Volume 7, Issue 38│October 13, 2023
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Order Solar Eclipse Glasses for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse - Order by November 1
IOA will be offering solar eclipse glasses at cost to IOA members for the April 8, 2024 eclipse. Please submit your order using the form below. IOA will then order glasses in bulk to secure a lower cost.
Glasses may be ordered in increments of 50 pairs at a cost of $0.35 per pair. A $25 shipping and handling fee will apply to all orders. IOA will submit the bulk order in November and the glasses will be shipped in January/February 2024.
ORDERS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY NOVEMBER 1.
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Register Now - November 5 CE in Mt. Vernon, IL
Earn 6 hours of TQ CE in Mt. Vernon, IL on Sunday, November 5. The course will be held at the DoubleTree Mt. Vernon on Sunday, November 5, 2023, from 9am - 4pm.
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About the Course:
"Ocular Disease Deep-Dish: Toppings Include Retina, Glaucoma, Choroid, and Neuro"
Speaker: James Williamson, OD
Like a Chicago-style deep-dish, the menu of what we see daily consists of common ingredients. So why cook our brains trying to remember the obscure when there is still so much to learn about diseases that present more-or-less routinely in our offices? This practical six-hour course will further explore familiar findings: Diabetic retinopathy and the DRCR Retina Network Protocols, AMD and geographical atrophy with new treatments and OCT biomarkers; vitreomacular interface disorders, glaucoma gaffes, neuro cases, and the often-overlooked choroid. After digesting this lecture, you’ll have a different taste for these common conditions and a fresh insight for improved care of those in your chair.
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Follow us on Social Media! We are sharing videos from IOA past presidents, and memories from the past 125 years. Help make this anniversary the best one yet. Like and share to help spread the word about the Illinois Optometric Association and the important role we serve. We also have easily sharable content for your practice. Check us out! |
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125 YEAR ANNIVERSARY HIGHLIGHTS |
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We have been sharing historic throwbacks, past president interviews, and memories from the past 125 of our association on social media and in Insight. If you would like to reminisce with us, watch the anniversary video that was shown at the Annual Meeting last week! Thank you for being an important part of our history. |
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Thanks for using our event hashtag and tagging us in your posts! Tag us, we love to share posts from members and event participants. |
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IOA Member Sandra Block, O.D., Presented Theia Award
'Be Bold’ Is Theme of Women In Optometry's 5th Annual Women's Leadership Conference, as Theia Awards Presented
Thursday, October 12, 2023 12:24 AM
NEW ORLEANS, La.—The mood at the Women In Optometry's (WO) Fifth Annual Women’s Leadership Conference held here on Tuesday this week, matched the program's theme, "Be Bold- Leading With Confidence." Communications expert, leadership advisor and keynote speaker, Erin O’Malley encouraged over 100 attendees at the session to remember the moments that they were at their most bold—when they put aside their fears and show up as their authentic selves. Other speakers reinforced that theme, noting times they were vulnerable and courageous and what they learned from that. The event, held against the backdrop of this week's American Academy of Optometry meeting, also included presentation of the 8th Annual Theia awards for Excellence from WO, part of the Jobson Optical Group.
A panel of ODs including Sandra S. Block, OD, MEd, MPH, FAAO, FCOVD, DAAO (PHEV), FARVO, Glenda Aleman, OD, and Breanne McGhee, OD, FAAO, MEd, talked about the lessons learned as mothers, as leaders, as clinicians or educators and how opportunities continue to present themselves.
Erin M. Brooks, OD, FAAO, a professor at University of Missouri St. Louis College of Optometry, shared tips she gained from joining Toastmasters, which she has used to improve her own public speaking skills as well as encourage her students to be more effective communicators.
Laurie Sorrenson, OD, FAAO, of Austin, Texas, reviewed how each time she got knocked down, it provided incentive to come back and try another, better approach.
The event’s platinum sponsors’ speakers each reflected on their own bold career and leadership choices. Platinum sponsors were Alcon, founding sponsor Allergan, CooperVision and EssilorLuxottica. Supporting sponsors were Iveric Bio, Tarsus and Vision Source. EssilorLuxottica sponsored the keynote speaker.
The event ended with the presentation of WO's 8th Annual Theia awards for Excellence. This year’s winners were:
- Leadership: Sandra Block, OD, Med, MPH, FAAO, FCOVD, DAAO (PHEV), FARVO
- Mentoring (tie): Ray Corbin-Simon, OD; Minal Patel, OD
- Education: Meng Meng Xu, OD, MPH, FAOO
- Young OD: Shira Kresch, OD, MS, FAAO
- Business: Bridgitte Shen Lee, OD, FAAO, FBCLA, FEAOO, ABO
- Industry Influencer: Ukti Vora, MBA, M. Optom, FAAO
More about the WO Theia honorees and the process were announced last August, as VMAIL reported.
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Remembering Dr. John Gabriel
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father John P. Gabriel on October 10, 2023. He was preceded by his loving wife, Kathleen (nee Saunders) of 51 years as well as his parents, Gertrude (nee Mueller) and John Gabriel. He is lovingly remembered by his children, Jennifer (Kevin) Weiler, Lisa Dean, Rebecca (Jeffrey) Sawyer, John (Lauren) Gabriel, and Christopher (Stephanie) Gabriel. John was a loving and doting grandpa to his 17 grandchildren, Thomas, Matthew, Daniel, and Greta Weiler; Gabriel (Haley), August, Margaret, Simon, Gracelyn, and Owen Dean; Brion, Olivia, Caroline and William Sawyer; and Amelia, Audrey, and Ava Gabriel. He is survived by his dear siblings, the late Edward (Tim Jackson), Robert (Diane) Gabriel, Paul (late Gerry) Gabriel, Helen Gabriel, Sharon (Scott) McIlwaine, cherished in-laws Dolores (Dominick) Misasi, George (Joan) Saunders, and Beverly Kotnour, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. John was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and spent most of his childhood in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood. The oldest of six children, John's life centered on family, and his working parents instilled a strong work ethic and sense of community. John graduated from Brother Rice High School in 1965 and attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne prior to returning to Chicago. John and Kathleen married in 1968 and then deployed to Bangkok, Thailand, where he served in the United States Army for three years as a communications specialist. After returning home with their first daughter, John and Kathy settled in Mount Greenwood and the Saint Christina Parish. While in Mount Greenwood, the family grew to five children and John actively served in the Lions Club and the Holy Name Society. Concurrently, John earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Illinois College of Optometry; he established his optometric practice in Brighton Park where he served beloved patients for nearly 40 years. In 1983, the family moved to Palos Hills, Illinois and Saint Patricia Parish. John rejoined the Army in the reserves as a Commissioned Officer Optometric Doctor and served the Fort Sheridan Garrison for a decade. All five children attended Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park establishing a strong family connection to the La Grange area. In retirement, John relocated to La Grange and made a new and wonderful group of friends. He enjoyed photography, travel, history, reading, classical music, working in his beautiful yard, planting trees, changing light bulbs, and sending care packages…he did not enjoy camping. John set a powerful example of responsibility for those who knew him, and he will forever be in our hearts.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to VOSH/ International to give the gift of vision to those in need, vosh.org. To donate by mail, please send donations to VOSH/International, 12660 Q Street, Omaha NE 68137.
Visitation Monday, October 16th from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. Chapel prayers Tuesday, October 17th, 9 a.m. at the KERRY FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CARE CENTER, 7020 W. 127TH Street, Palos Heights proceeding to Saint Patricia Church, Hickory Hills, Mass 10 a.m. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. www.kerryfh.com
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Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act Goes Into Effect January 1 - What You Need to Know
The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) reports that on January 1, 2024, the Paid Leave for All Workers Act will go into effect in Illinois. The act requires employers to provide 40 hours of paid time off to all employees, including part-time workers. The paid time off can be used for any reason of the employee's choosing. For paid leave requests that are foreseeable, an employer may require seven calendar days' notice before the start of the leave. For paid leave requests that are not foreseeable, employees must provide notice as soon practicable after they become aware of the need for the leave. The time may be given all 40 hours at the beginning of the year (or upon beginning employment) or may be accrued over the course of the year at a rate of 1 hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked. Employees are entitled to begin using the accrued paid leave after 90 days.
If an employer already provides all employees with at least 40 hours of paid leave that can be taken for any reason, this act does not require the employer to provide additional paid leave. The law also does not apply to those already governed by the Cook County or City of Chicago Sick Leave Ordinances.
IDOL will offer webinars to assist with the implementation of the new law on the following days:
October 19 - 10am - 11am
November 1 - 10am - 11am
November 16 - 2pm - 3pm
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Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin Running for Congress
Politico reports that Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin has announced that she is running for Congress in the 7th Congressional District. She will be challenging Congressman Danny Davis, who has held the seat for 14 terms. Conyears-Ervin is a former state representative and is currently serving her second term as city treasurer. She announced her interest in running for the seat after believing that Davis would be retiring, but decided to move forward with her campaign after Congressman Davis announced his re-election campaign.
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Retired Judge Joe McGraw launches Republican bid for 17th Congressional District
SPRINGFIELD — With the backing of the state and national Republican political establishment, retired Circuit Court Judge Joe McGraw on Wednesday launched his bid to unseat freshman Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, in the swingy 17th Congressional District.
His entry into the race ensures that Republican themes of law-and-order will once again be front-and-center this election cycle after helping the party win House seats unexpectedly in 2020 but mostly failing to galvanize voters in the 2022 midterm elections.
But it's more than just political messaging this time with top Republicans believing that McGraw's judicial background will allow the candidate to speak with authority on issues ranging from urban crime to immigration while setting up a contrast with Sorensen, who was a television meteorologist before running for and winning office last year.
McGraw served as a judge in the 17th Judicial Circuit, which covers Boone and Winnebago counties, for more than two decades until retiring in July, including as chief judge from 2012 to 2017. He was also the presiding judge over the criminal division from 2004 until his retirement.
"There’s something wrong when big-city liberals would rather demonize honest cops than crack down on criminals, when politicians in Washington care more about illegal immigrants than the safety and security of our own citizens, and when the exporting of good manufacturing jobs, combined with record inflation, crushes families’ economic viability," McGraw said in a statement.
McGraw added that Sorensen "is part of the problem," specifically calling the incumbent out for supporting President Joe Biden's legislative agenda.
The 17th is easily the most competitive congressional district in the state, with Sorensen defeating Republican Esther Joy King 52% to 48% in 2022. Biden carried the district in 2020 by about 8 percentage points.
It includes urban centers like Bloomington-Normal, Peoria, the Quad Cities and Rockford along with swaths of rural northwestern and central Illinois in between.
McGraw, in a Wednesday afternoon interview with Lee Enterprises, said voters in the district care about "pocketbook issues" and are ready for a change.
"Years ago, there was an expression 'Reagan Democrats' — and I think it's so many of the blue collar, hardworking people that work in factories and farms and shops and (are) business owners — people who've got to make payroll — they are feeling the tremendous burden of runaway inflation and high taxes and high interest rates and high cost of fuel."
"They're not thinking about radical environmentalism or some other policy, they're thinking about how am I going to make ends meet," McGraw said, indirectly referencing Sorensen's focus on climate change in the 2022 election.
McGraw broadly laid out some of his policy positions, calling for the building of a border wall to secure the U.S.-Mexican border, but also expressing openness to a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the country as part of a comprehensive immigration reform package.
On abortion, McGraw said he did not believe the federal government had a role in its regulation following the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. He said it should be left to the states.
"It's not a federal issue," McGraw said. "And these are decisions that have to be made between a woman and her physician, between a woman and her partner, between family members. And if anything I learned on the bench, it's compassion, because so many people are in extremely stressed situations where they don't feel like they've got anywhere else to turn."
McGraw was less detailed in answers to questions about addressing crime, though his campaign website said he will "increase funding for our police, and go after the liberal state's attorneys who are endangering our communities by refusing to enforce the law."
He does not believe the scientific consensus that human activity is causing climate change, saying that "all the data that I've seen shows me that the jury's out on whether or not we're causing it."
He questioned if the U.S. could do anything about climate change given the polluting of countries like China and India.
"I want our country to be as clean and prosperous and healthy as possible," he said. "But some of the extreme environmentalists are willing to put everything on the chopping block for a theoretical goal of a reduction in a degree or something like that."
McGraw is being aided by the National Republican Congressional Committee, the party's campaign arm, which is expected to be involved once again in contesting the swing district.
He is also starting with significant support from elected Republicans in the district, including state House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savana, 10 other state legislators who represent parts of the district and a slew of local officials.
Former state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, who briefly flirted with another run for office before ruling himself out this summer, is also backing McGraw.
McGraw is the only declared Republican in the race after Galesburg businessman Ray Estrada dropped his own bid last week.
But even if McGraw does not face opposition in the March primary, he would likely start the race against Sorensen as an underdog.
Sorensen has the advantage of incumbency while McGraw is a relative unknown. The Democrat will also start with a significant fundraising advantage. And presidential election turnout tends to bring out more Democratic-leaning voters than off-year elections.
The possible presence of former President Donald Trump, currently the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination despite facing 91 felony charges across four criminal cases, at the top of the ballot also presents a wild card.
McGraw confirmed that he voted for Trump in 2020, but unlike some Republicans who challenged the results, he said he had "no reason to doubt" that Biden was legitimately elected in that race.
When it comes to voting for Trump again next year amid the former president's legal troubles, McGraw said "we have to see what the charge is and what the outcome is, and only then can we make an informed decision."
It also remains to be seen how much outside support will flow into the district after Republican groups spent more than $7 million in an unsuccessful attempt to win the seat in 2022.
Though Sorensen is among three-dozen Democrats being targeted for defeat by House Republicans, they only have a slim five-seat majority and will be tasked with defending 18 Republican-held seats won by Biden in 2020.
McGraw is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received his law degree from Northern Illinois University. He and his wife live in Rockford and have five children.
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AOA Clinical Practice Guideline Reinforces Annual, Comprehensive Eye Exams
The AOA issued its revised, evidence-based clinical practice guideline to assist doctors of optometry in providing eye and vision examinations for adults and highlight the importance of annual, in-person exams for all Americans.
The guideline recommends annual, comprehensive eye exams “for persons 18 through 64 years of age to optimize visual function, evaluate eye changes, and provide for the early detection of sight-threatening eye and systemic health conditions,” which is likely to result in “earlier diagnosis of eye and vision problems and the prevention or reduction in vision loss.” Additionally, the guideline establishes guidance for timely diagnosis, intervention, and, when necessary, referral for consultation with and/or treatment by another health care provider.
The AOA's evidence-based clinical practice guidelines are recommendations for patient care, developed through a formal process and revised to meet the National Academies' evidence-based standards. To view AOA's Second Edition of the Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline for the Comprehensive Adult Eye and Vision Examination, click here.
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Midwestern University Student Earns VSP Global Diversity Scholarship
Optometry student William Wooley, is the latest recipient of the prestigious VSP Global Diversity Admissions Scholarship
The Patch
William Wooley is the recipient of the VSP Vision Diversity Admissions Scholarship. He is pursuing his Doctor of Optometry degree at Midwestern University's Chicago College of Optometry. (Midwestern University)
Midwestern University optometry student William Wooley, is the latest recipient of the prestigious VSP Global Diversity Admissions Scholarship. This scholarship is made possible by VSP Vision, the nation's leading not-for-profit vision benefits company, dedicated to promoting health-focused vision care. William is pursuing a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree at the Chicago College of Optometry on the Downers Grove Campus of Midwestern University.
He is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a graduate of Michigan State University's science-based residential college, Lyman Briggs College, where he earned a B.S. in cognitive neuroscience and served as the president of the Michigan State University Ballroom Dance Team for three years. "I aspire to become the first Dr. Wooley in my family, and my parents' unwavering support has been invaluable. However, this journey comes with a financial burden and the VSP Scholarship will enable me to afford quality education and support my well-being. I'm eager to work hard and embrace the challenges of my first year in optometry school, knowing that each hurdle will better prepare me to serve my community and the world," he said.
William's early fascination with optometry ignited his passion for the profession. “My motivation to pursue optometry stemmed from a personal experience when I was 14. It was becoming increasingly difficult to recognize my classmates in the hall, and I needed a vision solution. My optometrist at the time was my hero, allowing me to see clearly and fully harness my most valuable sense. From the moment I was able to see my mother’s face clearly from a distance, I was inspired to understand the medical mosaic known as the retina to correct vision and health concerns. Since then, my motivation has been continuously evolving and I aim to put the patient’s vision care needs first, and approach obstacles and challenges with the enthusiasm to overcome them. I will work hard to be a hero for my community and the world in whatever way I can.”
As he begins his studies, William is confident that his choice to attend Midwestern University aligns with his career aspirations and personal goals. “I decided to enroll at Midwestern University because of the abundant networking between healthcare fields, state-of-the-art equipment, and clinical excellence.”
The VSP Global Diversity Admissions Scholarship awards $10,000 annually to optometry students accepted at either the Chicago College of Optometry (CCO) or Arizona College of Optometry (AZCOPT), provided they belong to historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, as defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The scholarship underscores VSP’s longstanding commitment to supporting aspiring optometry students who demonstrate exceptional promise in the field. “Annual eye exams often reveal other health issues, like high blood pressure and diabetes. But being unable to see a doctor who looks like you and understands the types of challenges specific to your community is often a barrier to seeking this essential preventive care,” said VSP Vision Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Marvin Davenport. “That’s why we believe diversifying the future of optometry is so important, and we’re excited to support first-year optometry students with this VSP Vision Diversity Admissions Scholarship.”
The VSP Global Diversity Admissions Scholarship is one of several opportunities Midwestern University provides to students from diverse backgrounds. Learn more about Midwestern University at www.midwestern.edu and VSP Vision at www.vsp.com.
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"
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ICO Attended the 3rd Annual Bill Lowery Men’s Health Fair--sponsored by 3rd District Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowery-- an event that saw local health providers speak to men about the importance of maintaining regularly scheduled health exams.
The health fair typically serves African American men aged 45 and older who, due to various economic and systemic factors, may be unaware of or unable to receive necessary health care services.
During the event, ICO representatives, including Dr. Rockne, Dr. Nagelberg, Dr. Valencia, and ICO students, were able to provide a great service to the community through vision screenings, speaking to patients about various common ocular conditions, and promoting annual comprehensive exams. (ICO Instagram)
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Report illegal and unsafe contact lens sales to the FDA & FTC
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November 5, 2023
Southern IL CE
6 Hrs TQ
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Check out the newest IOA classifieds here!
ODs Wanted:
Big City Optical is the fastest growing private practice in the Chicagoland area. (Read more)
Optometrist Position - Full Time or Part Time or Looking for Fill-in OD Coverage (Read more)
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Attending events is a great way to grow your network, but hosting your own events within your community is even more beneficial, whether it’s running a fundraiser, offering exclusive deals on a holiday, or sponsoring a local sports team. You will not only increase brand awareness, but you will also show the community that you are invested in them. |
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World Council of Optometry Joins WHO Initiative to Reduce Uncorrected Refractive Error
(Healio.com)
NEW ORLEANS — The World Council of Optometry has teamed up with WHO to support SPECS 2030, a global effort to increase access to refractive error services.
“Uncorrected refractive error is our heart and soul,” WCO President Sandra S. Block, OD, MEd, MPH, FAAO, FCOVD, FNAP, told Healio at Academy ’23. “And WCO is the only optometry organization to have a seat at the table with WHO.”
The goal of the SPECS initiative is to achieve a 40% increase in effective global coverage of refractive error by 2030, Block, also professor emeritus at Illinois College of Optometry, said.
The WHO website lists five strategic pillars for SPECS:
- improve access to refractive Services;
- build capacity of Personnel to provide refractive services;
- improve population Education;
- reduce the Cost of refractive services; and
- strengthen Surveillance and research.
“WCO’s mission is to address vision impairment worldwide and make sure we keep it under control,” Block continued. “We want to make sure the bigger picture moves forward, and it’s not giving out glasses.”
That means creating a standard of care that goes beyond refractive error correction. “We think more about the long-term complications,” she said. “We need to know who’s at risk and how we can slow the progression or stop it before it even starts.”
WCO works with CooperVision on its myopia management program, which includes webinars, research translations and practice tools, Block said.
The group is also working with Alcon on a dry eye education initiative, which includes the WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel.
“It walks you through what to do with dry eye patients in your chair,” she said.
With its focus on preventable vision impairment, WHO recently developed a document highlighting competencies required to deliver eye care services.
“We made sure optometry was included at the highest scope,” Block said. “Our goal is to represent optometry, make sure we’re part of the continuum of care ... and make sure the competency document reflects our autonomous profession.”
Finally, WCO’s Take the Pledge initiative, “goes back to the standard of care we wrote 3 years ago,” she said. “We now have 56,000 who have pledged to think about all the ways you can slow the progression of myopia and highlight risk factors and benefits. Our goal is to increase it to 100,000. And that’s a minimum. We want everybody to address myopia as a disease entity and not merely an optical program.”
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Researchers Collaborate on Myopia Management App
The Predicting Myopia Onset and Progression Risk Indicator (PreMO) app was developed by teams at Aston and Ulster universities
2 min read
Aston University
12 October 2023
Researchers from Aston and Ulster universities have collaborated on the release of a new app designed to support eye care practitioners in the management of childhood myopia.
The development of the PreMO app was led by Professor James Wolffsohn, head of optometry at Aston University, with researchers from Ulster led by Professor Kathryn Saunders, optometry division head.
The app is designed to help track the development of myopia, treatments, and facilitate communication and education with the patient and their parents or guardians.
Through the PreMO app, clinicians can input a child’s data including age, sex, family history, refractive error, and biometry (axial length or k-values).
The app will then generate individual reports that can be shared with patients and caregivers to prompt conversations around managing myopia risks.
The app can also help to identify younger patients who are not yet myopic, aiding eye care professionals to provide education around myopia, encourage lifestyles that could minimise the risks, and introduce the concept of treatments.
The data can be stored to enable practitioners to review the progression of myopia over time and following treatment.
Commenting on the release of the app, Wolffsohn shared: “After many years of research into the impact of myopia, we now have treatments to slow its progression and even decrease how often it occurs.”
“The app will support clinicians in predicting those children who will go myopic, to track their progress with myopia control treatments, to provide better communication to the child and their parents and guardians, and to personalise their eye health,” he added.
Research from Ulster University has illustrated that myopia is now twice as common compared to 50 years ago, and that children are becoming myopic at a younger age.
Saunders explained: “Myopia is predicted to affect half the world’s population by 2050 and the World Health Organization has declared myopia a global health concern, which was a key factor in the rationale behind creating this specialist software, as it will have a significant impact on helping to prevent or delay the onset of myopia.”
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Kaiser’s Labor Strife Points to Wider Health-Care Understaffing
Parker Purifoy
Bloomberg Law
Kaiser Permanente will restart labor talks Thursday after more than 75,000 workers completed the largest health-care strike in the nation’s history, with one major point of contention continuing to be systemic staffing shortages that have plagued the industry as a whole.
The collective bargaining discussions come amid ongoing labor unrest in the health sector, which has accounted for a third of strikes involving more than 1,000 workers since the beginning of 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This year alone, worker protests have included union and non-union walkouts by hospital nurses, as well as pharmacists for CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Inc.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions said it will aim to build a “comprehensive” solution to staffing issues that improves workplace conditions for current employees and attracts new hires.
The tactic signals a slight departure from short staffing solutions other health-care unions and labor advocates have pursued, such as implementing quotas or worker-patient ratio policies in individual contracts or through state and federal action.
Caroline Lucas, executive director of the coalition, said the union’s proposal tackles understaffing by changing how worker schedules are made, creates new education and re-training programs to allow current workers to move up, reduces the outsourcing of labor, and increases pay and benefits packages to attract candidates for open positions.
The group of unions identified staffing as the biggest crisis facing workers in an April message to members, saying that over 11% of union job positions are vacant. Industry stakeholders say this is a crisis that is consistent across the health-care sector.
“Kaiser has been trumpeting that its met the goal of hiring 10,000 people this year but they’re not saying that they’ve also lost 4,000 in that same time,” Lucas said. “We’ve had one-off solutions like this but we need a fully-rounded solution.”
Another Strike Looming?
Thousands of Kaiser employees walked off the job last week in six states and Washington, D.C. The three-day work stoppage interrupted routine medical services for nearly 13 million people, but emergency services remained open. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su will be present at Thursday’s bargaining session to help advance the talks.
The Kaiser coalition has warned executives that workers would strike again next month if they didn’t reach a contract agreement by Nov. 1. The potential second strike would last a week, until Nov. 8, the union said.
Kaiser spokesperson Wayne Davis said in an emailed statement the company is “committed to every area of staffing that is still challenging.”
“Our Coalition-represented employees like working here and stay an average of 11 years,” Davis said. “We are a leader in compensation in every market we’re in, have great benefits, training and development, and an inclusive culture.”
‘Caught in the Middle’
The American Hospital Association said in a report last year that job openings across the sector are at an all-time high, and nearly 1,400 hospitals reported a critical staffing shortage to the federal government in 2022.
The AHA report said there were a multitude of reasons for the staffing crises, including an aging US population increasing demands for medical care, record levels of burnout leading to nearly half of medical professionals planning to leave their jobs by 2025, and inadequate faculty levels at medical schools limiting the amount of students coming into the profession.
Health-care workers, including those involved in negotiations with Kaiser, often take the brunt of the burden from short-staffing, said Patricia Pittman, director of the Health Workforce Research Center at George Washington University.
“The workers who remain are now feeling overwhelmed and betrayed,” she said. “They’re caught in the middle between administrators who are trying to squeeze more work out of them for less money and patients who are seeing their level of care suffer.”
These increased pressures have forced many health-care workers to turn to unions in search of solutions. Both physicians and medical residents have organized in record numbers within the past two years,, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Staffing Quotas
One way unions and labor advocates have sought to address the worker shortage is through various kinds of staffing quotas. Nursing unions, like National Nurses United, have been particularly vocal about nurse-patient staffing ratios, arguing that legislation or a commitment from an employer will help lower burnout rates and improve patient care.
Nurses in two New York hospitals earlier this year ended a three-day strike by agreeing to a contract with higher staffing standards, including a path to take staffing disputes to an arbitrator if the hospital fails to meet the requirement.
On the legislative front, California and Massachusetts are the only states so far to institute health-care staffing ratios for acute care and specialty workers, but legislators in other states such as Oregon, Maine, and Pennsylvania have proposed similar policies. President Joe Biden this year announced proposed rules to mandate staffing levels in nursing homes.
But health-care employers are less likely to agree to these kinds of staffing solutions either at the bargaining table or in the legislature because companies prefer to retain flexibility in their staffing levels, said Matthew Fontana, a partner at employer-side Faegre Drinker LLC.
“On one hand, this kind of legislation does force companies to address these issues, but on the other hand, it’s only tackling this one narrow problem and leaves more systemic issues unaddressed,” he said.
Kaiser union Executive Director Lucas said the staffing quotas have been crucial to fill workforce holes in the short-term, but the coalition is looking for longer-term solutions in its negotiations with Kaiser.
“I think that we need to move beyond just legislative mandates on patient-staff ratios into looking at a comprehensive, holistic approach to how we deliver patient care,” she said. “How many nurses you have is important but there’s other critical staff that gets overlooked in that.”
Systemic Issues
Other industry observers say that the staffing crisis is a symptom of widespread flaws within the health-care industry and can’t be solved with a quota requirement.
Eric Dickerson, managing director of recruiting firm Kaye/Bassman International, said employers can only do so much to fill staffing quotas if they don’t have the operating budget to cover salaries or if there are few applicants to be found.
“If these companies agree to a ratio and they can’t find anyone to hire permanently, that means they need to then hire contracted or temporary staffing,” he said. “If they do that, their labor costs will more than double and it doesn’t take a whole lot of that to significantly cut into margins.”
Health-care companies have experienced revenue losses during and after the pandemic as the price of supplies and labor rose while compensation from insurance providers remains stagnant. The AHA reported that hospital margins could drop by as much as 133% compared to pre-pandemic levels, leaving two-thirds of hospitals operating in the red.
But Lucas pushed back on the idea that Kaiser can’t afford staffing solutions, citing the company’s 2023 profit margin of $2 billion and the $16 million paycheck for Chief Executive Officer Gregory Adams. The nonprofit managed care consortium operates 39 hospitals and 622 medical offices and employs almost 213,000 workers.
“Kaiser is doing very well financially and can afford to invest in what the institution needs, which is a stable health-care workforce that’s well trained,” she said.
Weighing Effect on Patient Care
Policies that set standards for safe staffing levels could be a piece of the solution, but can’t be the only solution, Daniel DeBehnke, vice president and chief physician executive of health-care consulting firm Premier Inc., said.
Beyond quotas, there are plenty of proposed solutions to worker shortages, including opening up more visas for health-care professionals, investing in universities to expand their medical programs, or getting creative on a corporate level to free-up funds.
“At face value, are staffing quotas good for patient welfare? Absolutely. But that quota comes with an expense and if the health system isn’t getting the support to take on that expense, it will collapse,” DeBehnke said. “That might result in hospitals or clinics closing or reducing operations and is that good for patient care? I’m not so sure.”
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FEEL GOOD STORY OF THE WEEK |
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Free Eye Tests and Glasses at Dead Sea Hotel for Surviving Gaza Border Residents
Dozens of optometrists, technicians, and other professionals are now performing examinations and making glasses and contacts until 4 p.m. on Thursday, at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel at the Dead Sea.
OCTOBER 12, 2023 09:48
Many residents of moshavim and kibbutzim opposite Gaza who survived the fiendish destruction by Hamas terrorists have lost their eyeglasses and are unable to see well. The optometry department at the Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem decided to examine the eyes and prepare glasses and contact lenses for those survivors who have been sent to rest at Dead Sea hotels.
The initiative is being headed by department head Dr. Hadas Ben-Eli, director of the optometry and biometrics service the college and also director of the optometry and biometrics service at Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Dozens of optometrists, technicians, and other professionals are now performing examinations and making glasses and contacts until 4 p.m. on Thursday, at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel at the Dead Sea, first floor.
The most innovative equipment
The SkyMed company is providing all of the most innovative testing equipment; the Shamir Industries Optics Company has donated eyeglass frames and lenses as needed and will prepare the glasses as much as possible on the spot; the Opticana company donated spectacle frames; and the Johnson & Johnson Company provided contact lenses.
“Our teams will take care of anyone who needs an eye test and glasses, of any kind. We are conducting eye tests and vision tests and make every effort to issue the glasses on the spot immediately. We urge anyone who needs glasses or an eye exam to come to our positions and we will take care of everything they need, said Ben-Eli.
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THANK YOU TO OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS! |
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