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ARBO promotes licensure mobility, CE tracking

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ATLANTA — Here at 2006 SECO International, the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry (ARBO) presented the first Council on Endorsed Licensure Mobility for Optometrists (CELMO) certificates to four qualifying optometrists during a press conference.

The CELMO was organized in an effort to address the relevant issue of reciprocity. “The time is now to make licensure mobility a reality in more states,” commented Robert W. Smalling, OD, ARBO president, at the press conference. “These days there are many more young, bright practitioners who expect to be able to move. This is part the maturation of our profession.”

Although still in the development phase, CELMO is now accepted in six states: Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Dr. Smalling compared this effort to the development of the Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE) that received a lukewarm initial response but is now considered the preeminent continuing education clearinghouse. “What happened in the aftermath of Katrina in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi has brought this issue to the forefront,” said Dr. Smalling.

The first optometrists to receive their CELMO certificates are: Sharon K. Dyer, OD, of Blue Springs, Mo.; Donovan L. Crouch, OD, of Strom Lake, Ind.; Beverly B. Miller, OD, of Columbia, Md.; and Alan L. Rhoads, OD, of Elgin AFB, Fla.

Also discussed at the press conference was the increased use of ARBO’s OE Tracker system that mechanically captures data at meetings. According to a press release, the ultimate goal of this system is to eliminate the need for paper-based certification. The units, which require minimal operator training, scan bar codes and “the data may then be audited by or provided to the state boards for license renewal,” said Robert Sorrell, OD, chair of ARBO's data and information committee.

ARBO also announced its upcoming National Optometric Continuing Education Conference, to be held May 13 to 14 in Rosemont, Ill., following the Midwest Vision Congress & Expo 2006. This invitation-only meeting sponsored by Vistakon and Johnson & Johnson will focus on the future of optometric continuing education. “The overall mission is to develop a profession-wide, consensus-driven approach to the future of optometric continuing education and competence for the benefit of the public.”