HEALDSBURG, Calif.— OD Excellence (ODX) has launched The Office Manager Certification program, designed to assist attendees in mastering the skills necessary to be an effective office manager in an eye care practice.

The program, which debuted at ODX’ recent national conference last month in a two-day fast-track format for ODX members, has been developed with the University of Houston College of Optometry, which provides certificates for participants who complete the Office Manager Certification Program.

The curriculum will cover a range of topics including staff management, including evaluation, hiring, motivation, scheduling and agenda-setting as well as daily operations and office organization and systems, goal setting and others. It will be made available as a six-month, online program open to all interested ECPS, which will begin January, 2014, according to Jerry Lieblein, OD, ODX’ CEO. “We are excited about the possibilities offered to practices with this new program,” he said. “We envision that this new program will make a big impact on the profitability and efficiency of practice operations.”

Those office managers who receive certification will have an opportunity to participate in the ODXExcellence in Management Program, starting next year, to be overseen by accredited industry speaker and trainer, Valerie Manso, and will include monthly educational webinars, live monthly “Hot Topic” Coaching Call-in Sessions, an Excellence in Management Monthly newsletter and the Office Manager Online Community Forum.

Stated Sam Quintero, OD, associate professor at University of Houston’s College of Optometry, “Optometric practitioners as a rule are not prepared to run a small business enterprise and many are not interested in doing so nor do they enjoy having to manage the day-to-day operations of the practice. The skill sets required for this type of managerial considerations are not taught within the curricula of the schools and colleges of optometry. Consequently, graduates, as well as many experienced practitioners, are not prepared to serve as managers.”

He added, “The Office Manager Certification Course provides knowledge and skills to develop personnel within an optometric practice to enable staff who like to manage, who are more likely to be more entrepreneurial than the doctor and who seek to become a valuable asset within the enterprise.”

Lieblein said that information about the Office Manager Certification Course, registration for ODX members and non-members, will be posted this month on the OD Excellence website.