A ribbon cutting for three new lab areas within the Ophthalmic Medical assistance program at Greenville Technical College was held on May 16, and new equipment was introduced.
The program began in 2001 when Dr. Hal Shaw of Jervey Eye Group and Dr. Thomas Tucker of Greenville Eyecare approached the college with a need for trained employees. At the time, physicians were hiring unskilled personnel and having to take the time to train people during office hours.
Greenville Tech’s three-month program teaches students to assist in the effort to prevent, detect, diagnose, and manage conditions that can interfere with sight. The course is taught by 13 local ophthalmologists and optometrists who volunteer their time to instruct and provide facilities for field trips.
Ophthalmic Medical Assistants initiate patient exams, measure and record vital status, and perform diagnostic procedures. Ninety hours are devoted to classroom work and lab instruction, and 80 hours are spent in a clinical experience with an affiliated eye care facility.
iMedicor donated digital pens and software that enables the information gathered to be encoded digitally so that it becomes a part of the patient’s medical record, replacing data handlers and personnel to input the information in medical offices.