2014 Speaker Spotlight: William Rich III, MD
In case you missed, Dr. William Rich’s keynote lecture – Innovation: Beyond Drugs and Devices, will be held on Friday, March 21st at 8 am. It was originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon. A favorite at our 2011 symposium, Dr. Rich is highly anticipated again this year.
As well as being senior partner at Northern Virginia Ophthalmology Associates, Dr. Rich is currently the Medical Director of Health Policy for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the oldest American medical specialty society. Prior to this he served as the Secretary for Federal Affairs for the Academy. He has had a twenty-five year involvement in health policy, managed care and practice management in addition to consulting with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Health Policy Forum, the National Institute of Health Care Management and the Institute of Medicine.
His recent article “How Will the ACA Affect Glaucoma Practice in 2014” was the cover story in the January/February 2014 issue of Glaucoma Today. In his keynote address, Innovation: Beyond Drugs and Devices, Dr. Rich will review major gains in health over the past 100 years concentrating on the seminal advances in ophthalmology. Next, he’ll provide an analysis of the complex demands on ophthalmologists in the post Affordable Care Act era, and how to meet those demands for better outcomes, quality, and reimbursement while furthering science.
Dr. Rich has delivered numerous named lectureships dealing with health policy and continues to lecture on a regular basis at national and regional meetings. He has received the Honor and Senior Honor award from the AAO, the Presidents Award from the American Glaucoma Society, the Special Recognition Award from the American Society of Retinal Specialists, Annual Honored Lecture Award from Women in Ophthalmology and the Founders Award from Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Rich’s lecture will be well worth the early wake-up call, so set your alarm and grab a cup of coffee in the exhibit hall on your way to the general session. If you’d like to know more about Dr. Rich in advance of his keynote address, please check out this interview with Glaucoma Today, where he discusses health policy and the merits of unplugging from technology.
We are honored to have Dr. Rich as the keynote lecturer at our 63rd Annual Symposium. If you haven’t already, please register in advance here!