AAO 2008 / ISSUE I

AAO NEWS

Editors,Communications DivisionTanya Lambden, OD

Member ServicesEvents CoordinatorStacey Dominiuk,AAO

Executive DirectorBarbara Bruce,AAO

ProductionPioneer Press Ltd.

Editorial Office:Alberta Association ofOptometrists#100, 8407 Argyll RoadEdmonton, AB T6C 4B2Telephone: (780) 451-6824Fax: (780) 452-9918Email: alberta.association@optometrists.ab.caWeb: www.optometrists.ab.ca

AAO News is published bythe Alberta Association ofOptometrists. All rights reserved.AAO members may use any or allpublished material in their ownpublications if source is listed.

IN THIS ISSUE:

President’s Message............................1

Call For Media Training ....................1

2007 - 2008 Council..........................2

Welcome ..............................................2

Annual Planning Session....................3

AAO Rep Joins CSA Committee ........3

Get Involved ................................4 & 5

Regional Meetings Planned ..............5

FrameWarranty Issue Clarified ......6

Government Relations ......................7

NPEC - Advertising Expenditures ..7

Police Recruit Visual Screening ........8

Insured Services Updates ................8

Upgrades FromThe Top Down ....10

National CampaignWins Award ..10

AAO Membership Benefits............11

resident’sPessageM

pring is here and we see a number ofnew and returning faces in the provincial gov-ernment. I hope that you had the opportuni-ty to develop a relationship with your localMLA during the election. We must continueto nurture relationships with and educatepoliticians about eye care issues.

It is unfortunate to see in recent articles inthe Edmonton Journal and Calgary Heraldthat the Ophthalmological Society of Albertais opposed to optometrists providing medical-ly necessary exams. However, the subsequentsupport shown for us in a Calgary Herald edi-torial and a letter to the editor from a glau-coma patient is very gratifying. The medicaleye care services that we have been providingto Albertans for over a decade are very valu-able and we play an important role in theincreasingly strained health care system.

In January, I attended the Optometric LeadersForum in Toronto which brings togetheroptometric leaders from across the countryevery year. It continues to be a good forum

to share ideasand information.This year’smeeting includ-ed presenta-tions from Mr.Richard Howlett, CEO of the CanadianDiabetes Association and Dr. Cal Breslin,Chair of the National Coalition for VisionHealth. The value of partnerships and collab-oration cannot be underestimated.

There has recently been some renewed inter-est in the development of an optometryschool inWestern Canada and your councilwill be forming a committee to explore thisissue further.

Get ready for a big party! We are makingpreliminary plans for a joint AAO/BCAO con-ference in the spring of 2010. Stay tuned formore details.

Enjoy spring!Dr. Dan LowePresident

Seeing is Believing. . . get a clearer view by visiting our website at www.optomestrists.ab.ca . . .

S

Do you have a way with words? Can you talkpassionately about optometry? If so, we wouldLOVE to work with you.The AAO is recruitinga core group of ODs who would be willing toattend a media training workshop with a goalof becoming our “go to” people for local andregional media. This is especially importantduring eye health month in October, but mediacoverage on eye health issues can arise at anytime.We need some optometrists that we canrefer inquiries to throughout the year.TheAAO also puts out seasonal news releases and

public service announcements geared towardspromoting eye health that result in mediaattention.Any media contact would be coordi-nated through the AAO office, but we need theauthority of optometric professionals to lendadditional credibility to our messaging.

Depending on the level of response we get,workshops will be scheduled for late summeror early fall, in time for eye health month inOctober. If you are interested, pleasecontact Barbara Bruce at the AAO office at(780) 451-6824 or bbruce@optometrists.ab.ca.

Call for media training inpreparation for fall

AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

Welcome,Welcome!!The Alberta Association of Optometrists

would like to welcome the following new

members to our association:

Dr. IIyaliz Arriag

Dr. Sivan Chong

Dr. Alison Harapiak

Dr. Ryan Hogan

Dr. Rochelle Hudson

Dr. Abdo Kattan

Dr. Brayton Kidd

Dr. Bernard Kim

Dr. Sophy Kurian

Dr. Hemal Kutlerywala

Dr. Rachel Mandel

Dr. Salina Wazir

Alberta Association of Optometrists2007 - 2008 Council

President Dr. Dan Lowe Inter-professional Relations

Past President Dr. Steve Larsen Leadership & Awards

President Elect Dr. Neepun Sharma Planning Session

Secretary/Treasurer, Director Dr. Jason Pearce Executive & Administration

Director Dr. Allan Jones CAO Councilor

Director Dr. Femida Visnani Member Benefits

Director Dr. Jim Asuchak Conference & Special Projects

Director Dr. Tanya Lambden Communications & Public Relations

Director Dr. Aaron Patel Government Relations/Insured Services

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

By Dr. Neepun Sharma

In late February your council retreated to Costa Rica for aweek of planning, networking, and relaxation. Three days werespent in formal meetings, and countless more hours werespent in informal discussions and debates about the professionand the goals of the association.

This year’s planning session was unique. In previous years,hours were spent on issues such as sight-testing, developing achildren’s vision program, and funding for medically necessaryprocedures, amongst others. Many of those goals have beenachieved. Hence, your Council realized that it was time toplan ahead and look at where we want to take this professionin the next decade or two. This included someblue-sky thinking on:

How to increase member involvement – An ongoing con-cern has been the fact that we have a few members who havegraciously always given their time to help the profession.However, these same volunteers are running on “burn out”mode.What can we do?

The occupational vision care program – A thoroughreview from the initial goals of the program, to where it standsnow, where we want to take it in the future.

Potential for another school of optometry in Canada– This is a topic that has come of interest from members andfuture optometrists that currently study in the United States.

The mission of the Alberta Association of Optometrists wasconfirmed as:

To promote excellence in the practice of optometry, to enhance pub-lic recognition of optometry as the primary vision care provider inAlberta, and to advance the interests of the profession.

Following are the updated ends (goals) that determine the pri-orities for association activities:

1) AAO encourages and facilitates optometrists to practice tothe highest level of their education.

2) AAO promotes optometry and eye health care to the public.

3) AAO members value their relationships within the associa-tion and at least 90% of eligible optometrists will choose tobe members of the association.

4) AAO supports initiatives that help members control theireconomic destiny, while maintaining the integrity of the pro-fession, and advocates on behalf of its members for the goodand welfare of the profession.

Strategies and action plans support each one of these ends.Goals were also set and discussed for the three main planningsessions.Work will be carried out by a combination of councilmembers, committees and staff. If you are interested in gettinginvolved in your association in support of these ends, contactany council member, or Barbara at the AAO office. More specif-ic details pertaining to the planning session will follow in theAGM booklet.

Annual planning session serves to focusassociation priorities

AAO rep joins the CSA committee for eyeand face protection standardsAs our association strives to ensure that the interests of ourmembers are always in the forefront, our OVC Director, BrianFurman, has recently been added to the Canadian StandardsAssociation (CSA) Committee for Eye and Face ProtectionStandards. He joins industry partners at the table such asDoug Dean (CAO), Dr. Ralph Chou (University ofWaterloo),Roger Paquette (North Safety) and Claude Fortier (Securo-Vision), among others. The committee meets twice a year toshape the safety standards for eye and face protection.

Brian attended his first CSA committee meeting in Toronto atthe beginning of April and found it to be very worthwhile. He

was added to the committee as a voting member, and his inputand perspective were warmly welcomed.

Brian’s participation on this committee is important to AAO,and in turn, our membership, because he can bring our mem-bers’ questions and concerns to the table.As well, his involve-ment will serve to better inform us of how this committeemakes and interprets safety rules. Further, Brian will be well“plugged-in” to issues related to new developments in theindustry. All this knowledge can then be applied to the AAO’soccupational vision care program to the benefit of both ODsand client companies.

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4 AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

The Alberta Association of Optometrists is here to serve ourmembership, but who exactly does the work?

There is a core staff, who take care of the day-to-day administra-tion required to manage a thriving occupational vision care pro-gram, organize the annual continuing education conferences, deliv-er membership benefits, liaise with government at various levels,coordinate public awareness campaigns, steward the association’sfinancial and real estate assets, and support council and commit-tees in their work. But there is so much more to be done!

Over the years many optometrists have generously given of theirtime to assist the association (and therefore optometry) in meet-ing its goals.

How can I get involved in my association?

As an AAO member there are many ways you can support yourassociation:

Committees – there are several committees and working groupswhere ODs provide their expertise and perspective. Some requireregular commitments, while others are only active periodically, oron an ad hoc basis as issues arise.

Events – events often provide opportunities to promote eyehealth and optometry to the public, or within the health careindustry.The association needs eye health experts (that’s YOU!) tosupport these type of events and lend credibility and authority tothe information that is being communicated.

Phone calling – part of the success of our government relationsstrategy, and thus our favourable contracts with the provincial gov-ernment, is a coordinated communication campaign by AAO mem-bers. From time to time we need ODs to assist in communicatingkey messages.

Council – take on a leadership role! Have a say in the policydevelopment, planning and prioritizing of association initiatives andactivities.

What are the expectations?

Give a little, give a lot . . . If you only have a little bit of time, youonly need to offer a little bit.We are working to build our list of

volunteers that we can call upon from time to time for short termcommitments. On the other hand, if you are able to commit tosomething with longer term implications, we can give you some-thing satisfying to do as well.

What are the benefits of becoming involved?

There are many benefits to be earned, in addition to gaining per-sonal satisfaction. By supporting your association you can:

• Promote your profession – you can raise awareness of theprofession within the public, which causes positive ripplesthroughout the marketplace, and across health disciplines

• Promote your own business – through participation in publicevents you can become known as the eye health expert thatpeople will turn to, and someone to whom they can refer their

friends and family members.This can be especially valuable forsomeone building a new practice.

• Earn CE credits – some volunteer activities are eligible for CEcredits.

• Network with colleagues – by working side-by-side withother ODs you can build and maintain valuable relationships andtake advantage of these informal opportunities to learn fromothers. Reconnect with your school companions.

• Get out of your office! – refresh yourself by doing some-thing different from your day-to-day, yet still related to your pro-fession.

• Gain a different perspective - through interaction with thepublic you may learn more about the perception and misconcep-tions held about optometry, and have an opportunity to enhancethe profession’s image.

• Learn leadership skills – through committee and councilwork you can build your skill sets.

Get involved in your association!

Committee listing• AAO / AHW working group (Optometric PrimaryHealth Reform Initiative)

• CAO Representative Children’s Vision Committee• Insured Services• Legislative Review (ACO committee withAAO representation)• LowVision Task Force• National Public Education Committee• Negotiations Committee• Occupational Vision Care Committee• Political Action Committee (keymen)

Vision Expo 2006 Volunteers

• Gain the appreciation of your peers – other ODs will rec-ognize you for the contribution you make

• Have fun! – It’s not all hard work. Sometimes it can be loads offun to be involved!

Where do I start?

Contact the AAO office and talk to either Stacey or Barbara. Evenif you don’t know specifically what you want to do – give us a call.We can find out what kinds of things you are interested in andwhat amount of time you can contribute, and then let you knowwhat your options are.

New grads: First and second year students are given significant dis-counts on association membership. In return, the association wouldlike to see each new grad give a minimum of one half day per yearof their time to support association initiatives.

Established members:You can support your staff by allowing themthe flexibility in their work schedules to attend association-spon-sored events and/or serve on committees and work groups. Ifyou work side-by-side with the newer ODs you can provide valu-able mentorship to the next generation of AAO members andhelp to ensure the long-term viability of the organization andthe profession.

What AAO volunteers are saying . . .

I volunteer because it is an excellent way to network with membersof your profession, other professions and your community, and also agreat opportunity to find new ways to appreciate optometry. As a sidebenefit, volunteering is very beneficial to practice growth.

- Dr.Tanya Lambden

I found volunteering for the AAO very fulfilling. I felt very appreciatedfor providing the information and answering questions. It was satisfy-ing to see how the information helped a lot of these people in under-standing the different eye diseases and clarifying a lot of misconceptionsthey had.

- Dr.Annu Kaul

AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

This spring AAO will be hosting regional meetings in four loca-tions. Please make plans for you and your staff to join us for anupdate on association activities and mini-seminars on govern-ment relations and health care billings.

The two-hour program will be as follows:•Welcome / update on activities• Billings seminar• Government relations seminar• Open Q & A session

Edmonton Regional MeetingTuesday, May 13th

Four Points by Sheraton (Edmonton South)7230 Argyll Road • 6:30pm-8:30pmRoom: Niagara C • RSVP by Tuesday May 6th

Red Deer Regional MeetingWednesday, May 14th

Capri Hotel3310 – 50 Avenue • 6:30pm-8:30pmRoom: Marseille Room • RSVP byWednesday May 7th

Lethbridge Regional MeetingMonday, June 2nd

Ramada2375 Mayor Magrath Drive South • 6:30pm-8:30pmRoom: TBA • RSVP by Monday May 26th

Calgary Regional MeetingTuesday, June 3rd

Executive Royal Inn2828 – 23 Street NE • 6:30pm-8:30pmRoom: TBA • RSVP by Tuesday May 27th

We require an RSVP from all attendees as a light dinner willbe provided. Please call Ami at the AAO office. From theEdmonton region call 451-6824 or from elsewhere in theprovince use our toll-free line: 1 (800) 272-8843.

Please note: Optometrists attending the sessions will qualifyfor 2 hours of CE credits.

EventsOptometrists are needed to support these eventson an annual basis:• Mom, Pop & Tots Trade Show

• Career days

• Science fair judging

• CNIB Diabetes Expo Regional meetingsplanned

Diabetes Expo 2007 Volunteers

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

Frame warranty issue clarifiedRecently the Alberta Opticians Association addressed for theirmembership the issue of frame warranties. Following is anexcerpt from an item submitted by Don Smith to their recentnewsletter:

As of April 1, 2008 the section of the AEI (social services) con-tract agreement refers to the warranty on frames as follows:

“Frames will be covered with a one year or longer warranty againstbreakage due to reasonable wear and tear.The practitioner willmake every effort to repair or replace damaged frames within thewarranty period. Breakage resulting from patient neglect or abuse(non-reasonable wear and tear) may not be covered through themanufacturer warranty.”

While I would like to perhaps change some of the wording inthis section, it seems to be prettystraight forward and leaves theissue of frame warranty to thediscretion of the individualOptician as it should be.We allhave businesses to run.However Alberta

Employment, Immigration and Industry (AEII) have been receiv-ing complaints about some Alberta Opticians not honouringthe warranty on frames that are less than one year old. Ibelieve that in MOST cases frames that we provide to AEIIclients should be covered by us and/or the manufacturer duringthis period. Other options under the terms of the agreementcomes under the section of “Repairs and Replacement Parts”.This section can be used when a frame is more than one yearold or when the damaged frame in the opinion of the Opticiansis the result of patient neglect or abuse.These repairs must beauthorized in advance and may not exceed the value of areplacement frame (i.e. $64.68).This section of the agreementalso states that “Frames must be supplied with a guaranteeagainst breakage for one year or longer.”

Did you know . . . as part of an effort to ensure that medicalpractitioners have access to current information about optom-etry, the AAO sponsors an annual subscription to the Journalof the American Optometric Association.The journal is sentdirectly to the MacKimmie Library at the University of Calgary.

On April 2, 2008, lifetime AAO member,Dr.

Ralph LeDrew, father of Dr. Don LeDrew,

passed away at the age of 93. Dr. Ralph LeDrew

graduated from the School of Optometry at the

University of Toronto in 1938. He later received

a Doctor of Optometry degree from UCLA. He

served over 20 years on the Alberta Provincial

Board of Examiners in Optometry. He was a

member of the Alberta Association of

Optometrists, the Canadian Association of

Optometrists and the American Academy of

Optometry. Ralph moved to Edmonton in 1941,

where he established an optometry practice in

the Tegler Building.The Optometrists Clinic later

moved to 123 Street and Jasper Avenue where it

is still located. In his many years of practice he

touched many lives by his caring and dedicated

service in improving his patient’s vision. Our

thoughts and prayers are with his family.

In Memory

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

Government relationsBy Peggy Sloan

Members recently received a lengthy document which includedthe results of the recent Alberta election, a list of MLAs andthe names of optometrists who are actively matched within ourKeymen Program. We sincerely hope every member will takethe time to read the information and become better informedabout our government relations program, and the critical roleevery member can play in moving this profession forward.

While everyone focused on the return of the ProgressiveConservatives to nearly unchallenged power, the March 3 elec-tion produced an unusual 38% turnover among MLAs. Sameparty’s in, but it’s a new crowd! It is now a matter of learningto work with a government that is both old and new. Oldbecause there’s long term continuity at the top cabinet levelsand in the civil service. New because this election saw a hugeturnover among members of the legislature. There are 32 newMLAs. Roughly three of every eight MLAs are new to the job.All will be learning the ropes and meeting people and groupsfor the first time. For any organization dealing with the govern-ment or with an idea to push, this year is the time to meet thenew crowd and build alliances or, at a minimum, build familiarity.

Managing the caucus suddenly becomes more important. ThePremier now has to deal with eager young arrivals and witholder veterans who aren’t expecting to give up the status andinfluence they spent years earning. In short….the Premier willbe looking for ways to keep them all busy.

As a result of this election, there aren’t enough MLAs on theopposition side to keep up with all the party assignments —they will now have to pick their spots. Opposition MLAs willhave significantly reduced budgets and staff. We should expectthat government will be more sure of itself and the oppositioneven less noticed in the coming months.

There have been some interesting perspectives written by“Insight into Government’ over the past few weeks, and I haveshared below some excerpts which pertain specifically to healthcare delivery and the new political reality in Alberta.

• The Hon. Ron Liepert, Minister of Health andWellness plansto bring forward a three phase health action plan by mid April

• Government is fixated on the ‘sustainability’ of health care

• Premier Ed Stelmach states the ThirdWay won’t be revived.

• Health has become a priority; the common-sense but bluntLiepert is seen as a tough minister who can handle potentialfriction; he’s also seen as likely to be tougher than Hancockon spending.

• Big moves in health are clearly on the agenda for this year.Liepert talked immediately about more accessible care.Theimmediate issue is salaries.The current doctors’ fee agree-ment expires March 31. More than 30,000 licensed practicalnurses and health care support staff have contracts that alsoexpire at the end of March.

It is true that we have the same party in power, but we are def-initely entering a new era of governance. Premier Stelmach hashis own strong mandate from the people of Alberta and he cannow lead without fear of being compared to his predecessor.The AAO has a tremendous task and challenge ahead as weendeavour to educate this new crowd about eye health and therole optometry should play in eye health care delivery.

Your association will be holding regional meetings in May/June— with time dedicated to government relations and billingAHCIP effectively. Watch for a bulletin with dates, locations,and times.

By Dr. Tanya Lambden

As always, the national advertising levy funds are applied direct-ly to cost of purchasing air time for the national TV commer-cial. This means that every penny of the $800 each memberinvested this year bought time during 90% of primetime’s mostpopular shows. By buying this airtime as a group, our return oninvestment was much greater than what could be achieved bybuying regionally or provincially.

As well, the strength of the national advertising campaign helpsto attract sponsors for the Eye Health Council of Canada. It isthe funds from the EHCC that pay for market research, pro-duction of the popular TV ad, magazine advertising and promo-tion of Eye Health Month. Last year CIBA, a strong supporterof EHCC, completely funded their own advertorial promotingCAO’s message.

This year the EHCC funds are more important than ever as the

current TV ad is reaching the end of its small screen life.The adwith the lights going out will be replaced with a new and excit-ing ad this fall. Designs for the new ad are still being fine tuned,but I am very excited to see the final product – I will continueto update you with progress on this ad.

Finally, Eye Health Month will again be promoted with the helpof the public relations firm Fleishman—Hillard (FH).The mes-sage of serious eye disease and preventative eye care willremain the same and FH is finalizing a more specific theme inmind.The Eye DareYou contest will be taking place again in thefall. I encourage all members to start thinking of various waysto promote eye health in your community . . .Alberta was theproud winner of this contest in its inaugural year, but BCAOhas held the title the past two years.Various materials such asPowerPoint, brochures, tear off sheets, and so on are availablethrough CAO. Please visit www.opto.ca for more informationand remember to email your stories to CAO come October.

NPEC – How your national advertisingdollars are spent

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

Police recruit visual screening open to all ODsFollowing a four-month pilot project, the Alberta SolicitorGeneral’s department is now opening up participation in theirBailey-Lovie testing program to all AAO members. Back inNovember they approached the AAO to facilitate the initiationof the province-wide low-contrast visual acuity assessment pro-gram. The special screening is required for those recruits whohave undergone laser surgery or have had Phakic Intra-ocularlens implants.The Solicitor General initially specified only ninelocations, with an expectation that this would provide sufficientaccess for the recruits. Since then however, it has becomeapparent that the demand is greater than anticipated.The AAOreceived numerous calls from our members who had clients

asking for these tests, andin turn we communicatedthis to the SolicitorGeneral’s department inan effort to encouragethem to open up theirprogram. In mid-April thedepartment representa-tives agreed to this.

Starting immediately, any AAO member who wishes to offerthese specialized tests to their clients will be required to:

• Sign an agreement with the Solicitor General (copy availablethrough the AAO)

• Purchase the specialized testingequipment (Bailey-Lovie acuitycharts, digital light meter, spe-cial welding goggles)

• Agree to charge a maximumservice fee of $50

• Abide by the protocols outlined in the Night VisionAssessment Screening

Instructions manual supplied by the Solicitor General (copiesavailable through the AAO).The AAO has agreed to continue tofacilitate this program, so any members who are interested maycontact Stacey Dominiuk to get more details and obtain therequired paperwork.A copy of the agreement and the manualare posted on the AAO website for our members’ reference.

On April 1st Alberta Blue Cross launched their new onlineclaims processing and by all reports it is going well.They sentinformation packages out in late March to all optometrists. Ifyou haven’t yet signed up to offer this service to your patients,you may go to www.bluecross.ca/online_services.html toget started.

The AAO has been working through the new billing codes withAlberta Health and Wellness ever since the new programstarted last fall. In consultation with the association, and due tofeedback from our members, they have created some newexplanatory codes that offer more detailed reasons for rejectedbillings.Watch for an interpretation bulletin on this issue fromAlberta Health in the very near future.

The association has also been discussing with Alberta Health

the issue of proper billing for patients with diabetes and hyper-tension. We will be working with Alberta Health to draft aninterpretation bulletin that will assist our members in under-standing these sometimes grey areas.

As per our contract with Alberta Employment andImmigration (formerly AHRE), the optical care benefits forsocial assistance patients increased effective April 1, 2008.Information on the new rates can be found in your red mem-ber binder, under the Human Resources and Employment tab(schedule A, Period 2). For a quick reference however, theassociation has updated the benefit grid and posted a copy onthe AAO website atwww.optometrists.ab.ca/news.html?EK=2. Hard copies of theupdated benefit grids will be mailed out to members as well.

Insured services updates

Recent ArrivalsDr. Riaz Ahmed and his wife Simrit, are overjoyed to announce the arrival of their first child, Aniya. Aniya was born on

March 24th and weighed in at 5 lbs 3 oz. Congratulations to the happy parents!!

CongratulationsOn March 22, 2008,Dr. Annu Kaul andMiles Kohan tied the knot in Las Vegas!With their children and three weddingcrashers as witnesses, they sealed the deal with a kiss! Congratulations Dr. Kaul!

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

Attention all Optometrists . . .Plan to attend the

2008 Continuing Education Conference

Look at what we have to offer!

c An impressive group of speakers c 20 hours of continuing education creditsc AAO awards luncheonc Various breakfas t speakersc Member mixer c Online registration at www.optometrists.ab.cac Optifairc The AAO 88th annual general meetingc The ACO annual general meetingc Early bird registration rates c One lucky member will win “free AAO professional dues for 2009”

Featured speakers include:

September 25th, 26th and 27th

Watch your mailbox for registration packages in June!!

For more information, please call Stacey at (780) 451-6824

Dr. John McGrealDr. Margaret Penny

Tom BowenDr. Len Ferguson

Dr. Art EpsteinHypnotist - J.R. Matthew

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

Upgrades from the top down!

National campaign wins award

Over the past few months the association’s office building (ownership shared with the Alberta College of Optometrists)has been undergoing some upgrades. Throughout the month of March, the surface of the roof (leaking in a few spots)was stripped down to its base, and re-built layer-by-layer to an “as new” condition. Then in early April, the ancientheating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit on the roof was removed and replaced with a new, energy effi-cient model.These two upgrades are expected to bring significant returns in energy savings over the coming years.

The next upgrade will be to the second floor. Our long-termtenant,WendyLynn Homes is embarking on significant lease-hold improvements as they have recently taken over theentire floor and wish to create a more professional space fortheir growing business. At the same time, the interior HVACsystem will be updated, and tied into the previously-renovat-ed system on the main floor, and the new roof unit for evenmore energy savings.

In addition to the ongoing cost-savings and environmentalbenefits, the upgraded lease space will increase the value ofthe asset that you, our members, own.

The battered and rusted old unit rests in the parkinglot before being taken away.

A massive crane lifts the new HVACunit onto the roof.

APRIL 25, 2008 - CAO is truly pleased to announce that theOctober Eye Health Month campaign for 2007 has been recog-nized by the Canadian Public Relations Society.At an awardsdinner held this week the campaign won a silver award in theBest Use of Communications Tools category.This award is agreat recognition of the success of the campaign and it was upagainst other well-known and well-supported brands.

CAO recognizes the importance of building the brand ofproactive eye health in the public sector.The Public Relationseffort, funded entirely through CAO’s working relationshipswith Industry partners, continues to be an effective method of

earned media and further assists in increasing the number ofimpressions of the CAO brand.

This year, CAO has once again earmarked funds from itsIndustry partners, the Eye Health Council of Canada, towards aPR campaign. It will be launched during October Eye HealthMonth and will adopt theWorld Sight Day theme of Eyes onthe Future - fighting vision impairment in later life.

Stay tuned for more developments in this year’s PR effort andhow you can play a role by entering the Eye DareYou chal-lenge. To find out more contact your provincial association orDoris Mirella at the national office, 888-263-4676 extension 213.

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I

Eye See... Eye LearnReaches CalgaryThe Alberta Association of Optometrists

(AAO) is your professional association.Weoffer a wide range of services to members,and want to make sure these services areuseful and of value to you.Your Director ofMember Benefits is Dr. Femida Visnani. Ourgoal is to serve you and meet yourneeds…..so we must know what thoseneeds are. Please feel free to call the associ-ation office for ANYTHING related to yourpractice….if we don’t know the answer, wewill try and direct you to the appropriatesource.

Your AAO membership includes:

A voice in legislative affairs: The AAOis the designated body representingoptometry and meets with the provincial gov-ernment on your behalf for a variety of rea-sons. The AAO is your voice when we meetwith Alberta Health andWelfare to negotiatefees, and discuss optometric billing codes andprocedures.The AAO continues to fight onyour behalf for ‘adequate’ funding for cover-age of clinical conditions.We monitor provin-cial legislation, attend workshops, and ensurethat optometry’s needs and concerns areconsidered by government.The AAO orches-trates a Political Action Plan which involvesmembers in the process and ensures our visi-bility at Premiers Dinners, MLA Banquets,political fund raisers, conferences etc.

Recommended schedule of profession-al fees:The AAO prepares a comprehensiveguide recommending fees for all services per-formed for optometric patients, which ismade available to you and third party visioncare administrators.

Public information materials and aids:Information pamphlets, brochures, posters,tear sheets and stickers are produced by theAAO and made available to members. Someof this promotional material is made availablefor purchase, and some is distributed free ofcharge.AAO members have access to twodisplay booths, which can be used at tradeand career fairs. Provincial mediacampaigns are orchestrated through the asso-ciation office to promote optometryand raise awareness throughout the province.Non-members cannot purchase AAOproducts.

Professional communication:AAOmembers receive a regular newsletter con-taining updates and pertinent information. Inaddition, the association produces theOptomart, which is a classified ad publication,free to AAO members.The AAO staff aretrained to answer member inquiries and pro-vide support to individual members and/orregional societies. Both can be viewed onlineat www.optomtetrists.ab.ca.

Group plans offering special rates, andnegotiated by the AAO include disability andlife insurance, credit card rates,AlbertaMobility, courier services, Quikcard,telephone-on-hold messaging, and our newestaddition “Maxopia.” Maxopia offers excellentdiscounts to AAO members for office sup-plies and equipment.AAO members don’t paya sign up fee! The association is constantly onthe lookout for group benefit plans whichwould be of interest to the membership.

Regional meetings and workshops areorganized and facilitated by the associationannually.These offer continuing educationcredits and social interaction with fellow AAOmembers, and provide a forum for informa-tion exchange between the elected Counciland the field practitioner.

AAO annual general meeting,continuing education conference andoptifair are organized each year and AAOmembers attend at a much reduced rate. OurOptifair is one of the most successful inCanada, attracting large numbers of suppliersand doctors.

AAO vision care programs are available tomembers only. Our industrial safetyeyewear program is the flag ship for Canada,and provides substantial non dues revenues.Participating doctors’ names are circulated toclient companies, thus increasing theirvisibility within their practicing community.

Member manuals are provided by theAAO to be used as a reference tool.Theycontain information on provincial and federalthird party programs, member benefits, copiesof our bylaws, plus the current recommendedfee schedule.

Online resources: Power Pointpresentations – covering subjects such asglaucoma, diabetes, children’s vision, etc.available online to members only!

Membership with the CanadianAssociation of Optometrists is only opento members of the provincial association.The CAO represents the national interests ofoptometrists in Canada, and works on yourbehalf with government, industry, vision carepatients, the public and other health profes-sionals. A significant benefit providedby the CAO has been the effective publicawareness campaign, administered by NPEC.In addition CAO supplies your annualOptometrist’s Desk Reference.The lastsection of the ODR is an excellent policyreference and should be kept within easyreach in every optometric office!

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP IN AAO(Non Members cannot purchase AAO products or services)

The association is always looking for ways

to enhance our value to the membership,

and our services are not limited to those

mentioned above. In addition, we regularly

gather information via surveys, which are

then analyzed and shared with the

membership.We act as a communications

clearing house, and pride ourselves on

being able and willing to assist the

membership wherever possible.

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AAO News / 2008 / Issue I12