Eyeworld Daily News

22 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | MAY 6, 2019 ASOA NEWS by Ellen Stodola EyeWorld Senior Staff Writer/ Meetings Editor Ms. Boling highlighted how to get the most out of your EHR system. Some of her favorite features of her system are easy editing capabilities, the mobility, reminders, room managers, and compliance. The easy editing, she said, allows her practice to "edit on the fly" and customize templates T he ASCRS ASOA Health Information Technol- ogy (HIT) symposium took place on Saturday afternoon as part of the ASOA program and was titled "All the EHR Tools You're Not Using: How to Optimize Clinician EHR Use for Better Care Coordination and Practice Workflow." It featured Thomas Brown, JD, COE, Memphis, Tennessee, Hayley Boling, MBA, COE, Elkhart, Indiana, and Gretchen Kimble, JD, COE, Jackson, Mississippi. Mr. Brown began by discuss- ing interoperability. EHR interop- erability is the ability to effectively communicate health information electronically. There are two fun- damental components: securely moving data from one system to another and the ability to inter- pret and use that data when it's received. He highlighted some of the benefits of interoperability, first detailing provider benefits. The provider receives patients' data in real time. They can have immedi- ate access to patient data, automat- ically send data, they have search- able data in a familiar format, and there are reduced risks. There are also specific patient benefits. EHR interoperability allows a patient's medical records to follow them throughout the healthcare system. Patients have access to their medical records, have faster communication among caregivers, have better quality of care, and through more efficient transfers of information a pa- tient's health and the potential for a better outcome is enhanced. HIT symposium showcases EHR tools Ms. Boling discusses ways in which her practice makes their EHR system work best for their needs. by Stefanie Petrou Binder, MD EyeWorld Contributing Writer When ophthalmology chooses you T he ASOA Administrator Beginners Circle (ABC) luncheon on Sunday drew more than 30 adminis- trators who are new to administration, ophthal- mology, or both, to join in on a dense hour of networking and Q&A, led by the event's mod- erator, Zachary Smith, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Experienced administrators manned tables and were each assigned specific ques- tions about their career paths and job responsibilities to discuss with the table. Administrators having 4 or fewer years of experience in ophthalmic practice management spent 7 minutes at each table, sharing their own stories and lis- tening to those of their colleagues. Ophthalmology is an industry with the type of growth that attracts administrators looking for challenges and who are not afraid of change. A growing industry allows you to focus on the job, not making payroll. Many administra- tors may not have chosen to work in ophthalmology administration, however, the opportunity in many cases evolved into a meshing of talents and experiences that led to a true passion for the job. Admin- istrators come from a broad range of professional backgrounds such as accounting, physical therapy, consulting, medical technician, banking, reception, and construc- tion, to name but a few, many of whom worked in three or four different fields before landing in ophthalmic practice management. Knowing that many of your colleagues have as diverse a back- ground as yourself is reinforcing, and the value brought in from other industries is undeniable and a huge advantage to the job. A new position always forces you to learn and make changes. Administrators discussed growing with the team, hiring staff, volume and marketing, modernizing departments, and overhead as some of the chal- lenges they face, with many administrators feeling that they are "challenged every day." While some challenges remind you of how much you still have to learn, others keep you motivated. Mo- tivation on the job is important. In the face of mergers or when hiring new staff members, one administrator felt how getting ev- eryone to become one family was a constant source of motivation. Another administrator working in ophthalmology administration for 15 years and now beginning a new position in private practice said she thrives on change and thinks that chaos forces her to break down the process, pick it apart, and understand it better. Hearing things like, "That's how we've always done it" make her question the relevance of something and ask, "Why?" Another ophthalmic practice administrator particularly enjoys working with her residents and fellows who benefit from under- standing that the first impression they make on their patients are just as important as their surgical skills. As with all big challeng- es, there is often a mentor, that person who inspired or planted the seed, pushed you to move on, or made you believe in yourself. One attendee was inspired by a friend, the owner of the largest outpatient facility in his state, who rose to his position on his own, from humble beginnings. Another administrator took an example from a former boss, the owner and founder of a large manufac- turing company, whose personable attitude with his coworkers went a long way. Listening to employ- ees and coworkers is a big part of doing your job right. Meeting other administrators at the Annual Meeting was what inspired many attendees as well.

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