COMMITTEES OVERVIEW

Career Development Committee

The mission of the Career Development Committee is to provide students with useful and current knowledge about practice opportunities; practice purchase expertise, and practice management guidance to facilitate their ability to enter professional practice; develop a program that brings new or recent graduates, who are searching for opportunities, together with those established doctors searching for an associate or partner. Develop a professional consultation subcommittee to be available to students during their third and fourth years that provides guidance in the area of practice finance and loan opportunities for practice start-up or practice acquisition.

Awards Committee

Consists of the members of the Florida Optometric Association Board of Trustees. The committee collects nominations from the membership of the association; reviews them and selects worthy candidates for special recognition. Additional duties include reviewing existing awards, revising criteria, and creating new awards.

Building & Staff Committee

The Building & Staff Committee develops an ongoing plan for the maintenance and improvement of the FOA building, including signage and upgrading/maintaining office furnishings and equipment. The Executive Director is charged by FOA Bylaws to develop a staff of qualified, well-trained individuals to accomplish the goals of the Florida Optometric Association; provide training to all members of the staff to improve their skill and expand their capabilities, including cross training of responsibilities from one staff member to another to maintain continuity due to possible loss of staff; develop and keep an office manual with job descriptions and responsibilities for each staff position and update as needed; and conduct regular reviews to enhance the performance of the Executive Director.

Children’s Vision Committee

The mission of the Children's Vision Committee is to serve as optometric advocates on pending legislation related to children's vision care in Florida in conjunction with the Legislative committee; to promote optometric efforts in providing accessible, complete
vision care for patients from infancy to school age; to articulate organized optometry's policy statements on vision screening or children's eye care, when necessary; to support AOA's national efforts on the state and local levels to promote CE and certifications related to children's vision; to provide information and resources to local societies on
issues related to children's vision care to include advisory roles to public and private schools, eye safety, and visual issues of children with disabilities; to assist the Professional Relations Committee in interfacing with organizations related to children (Healthy Kids, Operation Head Start); and to respond to issues and questions associated
with vision therapy.

Communications Committee

The mission of the Communications Committee is to develop, update, and monitor the Florida Optometric Association's communication policies, social networking accounts, and electronic discussion groups, as well as recommending new ways for the Association to communicate with its members and other interested parties through alternative media.

Convention Committee

The mission of the Convention Committee is to develop and execute a program for the Florida Optometric Association's annual convention as well as other State Association meetings; assess the needs of the Florida Optometric Association's members in regards to dates, location, and a convention program that highlights the Association and its members to other local, state, and national optometric associations of similar goals, optometric industry partners, and specific legislative individuals that share our vision for the future of our patients and optometrists of Florida; work with the Florida Optometric Association staff to prepare and record the necessary statistics vital to increasing attendance at the convention, including the industry sponsors, lectures, events, and the exhibit hall; coordinate with the Education Committee to develop a suitable program that maximizes attendance; gather data on the effect of the convention on other CE programs throughout the state; coordinate on-site volunteers and the required details to aide the convention chairman each year.

Education Committee

The mission of the Education Committee is to develop and integrate the highest level of continuing education to meet the needs of our members. The education committee goals should encompass all traditional and newly developed optometric continuing education formats with an emphasis on science-based, best outcomes patient care and clinical skills, including newly developed diagnostic methods and procedures, and practice management as well as specific educational programs leading to various necessary certifications. The Education Committee should also aide in the development of programs to enhance the clinical and office capabilities of paraoptometrics and office support staff and develop educational materials to promote optometry to patients, the public, and the members of local, state, and federal governmental entities.

Finance Committee

The mission of the Finance Committee is to develop a financial plan that is fiscally responsible, evaluate reserves, and determine whether monetary levels are appropriate for the Florida Optometric Association and make recommendations for any needed change.

Health Information Technology/Exchange Committee:

This committee has two components that are inherently inter-related. The Health Information Technology (HIT) portion monitors all changes that relate to the hardware and software that affect the Optometric Physician and practice. Any, technological advances that affect how the physician cares for patients and/or runs their office falls into this portion and relates to HIT.

The Health Insurance Exchange (HIE) portion monitors how each Optometric Physician office communicates with third party payers. Once patient/office information is compiled, then how that information is communicated to the third-party payer for reimbursement falls into the HIE portion. Regardless, healthcare reform is moving forward and this committee will monitor the government’s position as it rolls out.

Industry Education Support Committee

The Industry Education Support Committee provides outstanding meetings and services and is fiscally responsible for the conduct of all business, and increases industry relations and involvement with data from the recent "no fee" convention. Record attendance translates into more exposure in the exhibit hall.

Industry Relations Committee

The Industry Relations Committee works with the Convention Committee to provide the necessary data and statistics to remain financially responsible with our industry relations companies; enable our industry relations companies to continue their engagement and support of the Florida Optometric Association; meet with industry key contacts and continue to foster those relationships; develop and present those relationships and programs that support these goals and inform periodically the Florida Optometric Association Board of Trustees and committee members.

Judicial Council Committee

The mission of the Judicial Council Committee is to maintain a constant review and awareness of legal issues that might affect the Florida Optometric Association, actively educate and enforce antitrust guidelines, investigate the merits of legal action that may impact the profession of optometry, and provide limited legal counsel for Association members.

Legislative Committee

The mission of the Legislative Committee is to identify and promote legislative agendas that will serve to enhance and protect the visual health of our patients and the practice of optometry in the State of Florida.

Membership Committee

The mission of the Membership Committee is to develop programs that convey to optometrists that membership in the Florida Optometric Association is a cherished asset and vital to the continued existence of optometry; develop programs to provide tangible returns to members for their membership in the Florida Optometric Association; improve communication with members and non-members regarding the benefits of membership in the Florida Optometric Association; develop volunteer and leadership programs that will encourage all Florida Optometrists to become involved in the Association; and increase interaction with students and faculty at NSU.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee is comprised of one member, usually the President of the local society/association who served in office for the year just prior to the FOA annual convention. The mission of the Nominating Committee is to prepare a slate of nominees for election to office in this Association which shall be posted at the annual meeting no later than 24 hours in advance of the time of election. The Nominating Committee report should not preclude any Active or Distinguished Member, if he/she desires, from making a nomination for any office from the floor. The Chairman of the Board of the Florida Optometric Association acts as chairman of this committee, and should remain neutral in the nominating process.

Paraoptometric Committee

The mission of the Paraoptometric Committee is to work with the Education Committee to review the activities of paraoptometric personnel in a standard optometry office and develop meaningful continuing education to satisfy the requirements of the optometrist. In addition, develop continuing education programs that would allow a member's paraoptometric staff to receive certification.

Resolutions Committee

The Resolutions Committee is comprised of three (3) or more members who are appointed by the President. It is the duty of this committee to meet, listen, and receive any complaints or grievances within or about the membership; prepare and disseminate resolutions and present them for action to the membership assembled at the annual meeting.

Third Party Committee

The mission of the Third Party Committee is to engage in third party payer workshops, phone conferences, and any event available to attain all applicable information ensuring optometrists have fair access to all third party health and vision plans, both public and private, serving patients in the state of Florida. The committee must continue to sustain ongoing communications with Florida Optometric Association members and their local societies to stay current with all third party payer issues that may arise. The committee also strives to ensure equitable reimbursement for services performed within the scope of practice of a Florida optometrist, commensurate with the reimbursement for other healthcare providers performing the same services.

Vision Rehabilitation Committee/Division of Blind Services Liaison

The mission of the Vision Rehabilitation Committee is to increase awareness and participation of the optometric physician in providing these services, provide guidance and optometric influence in the Division of Blind Services, and ensure activities and information concerning the Division of Blind Services is made available to the membership of the Florida Optometric Association.

AAO/Florida Chapter Liaison

The AAO/Florida Chapter Liaison's endeavor is to increase the awareness among Florida optometrists of the honor and prestige associated with being a member of the American Academy of Optometry.

AOA/PAC Liaison

The AOA/PAC Liaison's endeavor is to pursue and support optometry's national objectives without impacting the efforts in Florida; appoint the AOA/PAC chairman to the committee; increase AOA/PAC involvement in Florida; and appoint a politically active member of the American Optometric Association and the Florida Optometric Association to serve as liaison.

InfantSee Liaison

The InfantSee liaison's endeavor is to increase participation and optometric influence in the InfantSee program, and ensure that optometry is recognized as the primary care choice for infant's vision.

Medicaid Liaison

The Medicaid Liaison's endeavor is to analyze, maintain, and expand the role of optometry as the primary eye care provider for Medicaid patients; develop training programs to assist our members in the proper procedures to be followed when participating in the Medicaid program; and retain the services of a Medicaid consultant for the purposes of educating and communicating with FOA members with regard to Medicaid billing and compliance issues.

CAC (Medicare Liaison)

The CAC (Medicare) Liaison's endeavor is to analyze, maintain, and expand the role of optometry as the primary eye care provider for Medicare patients; actively participate with the state and national officials who administer the Medicare program and provide input on the problems and shortcomings of the program; and lobby the Medicare administrators to establish fees consistent with the fees established by Medicare.

State Regulatory Board Liaison

The State Regulatory Board Liaison's endeavor is to monitor each meeting of the Florida Board of Optometry to remain current on the activities of the Department of Health and the Florida Board of Optometry; maintain an active presence in order to respond to issues of particular interest to the Florida Optometric Association; appoint at least two active members of the Florida Optometric Association to serve as liaison to the State Board of Optometry; establish an active working relationship between the Department of Health, the State Board of Optometry and the Florida Optometric Association Liaisons; educate the staff of the Department of Health on optometric issues that are of particular interest and benefit to the health and welfare of the citizens of the State of Florida; and work
diligently to insure the Florida Board of Optometry has absolute authority to regulate the practice of optometry within the constraints of the Florida statutes; The State Regulatory Board liaison should also monitor the activities of the Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Opticianry.

Workers’ Comp Liaison

The Workers' Comp Liaison's endeavor is to actively participate in the state organization responsible for administering the Workman's compensation program and ensure that optometry has a primary eye care role in the delivery of services to patients with work related health problems; continually monitor the activities of the agency responsible for administration of the Workman's Compensation program; and ensure the reimbursement levels under the Workman's Compensation program is equitable and consistent with the services provided.