Optometry committee approves most continuing-education requests, denies practice-management credit and tables Kaiser series

The Practice and Education Committee of the California State Board of Optometry met Oct. 11 and approved most continuing-education (CE) course applications on its agenda, while denying credit for practice-management offerings and tabling a multi-session series until staff can confirm whether it was open to the public.

The committee considered a package of CE requests listed under agenda item 4, citing review “pursuant to Title 16, section 15 36.” After brief discussion about categorization and disclosures, members voted on each lettered group. The committee approved items under 4a, with no substantive objections; denied item 4b because the course was characterized as practice-management — a subject counsel and members said is not eligible for credit under current rules; and approved items 4c and 4d with category adjustments.

On 4c, the committee changed the classifications for subitems 4c1 and 4c3 to patient-care management, left 4c2 and 4c4 as ocular disease, and approved the applications. Members also flagged one presenter’s industry affiliation listed in a CV (a speaker identified as having ties to Genentech) but noted the committee’s approval review focused on course content rather than slide disclosures.

The committee approved items 4e1–4e5 but reclassified 4e5 (pediatric ocular surface disease) from “general” to “ocular disease.” For items listed under 4f (four sessions presented by a Kaiser-affiliated series), members raised uncertainty about whether the offerings had been open to all optometrists or limited to Kaiser employees; because the events already occurred in September, the committee voted to table 4f1–4f4 pending staff follow-up to confirm public availability and eligibility.

Items under 4g were approved without substantive change. For item 4h, the committee reclassified 4h1 from “general” to “ocular disease,” approved 4h3 and 4h4 as applied, and denied 4h2 — a business-oriented session titled essentially “How much is your eye care practice worth?” — on the grounds that practice-management coursework is not eligible for CE credit under the cited standards.

All motions were made, seconded and decided by roll-call votes recorded on the transcript; the meeting recorded unanimous or majority ayes for the motions described above. There were no in-room or online public commenters during the meeting’s public-comment opportunities.

The committee discussed scheduling an additional PEC meeting in November to act on the tabled Kaiser series and several newly received course applications and asked staff to follow up on potential dates. The meeting adjourned after the chair thanked attendees for patience with technical issues.

The committee’s formal actions will be reflected in the board’s posted minutes and the staff follow-up will determine eligibility for the tabled Kaiser-presented series.