact a new section of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the practice of pharmacy. SECTION 1.AMENDMENT of North Dakota Century Code is amended and reenacted as follows: Oral transmission of prescriptions. An oral transmission of a prescription drug may be accepted and dispensed by a pharmacist or licensed pharmacist intern if received from a practitioner:, or a nurse licensed under chapter who is authorized by the practitioner to orally transmit the prescription; or a registered dental hygienist or a registered dental assistant who is authorized by the supervising dentist; a certified ophthalmic assistant, certified ophthalmic medical technician, or ophthalmic surgical assistant, authorized by a supervising ophthalmologist or optometrist, to orally transmit the prescription. The practitioner shall document the order for oral transmission in the patient s records. Only a licensed pharmacist or a licensed pharmacist intern or registered pharmacy technician may receive an orally transmitted new or refill prescription. This legislative proposal was discussed briefly at the ND State Board of Optometry Meeting on April 14th, which Dr. Bob Nyre and I attended. Some technician assistant staff members in ophthalmology clinics are certified through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology and some paraoptometrics are certified through the AOA Commission. In other discussions, the issue of liability and E- Prescribing came up. Please let us know if you would support this practice or not and/or any concerns. Keep in touch and let us know how we can be of service to you. I hope you have a great summer! Northern Sights May/June 2012 Page 5

6 3rd Party Conference Recap April 1-3, 2012 ~ Washington, DC Submitted By: Dr. Taya Patzman T he 3 rd Party Conference started off with Advocacy Training. As the healthcare industry undergoes significant change, it is more important than ever for optometry to stay ahead of third party trends and resolve issues negatively impacting practicing optometrists. Payer/Purchaser trends were discussed as well as how the TPC staff and Executive Committee operate as a team, to tackle the challenges faced by our professional colleagues and lead the way for improved patient access and better purchaser and payer relations. The TPC Issue and Advocacy Tracking Database has been set up to see how states resolve 3 rd Party issues. The goal of the database was to establish a searchable history of the issues and understand the current issues and trends in the marketplace. It is a tool for the state affiliates to use and will offer insurance plan info, such as contacts and addresses in one place. Third Party advocacy entails defining what discrimination for optometry is and how we can be pro -active on a legislative front, to ensure patients have access to our services and payment parity for providing doctors. The Essential Health Benefit including pediatric vision services was discussed. As the Insurance Exchanges are developed, the benchmark plan needs to be selected. The goal is to identify and advocate for plans that cover a comprehensive exam with a materials benefit. As far as the Exchanges go, state governments are generally waiting for the Supreme Court to rule in June or July, further clarification from HHS and the election in November before acting. We as affiliates need to be engaged and prepared to participate in any selection process developed by the state, which could be legislative or regulatory. We need to be familiar with the plans that could potentially be chosen as a benchmark and advocate to ensure that the selected benchmark plan either has an integrated vision benefit, or has no benefit at all so it will default to the federal benefit. I came away from this conference with the realization that every optometrist has a responsibility to become involved in the legislative process. It is this process that enables us to practice optometry to our fullest potential. Job Seekers Rickson Zollinger Originally from the Fargo area 1838 Cherry Creek Drive Southaven, MS, Phone: zollinger@student.sco.edu School: SCO, 2013 Dr. Matthew Sanders nd Street South #377 Fargo, ND Phone: mattsanders@pacificu.edu School: PUCO, 2011 Kamaria Serfling PO Box 444 Faulkton, SD Phone: serflik@ferris.edu School: Michigan, 2011 Northern Sights May/June 2012 Page 6

7 NDOA s 109th Annual Congress Tentative Agenda September 30 ~ October 2, 2012 Ramkota Hotel 800 South 3rd Street Bismarck, ND Sunday, September 30, :00 3:00 P.M. NDOA Board of Directors Meeting 2:30 P.M. Registration 3:00 6:00 P.M. COPE #28000-PS Update on Ocular Tumors COPE #29010-GO Essentials In Optic Nerve Disease Speaker: Dr. Carlo Pelino 6:30 9:00 P.M. Sunday Night Football Monday, October 1, :00 9:00 A.M. Breakfast 9:00 12:00 P.M. COPE #30900-SD The Eye in Obesity COPE #29560-LV Low Vision Rehabilitation COPE #28882-NO Radiology Review Speaker: Dr. Joseph Pizzimenti Monday, October 1, :00 2:00 P.M NDOA Membership Meeting Awards Lunch 2:00 5:00 P.M. COPE #31599-PS -Diseases of the Vitreous Humor COPE #28718-PS AMD Update Speakers: Drs. Joseph Pizzimenti & Carlo Pelino 5:30 8:00 P.M. Exhibit Hall/Fun Night Tuesday, October 2, :00 9:00 A.M. Breakfast in the Exhibit Hall 9:00 1:00 P.M. COPE #28814-NO Management of Oculosystemic Headache COPE #28790-PS Retina Grand Rounds Speakers: Drs. Joseph Pizzimenti & Carlo Pelino 1:00 P.M. Conference Adjourns Northern Sights May/June 2012 Page 7

8 Bismarck, ND Northern Sights May/June 2012 Page 8