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AOA pursues model optometric practice act
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BOSTON – The American Optometric Association House of Delegates adopted a resolution to modernize scope of practice acts, here at Optometry’s Meeting.
Delegates voted that the AOA should “develop a model state optometric practice act which meets the criteria of the ideal optometric practice act set forth in this resolution.”
Progress on this effort will be reported at the 2017 House of Delegates.
The resolution, which was proposed by the Optometry Association of Louisiana, also reads: “The AOA House of Delegates strongly encourages each state association to work toward modification and modernization of its state optometric practice, if necessary, to achieve this goal.”
As new and effective products and services become available, some more restrictive state optometric practice acts require legislative approval for each instance.
“The ideal optometric practice act allows doctors of optometry to treat all medical eye conditions by any appropriate method, including new and efficacious services and products as they become available for the benefit of their patients without restriction,” according to the resolution.
In a separate resolution, the Nebraska Optometric Association proposed that the AOA encourage the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education to “document model competencies for advanced procedures training and the use of new technologies.”
Graduates of optometric degree programs in the U.S. and Canada must be educated to a level that qualifies them to apply for licensure in any state or provincial jurisdiction, the proposed resolution read.
The House of Delegates voted to refer this resolution to the AOA State Government Relations Committee. – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO