Speaker: Steven T. Reed, O.D., AOA President-Elect
Steven T. Reed, O.D.: Kendra and I do wish you a very happy and prosperous 2024. So I was asked to come up with my New Year's resolution for the year and I have to be just totally honest. I don't really make resolutions. At my age, if I think of a good idea, it's better to get started then, so I don't forget it by the first of the year. But overall, I do have sort of an overarching perhaps multiyear, we'll call it a goal, and that is the full recognition and respect for optometry in all levels of medicine and in the eyes of the public. I mean, we should be able to practice as we're taught. We should not be slaves to vision plans. Patients should think about us as a part of their overall health care strategy and not just an examination for glasses and contact lenses. I mean, my I mean my goodness, we save vision and save lives every single day and we should have a seat at the table in all areas of medicine and that's an equal and respected seat and that includes the VA. So, yeah, is this a big goal? Yeah, it is. But hey, you got to think big to get big things done and we realize there's a lot of other small goals under that, but I assure you your AOA Board is committed to getting this thing done and we will keep striving hard to do that. And I want you to know we also, and you have a large staff, about 300 members or people that work in AOA offices like D.C. and St. Louis, who are just phenomenal people. So I thank them for all that they do for us. So again, have a very wonderful 2024 and just know we're here for you. Thank you.
