AAO: Cutting-edge multimedia takes over

Take Home:

The 2013 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology will convene in New Orleans from Nov. 16 to 19. Visit www.aao.org for the latest updates or to register.

The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans will host the 117th annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology as it returns to "The Big Easy."

By Rose Schneider, Content Specialist, Ophthalmology Times

New Orleans-As the 2013 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology convenes here Nov. 16 to 19, attendees will notice several new additions.

The Ophthalmic News and Education (ONE) Network, has been redesigned so it is easier to find information to stay informed on developments in the field. Evidence-based updates include improved mobile compatibility, increased personalized options for customizable education plans, and a free image library and enhanced social media.

A demonstration of the ONE Network will be held in the Academy Resource Center, where attendees can visit during exhibit hall hours for custom tours by Academy staff.

AAO has launched a video collection as well for attendees who treat retinal conditions.

The retina informed consent video collection is a set of 21, 5-minute patient educational videos. Topics include retinal conditions, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and detached retina.

The videos are offered in both English and Spanish, and outline the risks, benefits, and alternatives of various treatments or procedures.

Those who are interested can visit the product information booth on Nov. 15 at Retina Subspecialty Day, as well as in the patient education section of the Academy’s resource center during exhibit hall hours.

The Academy has also added two new lectures to the schedule:

·      The Michael F. Marmor, MD Lecture in Ophthalmology and the Arts will be held Nov. 17 at 11:30 a.m. The presentation, “Degas, New Orleans and eyes greatly in need of care,” will be given by Richard Kendall, an art historian, curator, and Degas expert.

·      The Bruce E. Spivey, MD Lecture in Risk Management and Patient Safety will be held Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. The lecture will be given by Susan Day, MD.

2013 Subspecialty Days

The annual meeting will be preceded by Subspecialty Days, Nov. 15 and Nov. 16.

Attendees can choose from seven meetings that feature in-depth reviews on current clinical developments in each subspecialty area:

·      Cornea: Through the Looking Glass-Where We Are Now, Where We’re Headed (Saturday)

·      Glaucoma: The Future is Now! (Saturday)

·      Neuro-Ophthalmology: What to Make of This? Recognizing the Distinctive Neuro-Ophthalmic Symptom, Sign, or Test (Saturday)

·      Oculofacial Plastic Surgery: Blues, Blephs, and Blowouts (Saturday)

·      Pediatric Ophthalmology: Preparing for the Next Generation (Saturday)

·      Refractive Surgery: Perfecting Vision (Friday and Saturday)

·      Retina: Let the Good Times Roll (Friday and Saturday)

Participants who register for 1-day meetings can float between the meetings taking place that day. Two-day registrants can attend any presentation taking place on Friday or Saturday.

Opening Session

The opening session will be held Sunday from 8:30 to 10 a.m. It will include the presentation of the Laureate Award to Daniel Albert, MD, MS.

Opening and concluding remarks will be given by Jonathan B. Rubenstein, MD. The keynote presentation will be given at 9:10 a.m., while the Jackson Memorial Lecture will be given at 9:32 a.m. by Mark S. Blumenkranz, MD.

Electronic health records

Many courses and special events will focus on a subject that is top of mind for many ophthalmologists: electronic health records (EHRs).

For those looking for basic helpful hints, “Top 10 Success Tips for your EHR Implementation” (Sunday, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.) will be useful, as well as “An Approach to Selecting and Implementing Electronic Health Records in Your Practice” (Sunday, 2 to 3 p.m.) and Monday’s “Big Data: Leveraging Analytics to Improve Your Bottom Line” (7:30 to 8:30 a.m.).

Programs on the impact of EHRs and malpractice claims are also on the schedule.

Learning Lounge

For those wanting to continue the conversation with colleagues, visit the Learning Loung to participate in informal, small group- facilitated discussions led by experts in the field.

Included highlights are:

·      Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery in Challenging Cases, Saturday, 1:45 p.m.

·      Presbyopia- Correcting IOLs, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.

·      Complicated and Challenging Cases in Cataract Surgery, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

·      Advanced Techniques in Strabismus Surgery, Sunday, 12:15 p.m.

·      Preparing for Retirement: Financially and Emotionally, Monday, 10:30 a.m.

·      Fillers and Botox Basics, Tuesday, 11 a.m.

Within New Orleans' downtown and French Quarter, attendees will discover a multitude of dining and entertainment options.

Focus on cataract

Monday will feature comprehensive programming dedicated to cataract surgery.

Planned events include:

·      Spotlight on Cataract Complications: M&M Rounds-Learning From My Mistakes, 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

·      Advanced IOL Power Calculations for the Cataract and Refractive Surgeon, 9 to 11:15 a.m.

·      Astigmatism in the Cataract Patient, 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

·      Manual Extracapsular Cataract Extraction Surgery: Indications and Techniques, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.     

Academy Café

These popular sessions are open to all attendees. Enjoy free coffee while listening in on lively panel discussions and sending questions via text message.

The lineup includes:

·      Saturday: Maintenance of Certification Update, 1 to 2:15 p.m.; Cataract, 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

·      Sunday: Oculoplastics, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.; Cornea and External Diseases, 1 to 2:15 p.m.; Retina, 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

·      Monday: Glaucoma, 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.; Uveitis, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.

·      Tuesday: Cataract, 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.

Breakfast with the Experts

Another popular, interactive event is Breakfast with the Experts. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. These sessions will be held Sunday through Tuesday, with several options each day.

Exhibition Hall

The world’s largest exhibition of ophthalmic technology, products, and services will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Visit the Virtual Exhibition online to plan your visit ahead of time. Create a “My Expo” account by entering your email address and choosing a password. Search the list of exhibitors by company name, booth number, product categories, or medical specialty. You can then tag the exhibitors you plan to visit and print a personalized plan before you travel to New Orleans.

Be sure to visit Ophthalmology Times at Booth 1028.

Practice management courses

Many practice management courses being offered are especially pertinent to physicians.

Some highlights include:

·      Keeping Your Practice Out of Legal Hot Water: An HR and Compliance Workshop, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

·      Bending the ASC Performance Curve, Saturday, 12 to 4 p.m.

·      Big Data: Leveraging Analytics to Improve Your Bottom Line, Sunday, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

·      Open Your Eyes to New Opportunities: A Guide to the Student Loan System, Sunday, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

·      Compounding Pharmacies: Legal and Regulatory Issues, Sunday, 2 to 3 p.m.

·      Creating a Clinical Trial Unit, Monday, 9 to 10 a.m.

·      Step 1 to Running on Time: Scheduling, Monday, 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

·      Electronic Health Records: “Great Expectations,” Tuesday, 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

·      Hiring an Ophthalmologist for Your Practice: Avoiding the Pitfalls Needing for Failed Blebs: All You Need to Know, Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Other highlights

Among the many other highlights planned for the meeting:

·      Conquering ICD-10-CM for Ophthalmology: ICD-10 is one of the biggest changes happening to coding in the past 30 years. A three3-hour interactive course will be held Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. to discuss what practices need to know in order to get paid timely and correctly starting Oct. 1, 2014.

·      The Affordable Care Act and Health Care Reform in 2013: Pearls and Potential Perils (NMA) will talk about the law, its impact on physician shortage, and the changing payment methods. The discussion will be held on Monday from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m.

·      Academy Resource Center: Review and purchase clinical references, patient education, and practice management/coding products. Experience demos of these online resources: ONE Network, Academy Online Community, EyeWiki, and the new GetEyeSmart.org, eye health information for the public. Join or pay dues for the AAO, AAOE, and International Society of Refractive Surgery.

·      Technology Pavilion: This is the “hot spot” to discuss the latest in hardware, software, social networking, and e-prescribing. AAO members and independent consultants offer user-friendly presentations in the Technology Pavilion Theater, which showcases the latest technology trends that can benefit medical practices.

Orbital Gala

The Foundation of the AAO will host the 2013 Orbital Gala on Sunday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the National World War II Museum. The evening will start with a cocktail reception and silent auction. This will be followed by a buffet dinner and dancing in the museum’s new showcase, the U.S. Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, which pays tribute to the 16 million Americans who served in the war.

The gala supports the AAO’s priority programs and projects, including educational, quality-of-care research, and service programs. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.faa.org.

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