You need excellent qualifications in optometry to offer comprehensive eye care services in California. The Board of Optometry does not compromise on the quality of eyecare Californians receive, hence the strict manner in which it issues licenses. The board also watches licensed optometrists carefully to ensure they offer quality, reliable, and safe services. If it receives a complaint against a particular optometric, the board conducts an in-depth investigation and takes quick action to protect the public.
For this reason, optometrists are always carefully conducting their business to avoid facing charges and accusations that could lead to license revocation or suspension. If you are accused of professional misconduct, negligence, or incompetence in Oakland, you can fight your charges to safeguard your reputation and livelihood. Our experienced license attorneys at Oakland License Attorney can offer the support, advice, and assistance you need to challenge the accusations and push for the best result for your case.
The Valuable Services of Optometrists
Healthcare professionals specializing in eye problems are classified as ophthalmologists and optometrists. Ophthalmologists mainly deal with complicated eye conditions that require extensive treatment, such as surgery. Optometrics’ focus is mainly on regular vision and general eye healthcare.
The eye is an important and very complicated organ. Although it plays a crucial role, it is one of the organs many people take for granted. Some people ignore eye problems until they start losing their vision. Seeing an eye doctor regularly is advisable to prevent some conditions that affect vision. Then, you will not have to depend on glasses or contacts.
Optometrists are valuable healthcare professionals for people worried about their vision and general eye care. Their service encompasses everything from eye care and diagnosis to treatment and prevention. They diagnose, treat, and advise against various eye-related issues. They also develop treatment plans for their patients for a more effective approach.
You need extensive training, practical experience, and a positive attitude to work as an optometrist. You must also be trained to use specialized equipment for proper diagnosis and treatment. You must also be willing to dedicate your life, time, and other resources to the job since it is quite demanding. The Board of Optometry considers these qualifications and others to license only qualified professionals for the job. A license shows that you have the right skills and an understanding of the law and professional guidelines required of optometrists in California.
Sadly, acquiring a license does not mean keeping it for life, or at least until retirement. The board can suspend or revoke your professional license at any stage in your career if you demonstrate negligence, are incompetent, or violate the law or state professional guidelines. If one of your patients or colleagues is dissatisfied with your services and files a complaint with the board, your career and license are at risk. Regardless of your crucial services to the public, your career could end if the board finds you guilty of professional misconduct.
Remember that being an eye doctor requires you to work closely with patients. You could make a genuine mistake or face false accusations from a dissatisfied or malicious patient. The board will do everything possible to protect the public, even if it means revoking your license. But you get a chance to fight for your license and can do so effectively with the support of a skilled attorney. When the board receives a complaint against you and starts investigating, its main focus will be protecting the public. The board could overlook crucial evidence and issue the harshest penalty. However, your attorney will not let that happen. They will fight to ensure the board considers your best interests in its final decision.
The Board of Optometry’s Mission
Even though the Board of Optometry is the licensing body for qualified optometrists, its main mission differs. The board exists for public safety. It protects patients and consumers from substandard and unsafe eye care. This explains the strict manner in which it licenses optometrists. This board regulates everything licensed optometrists do, including diagnosis, treatment, referrals, and after-treatment care. It sets a code of regulations for qualified optometrists and lists actions and inactions that could violate this code. If you violate the code, the board has a list of disciplinary actions it can take against you according to the nature and severity of the violation.
Thus, optometrists perform their duties carefully to avoid issues that put their license at risk. After working hard and spending so much time and money to obtain a professional license, you will do your best to protect it. Protecting your license also means safeguarding your livelihood, without which you cannot cater to your dependents' needs. Hence, legal assistance is needed if you face a disciplinary proceeding by the board. Engaging an attorney from the beginning of the process prepares you for what to expect and ensures you have the tools to fight for the best outcome.
The Board of Optometry receives different complaints and allegations against licensed optometrists. Since the board exists mainly for public safety, it will not hesitate to take stern action against you, even for a minor violation. Although it dismisses some allegations for lack of credibility, it investigates and acts upon most allegations and complaints. Typically, it is difficult to tell the possible outcome of a particular investigation since the board will put public safety before your interests. Thus, having an attorney fight on your side is an excellent idea.
Once the board sends you a notice that you are under investigation, you should take it seriously. An investigator can contact you for information or your defense. You should be careful not to incriminate yourself. Sometimes, investigators use tricks to obtain information they can use against you in the hearing. You should speak to an attorney about the dos and don'ts and allow them to take over.
Disciplinary Guidelines By The Board of Optometry
The board has a set of guidelines on its website that optometrists must adhere to while offering their services in California. For example, the board prohibits drug and alcohol use and abuse while at work. In addition to these uniform standards of operation, the board lists various disciplinary actions it takes against optometrists who violate the set standards. The list can help you determine the gravity of your violation and the possible penalty if you face an investigation by the board. It helps to know that there is no penalty for a particular violation. After analyzing evidence and other factors (mitigating and aggravating factors), the board decides on the penalty you deserve.
The least disciplinary action the board can take against you for violating the professional code is issuing a citation against you and requiring a fine. A citation does not directly affect your career or permit. However, it can destroy your reputation. This is because the board issues citations through its website. Anyone accessing the board’s website can see the citation and decide how to treat you, including your employer, associates, and patients. A damaged reputation can make it difficult for you to find work. Additionally, the fine can set you back financially, especially if it is substantial.
Additionally, the board issues letters of reprimand to caution optometrists against violations that could lead to disciplinary action. A reprimand does not directly impact your livelihood and work but can damage your reputation. Letters of reprimand are also issued through the board’s public website, which is accessible to all people, including your patients, employer, and colleagues.
In more severe violations, the board takes stern action against guilty optometrists. For example, the board could put you on probation or suspend or revoke your professional license. Probation is preferable because it does not stop you from working. However, working under strict terms and conditions can be stressful. If your licensing board suspends your license, you will not earn a living within that period. Additionally, you must apply for a new license after the suspension to continue working as an optometrist.
License revocation is the gravest disciplinary action the board can take. If, through your actions, a patient or someone else loses their life or suffers a grave injury, the board can revoke your professional license. This means you will need to change to another career to start earning a living once again.
Here are some common accusations that can result in disciplinary action by the board:
- Prescribing excessive medication or recommending excessive treatment
- Lack of physical and mental fitness for the job
- Sexual misconduct on the job
- Incompetent care, ordinary negligence, or gross negligence
- Misusing topical pharmaceuticals
- Alcohol or substance abuse on the job
- Failure to adhere to required health and safety standards, including infection control standards
- Obtaining your professional license by fraud
- Any kind of unprofessional conduct
- Practicing without a valid permit
- Working with unlicensed assistants in a capacity that requires a license
- Deceptive or false advertising practices
- A police arrest or criminal conviction that substantially affects your professionalism
- Operating in an unlawful location
- Exceeding the limits of your permit when rendering services
- Violating the terms and conditions of your probation
- Failing to honor a patient’s request for their medical records
- Failing to keep patient records adequately
- Being under the investigation of another government body or another state’s licensing body
The Role of Your Licensing Attorney
A licensing attorney is an expert in legal matters about professional licenses. They understand how administrative hearings work and the processes licensing boards use when a professional violates set guidelines. Having an attorney from the start of your case is advisable, as it can change the outcome of your case.
Thus, contact a license attorney immediately after the board notifies you of an investigation against you. You will receive this notification after someone brings a complaint or the board receives information regarding your violation. The attorney will consider the details of the matter to advise you on your options and the best strategies to use for a fair outcome. Your legal representative will also prepare you for different outcomes because predicting how an administrative case will go is difficult.
If the board plans to issue a citation or reprimand letter against you, your lawyer can fight it to safeguard your reputation and career. Remember that these are some of the actions the board takes that could damage your reputation and cost you your job. If your employer is likely to fire you after a citation or reprimand by the board, an aggressive attorney will not let it happen.
Your lawyer will also help in case the board sends you to probation. They can fight the probation altogether or advocate for favorable terms and conditions. For example, your attorney can convince the board to give you a reasonable probation period to enable you to serve your patients with minimal worry. Favorable probation conditions will also make your work easier and less stressful.
If the board suspends or revokes your license, your lawyer can fight it to ensure you keep your career. They can plead for probation instead of license suspension or suspension instead of revocation. Your attorney can take time to understand your needs to ensure the board also serves your best interests, even as it seeks to protect the public.
Above all, your attorney can stand by you during the most challenging period of your life. They will advise, support, and assure you of a good outcome, even when the evidence against you is profound. If the case's ruling is against you, your attorney can file an appeal within the required timeline and push relentlessly for a fair outcome.
Find a Remarkable License Attorney Near Me
If the Board of Optometry has notified you about a complaint against you in Oakland, it is time to find an experienced license attorney for advice and legal guidance. A notification like that can cause you a lot of stress and anxiety. An attorney will help you understand the severity of the matter and help you navigate the complex legal processes.
We will also fight for your rights and career at Oakland License Attorney. We have extensive training and experience to handle professional license-related cases. We will not stop until you are satisfied with the outcome. Call us at 341-234-0408 for more details about us.
