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DRY EYE UNIVERSITY GRADUATES ITS SECOND GROUP

Bowden Eye event educates practices on establishing a successful dry eye protocol

Addressing a critical need in eye care, Bowden Eye Services Management Organization presented the second Dry Eye University on Oct. 5-6 at One Ocean Resort Hotel in Atlantic Beach, FL.

The purpose of the event was to educate practices on how to establish a successful dry eye protocol within the eye care practice, including both clinical and financial best practices.

This year’s Dry Eye University included more than 80 attendees from 18 practices and supporting companies.COURTESY: BOWDEN EYE

The two-day event included educational sessions from the physicians and staff of Bowden Eye & Associates, along with vendor demonstrations of dry eye products and services. More than 80 people attended from 18 practices and the supporting companies, with attendees coming from Hawaii, Colorado, Canada, Maine, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

They were particularly interested in the presentations on the tools needed to properly diagnose and treat dry eye disease, says Patti Barkey, CEO, COE, Bowden Eye & Associates, Jacksonville, FL.

“As the director of Dry Eye University, I am thrilled at the success of the program,” says Ms. Barkey. “The vision was to inspire more practices to have the success that Bowden Eye has experienced in the treatment of dry eye patients. Satisfaction for physicians, staff and most importantly, patients, is greatly increased after the implementation of this specialty in a practice.”

Attendees viewed live demonstrations of products and services, such as Lipiflow.
COURTESY: BOWDEN EYE

The next Dry Eye University Event is slated for Feb. 5 and 6 at One Ocean in Atlantic Beach.
You and your staff can register at www.thebowdenseries.com.

DON’T LET YOUR SCHEDULE CONTROL YOU

Apps for smart devices and computers can assist with planning and scheduling important tasks

If you are feeling overwhelmed with your schedule, you might consider help from a time management app for your smartphone, tablet, or computer. These applications offer any number of features to create to-do lists, plans, calendars and schedules, notifications, and management reports.

The good news is that a variety of apps are available at little to no cost. While there is little bad news to be reported about the apps, keep in mind that beyond the hype and marketing, there’s little data to support claims that any of the apps improve efficiency. “There’s really not that much good research around on these apps,” said Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist at Duke University, in a recent article posted on theguardian.com. Mr. Ariely is also co-founder of Timeful, a time management system.

Here is a selected sampling of popular time management apps:

» Any.do. Includes the following time-saving features: daily planner, share and delegate, upload files, comments, subtasks, list management, notes, reminders, action shortcuts, notifications, and advanced recurring tasks. Also, the app syncs with all your devices. Works with Android, iPhone, and Chrome.

» Awesome Note. Described as an all-in-one organizer, it enables you to catalog combined notes and to-do lists. Features: customizable templates, today’s schedule, calendar, and it syncs with Evernote and Google Drive, so you can share from anywhere. Works with iPhone, iPad, and Galaxy Note.

» Clear. This to-do and reminder app features a gesture-based design, customizable themes, multiple lists and reminders. To create a new item, pull down on the list, and swipe right to check off a task. Works with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Macs.

» RescueTime. This app runs in the background on computers and mobile devices, tracking the time spent on applications and websites, to provide a picture of how you spend your day, assuming your position is one that spends a lot of time on the computer.

» Timeful. This app enables you to create a “To Do,” “Event,” and/or “Habit,” in your calendar and select the day, time, and duration for each. After doing this, the app creates a chronological list, and it uses algorithms to help you determine when to schedule in the future.

» Toggl. Referred to as “one-click time tracking,” this app is ideal for team projects, and it provides an instant overview of your time and team’s progress. You can have an unlimited amount of projects, color code them, add sub-projects, compare time data, and more. The app works with Apple products.