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OREGON BOARD OF
OPTOMETRY
BOARD BULLETIN
May 2015
Board Newsletter
Welcome Douglas Walker to
the Board!
Douglas Walker, OD joins the Oregon Board of Optometry for his first three year
term and we’d like to welcome him. Dr. Walker graduated from Pacific University in
1999 and settled in Gold Beach Oregon after serving an externship there. Dr.
Walker’s background includes receiving the 1999 Oregon Optometric Association
Student of the Year and he was the 2005 Oregon Young OD of the Year. Dr.
Walker has been the President of the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association
as well as served on the Brookings/Harbor Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Walker
and his wife Lana and their two children, Zack and Abby live in Gold Beach and
enjoy the sunny weather and spending time together.
“"I appreciate the opportunity and
honor in being appointed by the
Governor to the Oregon Board of
Optometry. I am passionate about
the profession of Optometry and I
hope to provide guidance and leadership as a Board member. I realize
that I am now representing the
Governor's office with the objective
of protecting the citizens of Oregon
by ensuring that our Optometric
Physicians are licensed and are
Dr. Walker owns and operates Eye Center of Brookings, LLC . Dr. Walker works
with surgeons Jon Marc Weston, MD, Brett Pariseau, MD and John Hunts, MD to
provide high quality vision care in the Southern Oregon coast area.
With his strong commitment to the optometric industry and customer service, Dr.
Walker is a welcome addition to the Oregon Board of Optometry. Thank you Dr.
Walker for your service to Oregonians and your fellow licensees.
providing the highest standard of
care to benefit all Oregonians. I
look forward to this new challenge
and dedicate my time and effort to
becoming an effective part of this
Board."
Douglas Walker, O.D.
OBO Licensing
Statistics
In This Issue

Hydrocodone
Legislative update
52 New licenses Issued

Discipline Update
14 Licenses Voluntarily Terminated

CE reminders

New ED and Board
member

Thank you to Dr.
Mans for Board
service
In 2014:
36 Licenses Lapsed
At December 31, 2014:
776 Active licenses
464 Inactive/Military Licenses
Douglas Walker, OD
OBO Staff
Changes
Nancy DeSouza, the Executive
Director for OBO for the past four
years has taken a position with
another state agency—the Oregon
Travel Experience. The Board and
staff would like to thank Nancy for
her dedicated service and all of the
hard work under her direction. We
wish her all the best in her new
endeavor.
Hydrocodone Prescribing
Authority
Senate Bill 152 was introduced this session to amend Oregon Revised Statute
683.101 to include in the practice of optometry the authority to prescribe Schedule
II hydrocodone-combination drugs for optometrists.
Oregon optometrists had the authority to prescribe hydrocodone products until the
FDA moved the drugs from Schedule III to Schedule II. In order to maintain Oregon optometrist’s authority to prescribe those drugs in conjunction with treatment,
the agency worked with Oregon Optometric Physicians Association to pass this
bill to maintain the service to your clients.
With Nancy’s departure, the Board
hired Shelley Sneed as the agency’s new Executive Director. Shelley is an enrolled member of the
Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde and came to OBO from the
Landscape Contractors Board,
another semi-independent state
licensing agency. Shelley brings
with her state licensing experience
and a drive to work with the board
and staff to implement a number of
technology upgrades to better
serve OBO’s licensees.
SB 152 was signed into law by Governor Kate Brown on March 30, 2015 with a
same day effective date.
DEA registration
Some of you are wondering about your DEA registration and the affect of this
legislative change. The agency has been in touch with the DEA about this change
and is awaiting word on how this will affect your registration. Once more information is obtained from the DEA, that information will be passed along to our
licensees.
Shelley Sneed, ED
Continuing Education (CE) Reminders:
18 hours is due every year. 9 hours must be in the area of diagnosis, treatment and management of ocular
disease (TMOD). Excess CE credits can be carried over for the next 12 month CE reporting period. A one hour
approved optometric ethics or Oregon law course must be completed every other license year. NOTE: 1 hour
attendance at an OBO Board meeting counts towards the ethics/law requirement—join us for a Board meeting.
Board
Members
Jeffrey Pelson, OD,
Chair, Grants Pass
Molly Cardenal, OD,
Vice Chair, Portland
Jessica Lynch, OD
Hillsboro
Douglas Walker, OD
Brookings
Catherine Webber
Salem
Staff Members
Shelley Sneed
Executive Director
shelley.g.sneed@oregon.gov
Extension 3
Cathy Boudreau
Executive Assistant
cathy.boudreau@oregon.gov
Extension 1
Debbie Hendricks
Accounting/Licensing
Specialist
debbie.hendricks@oregon.gov
Extension 2
Agency Contact
Information
1500 Liberty St SE, Suite
210, Salem, OR 97302
503-399-0662
Fax: 503/399-0705
www.oregonobo.org
OBO DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
From January 1, 2014 through
December 31, 2014 the Board
reviewed a total of 48 complaint. OBO
staff handled an additional 17
consumer complaints. The Board
reviewed and resolved 27 cases. Five
cases resulted in disciplinary action.
Here is an overview of those cases:
Lee Azpiroz, O.D. (#14-01-013): April 25, 2014 Final Order. Sanction in violation of ORS 683.140(1)(c) for unprofessional conduct. ORS 683.140 (1)(p) for
violation of provisions of ORS 683.010 to 683.335. ORS 683.100 failure to give
notice to Board of place of practice. OAR 852-050-0005 (2013) failure to obtain
license and certificate of registration. OAR 852-050-0016 failure to notify Board of
place of practice and OAR 852-060-0027(13) unprofessional conduct—failure to
respond in writing to a Board request for information as required. License reprimand.
Resolution: Letter of reprimand.
David Biggar, O.D. (#13-09-02, 13-09-03, 13-09-04)): September 5, 2014 Final
Order. Three violations of ORS 683.140(c) unprofessional conduct in the
profession; OAR 852-010-0051(5) records and OAR 852-060-0025(2)(d) unprofessional conduct for failure to timely release requested patient records to three
complainants within 14 business days of the request. One violation of ORS
683.140(c) unprofessional conduct in the profession and OAR 852-060-0027(17)
conduct contrary to recognized standards of ethics of the optometric profession,
for violating patient confidentiality. One violation of ORS 683-140(c); OAR 852-060
-0025(2)(d) unprofessional conduct for harassment of a complainant. Formal reprimand and civil penalty of $1,500.
Resolution: Civil penalty paid timely.
Kimberly Hoyt, O.D., (#14-07-02) August 15, 2014 Interim Agency Order. November 26, 2014 Consent Order. License was suspended until licensee completed several items: substance use disorder evaluation and three months consecutive sobriety. Upon license reinstatement, licensee must refrain from using alcohol, controlled drugs or mind altering substances unless prescribed on a licensed
practitioner for a bond fide medical condition for a five year period. Licensee will
not prescribe, order, store, inventory, audit, access, draw, administer, dispense,
waste or have access to any Scheduled controlled drugs. Licensee shall adhere
to, participate in and complete any and all recovery treatment plans. License reissued.
Resolution: License suspended until April 10, 2015 with the conditions of
the consent order active after license issuance.
Gratitude to Dr. Mans
Contact Us
Robert Mans, OD served on the OBO Board for a six year period. There were a
variety of changes in that six year period. The agency’s long-term Executive Director left the agency and there were several staffing changes. During that time the
agency maintained its high level of customer service, while managing an office
move and other changes.
1500 Liberty St SE,
Suite 210
Salem, OR 97302
Dr. Mans was a valued leader on the Board. Both staff and Board members would
like to say thank you to Dr. Mans for your service. You were a steady, strong leader and you will be missed. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the
optometry profession.
www.oregonobo.org
Watch for changes and updates
The agency is working on updating our website and offering credit card payment
processing. Online renewals are another project being studied by the agency. We
know you are used to using the internet and your mobile phone for many things in
your business and personal life. OBO is looking at ways to upgrade our service
and technology offerings, so stay tuned.
503/399-0662
Fax: 503/399-0705
OBO Board Meeting Dates:
July 24, 2015
November 6, 2015
Meetings held at the OBO
office’s 1st floor
conference room
Licensing Optometrists in Oregon since 1905
Oregon Board of Optometry
1500 Liberty St SE, Suite 210
Salem, OR 97302
PLACE
STAMP
HERE
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your email address, call or email Debbie Hendricks: debbie.hendricks@oregon.gov or 503/399-0662 ext. 2