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AOA takes positions on telehealth, CE, NASEM report
WASHINGTON – The American Optometric Association’s House of Delegates adopted 12 resolutions here at Optometry’s Meeting.
The delegates endorsed a statement on eye and vision telehealth services that was approved by the AOA Board of Trustees in February. It specifies that “the standard of care must remain the same regardless of whether” the services are provided in person or remotely and that telehealth services cannot “replace an in-person comprehensive eye examination provided by an eye doctor.”
The delegates also supported the AOA joining a new continuing education accreditation body along with the American Academy of Optometry and the Association for Schools and Colleges of Optometry.
The AOA supported the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) report, Making Eye Health a Population Health Imperative: Vision for Tomorrow, released in 2016, through several resolutions that were approved at Optometry’s Meeting.
The AOA pledged to collaborate with the HHS Secretary on a public awareness campaign through the promotion of the Think About Your Eyes consumer program, which the AOA already supports.
In addition, the delegates voted to use data from the AOA MORE registry to target the leading causes of visual disability.
The AOA plans to advocate for the placement of optometrists on the staffs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Eye Institute in an effort to further support the NASEM recommendations.
The group also called upon conclusions from the NASEM report as a reason to request that the American Academy of Ophthalmology reverse its policy and welcome ODs to all educational courses at its annual meeting.
Also in alignment with the NASEM report, the delegates approved a resolution that the AOA “advocate for a diverse work force and proficiency in culturally competent care for all populations.”
Another resolution voiced opposition to policies that would deprioritize eye health and vision care services in the Veterans Health Administration. – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO