SAN FRANCISCO – In today’s ever-changing regulatory and societal environments, ophthalmic practice management is more challenging than ever. The American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives (AAOE) will offer more than 100 hours of instruction sessions during the 2006 Joint Meeting in Las Vegas, Nov. 11-14.

“The AAOE program will bring the best practices from the most experienced practice managers, managing physicians and consultants,” said AAOE Executive Director, Bob Stein. “Those who join us will find great ideas that will enhance the performance of their practices.”

Highlighted sessions include:

Saturday, Nov. 11
AAOE Coding Camp: A Workshop to Appropriately Maximize Reimbursement
This coding camp will empower the entire coding team with information on the newest rules and regulations for documentation. All subspecialties will be covered and participants will learn to code exams, consultations, special testing services and major and minor surgical procedures. (The course is taught at an intermediate level.)

Sunday, Nov. 12
AAOE General Session: Baby Boomers and Other Factors Destined to Change Your Practice
This past January, the first of the Baby Boomers turned 60. Will ophthalmologists’ practices have the capacity to meet the growing demands of an aging population?  Will current physician structure be sufficient? What alternatives to staffing might practice managers need to consider? Those attending this session will discuss ways to prepare for a successful future.

Finding, Training and Keeping Great Technicians
Ophthalmic practices rely more and more on technicians to do the work once exclusively performed by the ophthalmologist. However, with relatively few training programs throughout the country, administrators must get creative when hiring. This course will address how to find, train and retain an excellent technical staff. At the conclusion of this course, attendees will be able to identify the accredited training programs for ophthalmic assistants/technicians in the United States, list steps necessary to develop an effective in-house training program and have knowledge of proven successful retention measures.

Medicare Update 2007
This session will provide information on expected changes in 2007, and beyond. An Academy panel of experts will focus on CMS Rules and Regulations and how they affect the practice of ophthalmology. There will be ample opportunity for participants to have their specific coverage and Medicare guideline questions answered by panelists. 

Monday, Nov. 13
Pay For Performance: The Future of Physician Payment
Pay for performance (P4P) is looming as the next possible step in the evolution of physician payment. Congressional leaders and CMS are looking to improve quality and efficiency of health care through P4P.  Some large employers and insurers are paying physicians for documented performance, which will help drive change in the health care system.  Speakers will explore the government’s roadmap for performance measurement and evolution of physician payment, current efforts by employers to reward quality through incentives, responses by large medical group practices to P4P and the Academy’s involvement in developing performance measures for eye care. 

Tuesday, Nov. 14
Challenges of Management: An Interactive Problem Solving Workshop
In this interactive session, participants will be presented with performance and other management problem scenarios (inspired by actual events). Working within groups, solutions will be developed to the scenario presented.  Groups will share their solutions with other session participants.

But Wait, There’s More
In addition to the course program, attendees should visit the Technology Pavilion, which will include free presentations on the newest technologies. Academy members and independent consultants will also be available to answer questions.

Academy experts will also be available to provide straight forward answers for those stumped by coding scenarios at the Practice Management Center and Coding Booth. The AAOE team will be available every day to help with other critical business issues. One-on-one consultations with professional practice management experts can be scheduled.

There will also be a host of exhibiting companies with booths including, Management Plus, Eyemaginations, Inc., Patient Education Concepts, Vision Associates and many more.

For a complete program listing or to register for the Joint Meeting, visit www.aao.org/meetings/annual_meeting.

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About the American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives
AAOE, a partner of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, provides professional development programs and other resources designed to advance the knowledge of those responsible for managing the business aspects of an ophthalmology practice. For more information, visit the AAOE's Web site at www.aao.org/AAOE.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
AAO is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons—Eye M.D.s—with more than 27,000 members worldwide.  Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery. For more information, visit the Academy's Web site at www.aao.org.