VIEWPOINT
Winning Team
Changes in store for 2001.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR, LARISA HUBBS
For many of us, January marks the
starting point for change. Hopefully, we look back over the last
year and realize that we've made progress and actually
implemented plans that we'd hoped to.
About this time last year, I was
facing a position with this magazine that entailed more
responsibility -- a situation ripe for change. Since then, I've
thought about ways to improve OM -- including new departments,
article topics and board members.
Now, with the new year upon us, we're
ready to unveil these changes.
A warm welcome
Beginning this month, Neil
Gailmard, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O., takes the helm as chief
optometric editor.
Many of you may already know Dr.
Gailmard through his role as program chair for the American
Optometric Association's Practice Management University or as a
professor, lecturer and practice management consultant. Dr.
Gailmard also has a successful private practice in Munster, Ind.
Dr. Gailmard has a rich history
with OM -- he's been a contributing editor with us for 12 years.
I've immensely enjoyed working
with him, and I'm eager to bring Dr. Gailmard's cutting-edge
practice management ideas to you in print. (He's also written
this month's cover story, which begins on page 32.)
Please feel free to contact him
with any comments or ideas you have for the magazine. His e-mail
address is: neil@gailmard.com.
Host of new positions
We've also made other changes to
our team. Please welcome nationally known lecturer and author
Milton M. Hom, O.D., F.A.A.O., as our new CE coordinator and
contact lens consultant and nationally known author Carol
Schwartz, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O., who will assume the newly
created role of contact lens editor.
In addition, we've launched
several new departments for 2001. They include the following:
- Coding Q&A
by nationally known expert John McGreal, O.D.
- Street Sense
will offer tips for stock market investing by seasoned
financial writer Gerald Helzner.
- Therapeutic
Insights, a column on advances in
pharmaceuticals, which will be coordinated by Bobby
Christensen, O.D., F.A.A.O.
- Eye on Managed
Care by managed care expert Gil Weber, M.B.A.
Also, we've added Richard Hom, O.D.,
F.A.A.O., as our new Cybercare editor, and next month we'll
launch a new column on legal issues by Paul Peng, O.D., J.D.
A well-deserved thanks
No discussion of a winning team
would be complete without mentioning the contributions of our
former Chief Optometric Editor Art Epstein, O.D., F.A.A.O. For 5
years, he helped guide OM, and he'll be missed by all here on
staff. We wish him well in his future endeavors.
Here's to a great new year, one
full of positive change for you and your winning teams.
Optometric Management, Issue: January 2001