Your Optometry Unit Board met on Monday, March 15, 2021, and are pleased to share with you these highlights of the meeting. First, we are thrilled to announce that Dr. Jackie Wang, Optometrist in Kaiser’s Napa Medical Offices, has been elected by acclamation to the District 3 Officer vacancy on the Optometry Unit Board!
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Wang. She is a welcome addition to the Optometry Unit Board and will be a tireless advocate for improving working conditions, preserving health and safety, and advancing the professional concerns of Kaiser Optometrists and Optometric Assistants throughout Northern California.
Here are more highlights from Monday’s meeting (printable version here):
1. Please work locally in your LPPC on schedule and workflow issues to best suit your individual worksites needs.
2. We welcome Stephanie Ruby, new ESC Representative. She will be covering DSA, EBAY, Modesto, Stockton, Manteca, Antioch and Walnut Creek Area.
3. ESC Representatives have undergone a structural reorganization and there are new Representatives assignments. The Representatives will be reaching out to stewards to coordinate introductions and transfer of care.
4. E-Board Update:
- Everyone is encouraged to contribute to LEAP (Legislative Education and Action Program.) The contributions help L20 with political funding. Please ask your Union Representative for more information.
- Online Pharmacy Goal: NCAL has met the 30% goal for the refill pharmacy initiative for 2021. For 2022 the goal is 40%. Please continue to use the online pharmacy for yourself and your families so our co-payments do not go up in the future.
- National Agreement Violation has been filed in regards to the Hero Bonus payout metric.
5. Reminder about cleaning protocols: Alcohol spray is becoming a more popular option for cleaning. Please remember that dwell time for full disinfection time for alcohol is 3-5 minutes (depending on 70% vs 90% alcohol concentration). Using large amounts of alcohol can be detrimental to our equipment. Please remember to utilize cavicide wipes as appropriate.
6. ESC Continuing Education Program Update: Please hold September 18th, 2021 for a 4 hour Live Zoom Program. More info to come.
7. ECMP Update: Expected backlog over spring break due to vacations/holidays. General regional access issues make tackling the backlog difficult. Important reminder for readers: Check weekly updates from Sasha Penn via email and Teams for instances with largest backlogs and oldest charts. ECMP refresher coming sometime this month. ECMP readers being asked to help work on backlog in other areas as well as their home location. There is an offshoot into plaquenil screening happening with Dr. Ron Melles, MD. The ECMP program is considering expansion into ARMD screening in the future. Both the plaquenil and ARMD expansion is contingent on union approval and proper training of ODs.
8. Myopia Control Regional Pilot is underway. Labor and Management will be working together to figure out workflows and best practice standards. They will reach out to local champions to help facilitate care in facilities. Not all ODs are expected to undertake this work but everyone will be educated on myopia control and understand how to refer to local champions.
Finally, you can find the RPPC highlights from February 17, 2021 here.