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    AAO 2020 Daily: A Preview

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    Coming Soon: AAO 2020 Daily Newsblast

    This month, check your email for the annual meeting’s nightly e-newslet­ter—AAO 2020 Daily.

    On Thursday, Nov. 12, a preview edition will provide:

    • steps to prepare (see below for a sneak peek),
    • tips on making the most of the virtual meeting format, and
    • late-breaking program news.

    From Friday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 15, get nightly clinical news roundups, including meeting high­lights, clinical pearls, and the latest announcements about the Academy’s first-ever all-virtual annual meeting as it happens.

    STEPS TO PREPARE

    Step 1. Register

    First, of course, you will need to regis­ter yourself and your staff. Registration for AAO 2020 Virtual is all-inclusive. You no longer need tickets or additional registrations to access in-depth content such as Subspecialty Day meetings, instruction courses, and Skills Transfer courses. At $425 for Academy members, $150 for Academy members in training, $250 for AAOE members, and $1,100 for nonmembers, the pass provides AAO 2020 Virtual registrants double the amount of content that typically was available to those registering for the basic in-person meeting in past years, and more than double the number of CME credits.

    What you get with the All-Access Pass. You will receive access to:

    • over 100 hours of live-streaming, interactive sessions;
    • all on-demand annual meeting content, including instruction courses, papers, posters, and videos;
    • on-demand content from all eight Subspecialty Day meetings and the AAOE Practice Management Program; and
    • the AAO 2020 Virtual Expo where you can connect with industry repre­sentatives and learn about the latest products and services.

    Register at aao.org/2020.

    Step 2. Research the Program

    Determine which sessions and presen­tations you won’t want to miss. The Virtual Meeting Guide (VMG), spon­sored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, is a helpful planning resource for AAO 2020 Virtual. It includes:

    • program search (which will allow you to look up information by present­er, keyword, or event number and filter by program topic, event type, or special interest);
    • information about which sessions are live and which are recorded;
    • abstracts;
    • handouts;
    • announcements from the Academy;
    • AAO Virtual Expo and Industry Showcase Theater details;
    • ePosters; and
    • Videos on Demand.

    The VMG can be accessed in the virtual meeting platform. Remember to enable messaging in your settings to have reminders and announcements texted to you during the meeting.

    Search just the program, including abstracts and information about the Expo, at aao.org/2020.

    Step 3. Personalize Your Schedule

    When you build your schedule, pay attention to which sessions you want to watch live so that you can contribute to the discussion. You can even hop from one Subspecialty Day meeting to another. Then, go back and fill in your schedule with some of the excellent on-demand programs.

    Note that live meetings will also be recorded and available on demand after the meeting. During past meetings, you may have had to make choices between concurrent sessions, but AAO 2020 Virtual will allow you to access all the sessions you want to see.

    Schedule your breaks. During built-in breaks, plan to visit the EyePlay Ex- perience for some fun, including a member art gallery and Academy’s Got Talent. Find new products and services in the AAO 2020 Virtual Expo, or catch up with colleagues in a virtual lounge.

    Have lunch and learn. Attend an EyeNet Corporate Lunch in the Industry Showcase Theater. All are live sessions:

    • Friday, Nov. 13, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PST, Regeneron presents “Proven Outcomes in the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema and Diabetic Retinop­athy.”
    • Saturday, Nov. 14, 11:05 a.m.-12:05 p.m. PST, Novartis presents “Connect­ing the Dots: Evidence-based Perspec­tives on Dry Eye Disease.”
    • Sunday, Nov. 15, 11:05 a.m.-12:05 p.m. PST, Allergan, an AbbVie Company, presents “DURYSTA (bimato­prost intracameral implant).”

    Find more information at aao.org/eyenet/corporate-events.

    Step 4. Plan Your Expo Visit

    While using the VMG to research the program (Step 2), you also can see a list of exhibitors and a list of events taking place in the Industry Showcase Theater, where you can learn about the latest research, technology, and thinking in the industry. Planning ahead for the virtual exhibit hall can make your visit to the AAO Virtual Expo more valuable and efficient.

    In each booth at AAO 2020 Virtual Expo, you can learn about products and services as well as connect with company representatives. At the In­dustry Showcase Theater, you will hear in-depth discussion. The Expo and Industry Showcase Theater presenta­tions will take place Nov. 13-15. Return to the Expo through Feb. 15, 2021, to visit booths and view recorded presen­tations from the theater you missed during the meeting.

    Learn more at aao.org/expo.

    Step 5. Plan to Use the Academy’s 10% Discount

    Before the meeting, think ahead about the Academy products you might need for the coming year (including the ICD-10 reference and Coding Coach), then stop by the Academy Resource Center to get discount codes for Academy and AAOE products. You can save 10% on most purchases by using the code at the Academy Store at aao.org/store. (The codes are valid from Nov. 13 through Nov. 29; no minimum purchase is required.)

    While you are in the Academy Re­source Center, browse the latest prod­ucts and resources; get answers to your IRIS Registry questions; talk to AAOE coding experts; learn more about the EyeSmart public information program; check in on the Academy Foundation and the Academy’s new Truhlsen-Mar­mor Museum of the Eye; and find information about the Academy’s advo­cacy at the federal and state levels.

    To see which products you might want to purchase, visit aao.org/store. The newest products from the Academy and AAOE are highlighted in the AAO 2020 News (pages 13-14), which was mailed with this issue of EyeNet.

    Step 6. Sign Up for the Free Orbital Gala

    Get your favorite vintage Vegas outfit ready in preparation for the Orbital Gala. The 17th annual fundraiser will be a fast-paced revelry, complete with comedic entertainment and, of course, an exciting auction that will have you jumping into the bidding wars.

    Ron W. Pelton, MD, PhD, recom­mends attending because “Someone great once said that ‘service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.’ And what if we can have a great time doing it? The first-ever virtual Orbital Gala will be much-needed fun, where you can let your hair down, bid on unique auction items, and see your friends—all while doing good and helping the Academy Foundation.”

    With this free, all-virtual event, the Academy expects a bigger crowd than in years past. Plan to join the fun on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 5:00 p.m. PST.

    Register at aao.org/gala.

    BEYOND AAO 2020

    View What You Missed

    When AAO 2020 Virtual comes to a close on Sunday, Nov. 15, you will have had the opportunity to attend a variety of virtual sessions and connect with some of the brightest minds in oph­thalmology. But don’t let the learning stop there. After the meeting, record­ings of the live sessions you missed will be available on the virtual meeting platform through Feb. 15, 2021. Plus, you’ll also have access to an additional 700 hours of on-demand content.

    Sign Up for Coding Camp Plus

    Get an insider’s look at the critical cod­ing changes and the most important updates for 2021 at this year’s virtual Coding Camp Plus from 9:00 a.m. to noon PST on Nov. 21, the Saturday after the annual meeting.

    Join the Academy’s senior coding experts as they present an informative and interactive course that includes:

    • Test Your Knowledge of 2021 E/M Documentation Requirements
    • Audience Auditor: What Would You Submit?
    • To Bill or Not to Bill: What Is Bill­able to the Payer or the Patient?
    • Modifier Mastery Challenge: The Impact on Claim Payment or Denial
    • Business Office Outcomes: Is Your A/R Working for or Against You?

    Plus, you’ll get exclusive access to the Coding Camp Plus recording, so that you can review it at your convenience. And you’ll have access to the 2021 Coding Update Webinar on Jan. 12 at no additional charge.

    Learn more and register today at aao.org/codingcamp.

    Submit an Abstract for AAO 2021

    Want to present at AAO 2021? Don’t miss the deadline for AAO and AAOE 2021 abstracts. Submit an instruction course or new Skills Transfer Lab abstract from Dec. 10, 2020, through Jan. 12, 2021. Learn more at aao.org/presentercentral.

    For more information, visit aao.org/2021.