OAR 852-070-0037: Continuing Education Reporting and Audit

(1) Optometric Physicians seeking to renew their active status license shall submit with their renewal application a completed form provided by the Board certifying that they have met the CE and CPR certification requirements set forth in these rules. Any optometric physician renewing a license more than 30 days after their due date, or restoring a lapsed license, will provide original documentation verifying that they have met the continuing education requirement per 852-050-0006, in addition to the form. (2) The licensee is responsible for ensuring that all reported CE hours have been pre-approved by the Board before attesting to their completion. A licensee may not submit CE credit that has not been pre-approved by the Board. (a) All requests for course approval must be received by the Board at least 30 days before the license renewal due date for consideration for credit for the current renewal period. (b) If the Board does not approve the course(s) within the due date, the licensee must submit additional acceptable credits by the renewal due date or the renewal will be considered incomplete and late. (3) The licensee is responsible for obtaining a completion certificate from the course sponsor for renewal and audit. (4) Optometric Physicians must maintain accurate documentation and records of any claimed continuing education hours and CPR certification for no less than three years from the date of submission to the Board. Licensees must provide documentation of CE and CPR certification when requested by the Board per OAR 852-070-0020. (5) The Board may audit licensees for compliance with CE and CPR certification by generating a random computer list of a Board determined percentage of renewing licensees on a regular basis. The Board may also include non-random individuals in the audit sample. (a) Licensees selected for audit will have 21 days from notification to supply the agency with verification of their CE hours or CPR certification dates. Those selected for audit will be notified by first class mail to their address of record. Failure to comply or misrepresentation of compliance is grounds for disciplinary action for unprofessional conduct. (b) Licensees who fail to respond with the requested documentation within 21 days will be assessed a civil penalty. (c) If the licensee does not comply within 60 days of the date of the audit letter, the licensee will be sent a notice of license suspension for a minimum of 90 days. (6) The Board may, in individual cases involving physical disability, illness or undue hardship, grant waivers of the minimum continuing education and CPR certification requirements or extensions of time within which to fulfill the same or make the required reports. Applications for waiver shall be made to the Board in writing at least two months prior to license renewal date.