RESIDENT SUPERVISION POLICY
Probationary Period: All residents will undergo an initial probationary period, beginning at the onset of the residency program and concluding upon the resident becoming credentialed at Ochsner. Typically this period would last about one month. During this time the resident will not have a schedule of his/her own patients and would not be able to see patients independently. They will be able to observe Dr. Colegrove, read and present journal articles to the students and familiarize themselves with their exam rooms, facility and equipment.
The resident will already have a Louisiana optometry license at the start of the residency year. The credentialing process must be completed to ensure that the resident could bill for his/her services appropriately.
Residents will not be precepting optometry students during the probationary period. Their clinics with ophthalmology may be conducted as observation.
Upon the completion of the one-month credentialing period and approval from the Program Coordinator, the resident will be permitted to practice with direct supervision. All charts will need to be reviewed, signed and approved by Dr. Colegrove. This may last up to one more month.
During the direct supervision period, the resident will be closely supervised by the Program Coordinator and will be given oral feedback about their performance. Once the direct supervision period is successfully completed, the resident will be notified, and his/her schedule will be opened. If the Program Coordinator feels the resident is not ready after one month, a written plan is prepared. This written plan will be reviewed and signed by the Program Coordinator and resident. The plan will address deficiencies and the solutions to improvement. After another month of direct supervision, the Program Coordinator and resident will meet again to evaluate progress. If adequate competency is not demonstrated, the Residency Coordinator will be informed and updated on a monthly basis. At the end of each subsequent month the Program Coordinator will decide if the resident is ready to practice independently. Monthly meetings between the Program Coordinator and resident may take place until the end of a six-month period. At this time if sufficient competency is not demonstrated, termination of the resident may be instituted at the discretion of the Program Coordinator and Residency Director.
All record reviews are done by the Program Coordinator. The Coordinator will review the resident’s records on a daily basis. The record will be evaluated for appropriate documentation, legibility, follow up, and standard of care. Any deficiencies will be discussed with the resident on that particular day.