position statement

CAO and the profession of optometry strongly support the requirement for a post-graduation, entry to practice competency assessment.
The proportion of optometrists using electronic health records is growing. Electronic records offer advantages in accessing and storing patient health information, and have the potential to improve the management of patient care. Optometrists are responsible for ensuring their patients' health information — whether in paper or electronic form — is stored and maintained in a secure manner, in keeping with legal requirements, and according to relevant policies from provincial and territorial regulatory authorities.
Third party managed care plans also known as preferred provider networks are not new to concept to health professions in Canada. CAO has serious concerns with the influence of managed care plans on the practice of Optometry. The following information on managed care is designed to assist CAO members to make informed business decisions in the best interest of their practice, their patients and their profession.
The concept of “sight testing” was developed to describe a refraction (a procedure that measures prescription of the eye) when it is administered independently from a comprehensive eye health examination and used to generate a record from which to dispense glasses or contact lenses. While refraction is an essential component of a comprehensive eye examination, it is but one of several factors considered by optometrists in the determination and maintenance of eye and vision health. Visual acuity can be addressed by corrective lenses, some other form of vision rehabilitation or further medical evaluation.
More than 3.77 million Canadians were living with Diabetes in 2020 and this number is expected to rise to nearly 4.89 million by 2030.
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