CPOA Professional Issues 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient requests a copy of their prescription after their exam. Under federal law, the optometrist must:
- Provide it only if the patient pays a fee
- Provide it automatically without the patient having to ask (Correct answer)
- Provide it only if the patient plans to fill it elsewhere
- Charge for a second copy if one was already given
Correct answer: Provide it automatically without the patient having to ask
The FTC Eyeglass Rule requires that prescribers give patients a copy of their prescription automatically at the end of the exam at no extra charge.
Question 2: Which action best demonstrates professional ethics in an optometric practice?
- Discussing a patient's diagnosis in the waiting room
- Recommending unnecessary add-ons to increase revenue
- Informing the patient of all treatment options available (Correct answer)
- Skipping documentation to save time between patients
Correct answer: Informing the patient of all treatment options available
Professional ethics requires that patients receive complete and honest information about all available treatment options to make informed decisions.
Question 3: A CPOA notices a coworker falsifying patient records. The most appropriate first step is to:
- Ignore it to avoid workplace conflict
- Confront the coworker publicly in front of patients
- Report the concern to the supervising optometrist or practice manager (Correct answer)
- Alter the records back to the correct information without telling anyone
Correct answer: Report the concern to the supervising optometrist or practice manager
Falsifying medical records is illegal and unethical; the correct action is to report the concern through the proper supervisory channel.
Question 4: State scope-of-practice laws for paraoptometrics primarily define:
- How much a CPOA may charge for services
- Which tasks a CPOA may legally perform without direct supervision (Correct answer)
- The number of patients a CPOA can see per day
- Whether a CPOA can own an optometric practice
Correct answer: Which tasks a CPOA may legally perform without direct supervision
Scope-of-practice laws specify the tasks paraoptometric staff are legally authorized to perform, which vary by state.
Question 5: Continuing education (CE) requirements for CPOAs exist primarily to:
- Allow staff to earn higher wages automatically
- Ensure competency is maintained and knowledge stays current (Correct answer)
- Replace the need for on-the-job training
- Satisfy insurance billing requirements
Correct answer: Ensure competency is maintained and knowledge stays current
CE requirements ensure that certified paraoptometrics maintain and update their clinical knowledge and skills throughout their career.
Question 6: Which statement about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and optometric practices is correct?
- Practices with fewer than 5 employees are fully exempt
- Practices must make reasonable accommodations for patients with disabilities (Correct answer)
- Only physical access ramps are required under the ADA
- The ADA does not apply to healthcare providers
Correct answer: Practices must make reasonable accommodations for patients with disabilities
The ADA requires that optometric practices make reasonable accommodations to ensure patients with disabilities can access care.
Question 7: When a patient signs an Assignment of Benefits form, they are authorizing:
- The practice to release their records to employers
- Insurance payments to be sent directly to the practice (Correct answer)
- The optometrist to choose their frame style
- A family member to make medical decisions for them
Correct answer: Insurance payments to be sent directly to the practice
An Assignment of Benefits form directs the insurance company to send reimbursement payments directly to the provider rather than the patient.
CPOA Professional Issues 2
A patient requests a copy of their prescription after their exam.
Under federal law, the optometrist must: