Updates and Announcements
ATTN DEA LICENSE HOLDERS
Congress recently passed legislation which requires all doctors with DEA licenses to undergo training to identify and treat opioid abuse. AOA has been in contact with the DEA on this issue and we are working to ensure that an AOA developed course would qualify to meet the program requirements. The information that DEA released this week does not refer to AOA developed courses, however, our understanding is that COPE approved courses would qualify to meet the new requirements. As we continue to advocate for an AOA developed course to qualify, we are also working to develop a listing of courses that would help doctors meet these new requirements. As soon as we have additional information from DEA and a listing of courses, we will share those immediately.
As a reminder, doctors have to renew their DEA license every three years. Anyone renewing after June 21, 2023 will be required to attest to have taken this additional training as part of their DEA application or renewal.
Kara Webb
Chief Strategy Officer
American Optometric Association
The AOA/RIOA are working together to help you navigate this new license requirement. We will be updating RIOA members accordingly.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE DEA BULLETIN
5 Common Malpractice Claims Optometrists Face
Knowing the most common claims facing optometrists is the first step to reducing your risk of a stressful and costly malpractice lawsuit. AOAExcel asked their malpractice insurance partner, Lockton Affinity, to identify some of the most common types of claims optometrists encounter:
- Failure to Diagnose—The most common claim facing optometrists involves a failure to correctly diagnose a disease, including misdiagnosis and lack of diagnosis. Many other types of malpractice claims will begin from a failure to diagnose claim.
- Failure to Dilate the Pupil—A large percentage of claims describe a failure to dilate the pupil. Optometrists who choose not to dilate the pupil during an examination may be at increased risk of a lawsuit, because a lack of pupil dilation can increase the chance of missing pathology or making an incorrect diagnosis. On rare occasions, dilation itself may cause a liability claim related to slip-and-fall accidents that occur in the office or on the premises. The risk for these claims can be reduced by warning patients of dilation side effects and providing mydriatic sunglasses.
- Improper Patient Termination or Referral—Malpractice claims have been made when delayed treatment results in a poor outcome. It’s important to remember that an optometrist has a legal responsibility for a patient until treatment concludes or the patient is referred to another practitioner for care.
- Neglecting Informed Consent—Claims in which an injury results from care often focus on whether informed consent was obtained and documented as required. Like all healthcare professionals, optometrists must obtain informed consent before tests, procedures and treatments. Failing to document informed consent exposes you to malpractice claims.
- Poor Recordkeeping—A large number of claims involve allegations of poor recordkeeping. A lack of documentation can not only lead to missed diagnoses, incomplete referrals, missed follow-ups, and missing informed consent documentation, it can also hurt your case defending against these and other malpractice claims. Fortunately, most recordkeeping problems are entirely preventable with the proper procedures.
The right precautions can go a long way in minimizing your chance of a serious malpractice claim. AOAExcel partners with Lockton Affinity to provide AOA members with malpractice insurance designed for doctors of optometry—flexible, competitively priced coverage guaranteed to expand with your state’s scope of practice. Visit aoa.org/liabilityinsurance to receive an instant quote and a complimentary review of your current policy.
In case you missed it...
Did you know that almost every employee in the U.S. is covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)? Are you aware of and this law?
A representative of the US Department of Labor, Wage & Hour Division, will be speaking about the FLSA on Tuesday, February 28 th from 10-11:30 am . The webinar is free, and the registration link is in the attached flyer – and HERE.
Important Update on Credit Card Surcharging Rules
We were recently alerted that the credit card companies have tightened their oversight of surcharging programs. The use of secret shoppers is one method being used to monitor merchant compliance with surcharge requirements. Merchants that do not adhere to the surcharging rules may be fined up to $50,000 for a first offense.
The article below reviews the five rules all surcharge programs must follow. This is important information for any merchant that is currently surcharging credit card purchases or is considering a surcharge program.
Five Surcharging Rules You Must Follow to Avoid Hefty Fines
The RI Lions Sight Foundation is running a One Saturday per month free eye clinic. We provide eye exams and glasses to uninsured residents of Central Falls and surrounding areas. We need Volunteer ODs who can give up on Saturday from 11-4. These clinics are usually on the 4th Saturday of the month.
Currently we need an OD for January 28th and February 25th.
Interested Volunteers can email me at escharff@clarisvision.com or Text me at 401-241-3487.
The RIOA, through its Board of Directors, wishes to congratulate the following RIOA members on their respective membership milestones.
| Member Name | Award Year |
| Carl David Corrow, O.D. | 25 |
| Michael A Saccucci, O.D. | 45 |
| Stephen A Remsbecker, O.D. | 45 |
| William W St. Vincent Jr., O.D. | 45 |
| Alerino M Iacobbo, O.D. | 50 |
| Stewart Martin Rosenfeld, O.D. | 50 |
RIOA / AOA - Advancing Optometry
The last of four State Government Rleations Committee Regional Meetings concluded last week with a clear and distinct message - Optometry is on the move!
Be on the lookout for important announcements and meetings designed to listen to member needs and wants.
** The original taping of this edition of Talk with Tim could not be uploaded due to the size of the file. We re-recorded the video on 9/20/22.
ABB Released Its Web-Based Ordering Platform today - August 29, 2022
RIOA members support RI Advocacy efforts in a number of ways. We thank those members who have supported our efforts this year with both their time and treasure! 2022 is an election year and we need to bolster our coffers!
Quick Link: List of Donors (to date)
If you have not donated to RIOA-PAC in 2022, we kindly ask that you do so soon.HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR "FIND A DOCTOR" PROFILE RECENTLY?
Quick Link: Update your Find a Doctor profile
Better profile = better search results. Visit the MYRIOA section of our site to update your profile and more!
The state's continued delay in producing state licenses can, at times, cause issues when a practitioner needs to provide documentation to 3rd Party entities. We have been told by the state that a printout of the date generated from the link below should suffice.
