ASCRS, ASOA plan 2005 meetings

Fairfax, VA-The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) will hold its first Summer Refractive Congress at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle next August.

The meeting, which will feature all of the newest refractive technologies and allow attendees to interact with experts, is scheduled for Aug. 3 to 7, 2005. Sessions will be scheduled from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day, with no formal exhibits. A call for papers will be mailed in January.

Meanwhile, the group announced it would restrict the registration of optometrists at its annual symposium, April 16 to 20, 2005, to ensure that optometrists do not use the information they receive to attempt surgery. Registration will be limited to optometrists employed by ophthalmologists or by ophthalmic industry entities. Optometrists may register for the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators (ASOA) Congress, which coincides with the symposium. Registrants of each event may attend all presentations and activities of both meetings, but optometrists must sign a statement that their attendance in no way qualifies them for surgery.

In other news, ASOA has appointed Eileen Giaimo of Burke, VA, as its new executive director effective Sept. 1.

She previously was director of economic affairs for practice management for the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, based in Alexandria, VA. She has more than 10 years of experience in clinical practice management, coding and reimbursement, policy analysis, and consultation with physician practices. Giaimo succeeds Lucy Santiago, who served 18 years as executive director.

Also, ASCRS has appointed Paula Schneider of Centerville, VA, as its new director of meetings and conventions. She most recently worked for VNU Expositions as an operations director.