Board Certification

The American Optometric Association (www.AOA.org) House of Delegates just passed a motion to accept a model of Board Certification. This was a highly contested topic in our delegation and profession but in my heart of hearts I believe it was the right thing to do. This will be a measure of continued competancy for member of our profession. It will be completely voluntary. For me, this is accountability to myself and the confidence in knowing that I am providing the best possible care to my patients. This also seems a necessary “hoop” to jump through for many insurance companies, include Medicare, as well as for the purpose of recognition that allows us to operate more consistently with other health professions as many of them have already adopted models of Board Certification. So, I guess the one question that still lingers in my mind is whether or not this certification matters to my patients. When you search for a new provider, do you specifically seek someone who is board certified? Do you know which professions even offer board certification and which do not? For example, my great friend is a board certified orthodontist. Turns out, you can be an orthodontist and NOT be board certified, in fact, most are not. Moreover, you can be a dentist, fit people with braces, and still NOT be board certified. So, would you KNOW or CARE to seek out a board certified provider or rather, would you just look at the list of providers that are contracted with your insurance plan and select one from the list? If you saw that one was board certified and one was not, would that influence your decision? I wonder. I will keep you posted as I undergo the process of becoming board certified. As of yet, the complete model has not been adopted but the preliminary requirements are in place. I guess I may never know how you all feel but I am happy to accept comments when I see you in the office.