About AAOE

AAOE is the Academy's practice management resource, dedicated to meeting the educational needs of those responsible for managing the business side of ophthalmic practice.

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About AAOE

The American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives (AAOE), the practice management arm of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, offers practice management information, programs, products and services designed to address the roles of ophthalmic administrators, office managers, managing physicians and billers/coders.

The business of medicine will continue to increase in complexity and sophistication, requiring greater experience, knowledge, and skills on the part of practice managers.

Vision, Mission and Values

Vision Statement:	The preferred source for ophthalmic practice management solutions
Mission Statement:	To facilitate the business success of ophthalmic practices.
Values:	CONNECT: Professionals helping professionals. GROW: Comprehensive tools for personal, professional and practice growth. LEAD: Creating ophthalmic leaders today.
Your collaborative community of ophthalmic physicians and professionals

2013 Board of Directors

	Sandra Curd MBA, COE, COA, OCS - Chair Chief Operating Officer — Professional Eye Associates Sandra began her career in ophthalmology in 1991. She has managed a small practice in North Carolina to one of the largest in the southeast. Currently, she is the COO of a mid-sized practice in Dalton Georgia. Sandra has also functioned in a number of capacities throughout her career in ophthalmology.
	Nancy Baker Administrator — Elander Eye Medical Group Nancy has 25 years of experience in medical administration. Before transitioning to ophthalmology in 2004, she worked for a variety of specialties including OB/Gyn, General Surgery and Internal Medicine, and specializes in revitalizing under-performing practices. She is currently the administrator for Elander Eye Medical Group, Inc., a comprehensive, small group practice in Santa Monica, California, which includes one M.D., one O.D., six employees and an optical boutique. She received her Bachelor of Arts from U.C. San Diego.
	Tim D. Couch Director, Atlanta Operations — Thomas Eye Group Tim serves as Director of Operations for Thomas Eye Group, a 20+ physician practice with seven clinical and optical locations with its own ASC. He joined Thomas Eye Group in 2005 as Manager in pediatrics ophthalmology following five years as practice manager of a cardiology group in Atlanta. He has worked in the medical field since 1984 in both an administrative and clinical capacity. He has 16 years of clinical background in physical therapy with emphasis in catastrophic care rehabilitation. He uses his diversified background to work closely with staff utilization and development.
	David Durfee, MD Physician — Portland, Oregon Dr. Durfee serves on the Academy Strategic Assessment Planning Task Force and is the current Secretary for Practice Management to the Academy Board of Trustees. He has served the American Academy of Ophthalmology since 1981. He last served as the Senior Secretary for Ophthalmic Practice. Dr. Durfee practiced comprehensive ophthalmology in the Portland, Oregon for 21 years. He has served on the AAOE Board since 2001.
	Elise Levine, MA, CRC, OCS Director of Clinical Research — North Valley Eye Medical Group Elise has worked in an administrative capacity in the medical field since 1989 in both physician offices and in Medicare benefit development and implementation for a large California health insurer. Since 2006, she has been the Administrator & Director of Clinical Research for a comprehensive ophthalmology group located in a suburb of Los Angeles. Elise provides oversight of the practice including the management of 25 staff, an optical shop and a busy clinical research department. Elise received her Master of Arts in Gerontology degree from the University of Southern California in 2010.
	Raj Rathod, MD, MBA Physician — Orange County Retina Dr. Raj Rathod completed his undergraduate education at Stanford University and attended medical and business school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Later, he completed his residency at Washington University, St. Louis where he received several awards for teaching and patient care. He then served as the Chief Resident at Washington University. During his fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery and ocular tumors at the University of Illinois, Chicago, Dr. Rathod was voted "Fellow of the Year”. He currently practices at Orange County Retina in Southern California.
	Andrew Wang, COE, FACHE, MHSA, MBA Practice Administrator — Kansas City Eye Clinic Andrew has over 20 years of experience in administration in private practice health care, humanitarian organizations, academic medical centers and local government. In his primary career focus of health care he has had successful posts in business planning and analysis as well as practice management. Since 2007 he has been the administrator at the Kansas City Eye Clinic, a multi-specialty, comprehensive eye clinic with an optical boutique. Andrew is also an elected member of his local government, the City Council of Prairie Village, Kansas.
	Robert E. Wiggins, Jr. MD, MHA Managing Partner — Asheville Eye Associates Dr. Wiggins practices pediatric and neuro-ophthalmology and is the managing partner of Asheville Eye Associates. He performed his ophthalmology residency at Duke and his pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus fellowship at Baylor and his neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at Duke. He worked in Saudi Arabia as a pediatric ophthalmologist prior to joining Asheville Eye Associates. He obtained a Master of Healthcare Administration degree at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2003. He currently serves on the AAOE EHR subcommittee, AAO Practicing Ophthalmologists Advisory Committee for Education, AAPOS board as secretary-treasurer and finance committee chairman, and finance and underwriting committees of OMIC.

Contact AAOE

Headquarters

American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives
Street Address:
655 Beach St.
San Francisco, CA 94109

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 7424
San Francisco, CA 94120-7424
Tel: 415.561.8500
Fax: 415.561.8533
aaoe@aao.org

AAOE Staff Contacts

For AAOE staff contact information including phone and e-mail addresses, visit our Meet the AAOE Staff page.

Practice Forms Library

All the forms you need to run a successful ophthalmic practice. Access the Library