TSO Network Update - March 2019

Vol. 8, Issue 3 March 2019 Congratulations are in order for Dr. Sandra Fortenberry. She was recently installed as the TOA president during the 2019 TOA summit. This is a big year her and for TOA. We have an opportunity to increase our scope to the level of our training during the upcoming legislative session. HB 1798 needs the support of all Texas optometrist, their family, their friends and their patients. Please make sure that you focus some of your chair time to discuss the bill with your patients. Focustexas.org provides a link for ODs and patients to easily find their legislatures, both house and senate, and sends them a letter that petitions for their vote for HB 1798. We are providing our patients with an iPad to review the information on HB 1798 and are able to send their support for this measure to Austin while in our office. Please consider asking your patients for their support in this important measure. Chairman’s CORNER - Benny Peña, OD TOA and FocusTexas.org “Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all cost, and that is the risk of doing nothing.” – Denis Waitley The states surrounding Texas have much better laws for optometrists. In those states with increased laws, patients have been treated with lasers by ODs, and these treatments have provided data that show OD’s can perform these treatments safely. Many of our TSO ODs ask for ideas to help increase their revenue. Tried and true methods, like ensuring you have the latest technology, good selection of frames and an updated look to your office ensures new and existing patients choose you for their eye care. There is an auto dealership that uses the slogan: “When the products are the same, the dealer makes the difference.”, and Papa Johns uses “better ingredients make better pizza”. Our patients have many choices from retail giants to online offerings. We must separate ourselves from them by ensuring we have clean and up-to- date offices, great selection, updated technology, and the ability to perform treatments we were trained to do in our own offices. Doing nothing is no longer an option.