Abstract
M.Comm.
Literature relating to Optometric Practice Management in South Africa is not
available. The only text available for use by Optometry students is the book
published by Gowans in 1989. This text is now outdated as many changes were
instituted after the first democratic elections in 1994.
Not only has Optometric Practice Management been neglected, but literature
relating to Optometric education in South Africa is also not easily accessible.
Very few publications dedicated to Optometric education itself have been
retrieved. The earliest study was commissioned by the South African Optometric
Association when Hofstetter (1980) was requested to investigate Optometric
education in South Africa.
The need for teaching Optometric Practice Management as part of formal
undergraduate studies was investigated. Mokoena (2007) referred to the
importance thereof in a letter to the editor of the Vision magazine. He referred to
the requirement of Practice Management as ‘to teach and integrate a sound,
practice business education into the undergraduate level of optometry at
optometry schools’. Some other authors such as Schubach (2002) have
indicated the need to teach basic business skills and Kriel (2003) also highlighted
the requirement to teach Practice Management as a specialized skill at a
postgraduate level.
The utilization or performance of various Practice Management aspects was
evaluated and the importance of these activities in practice was assessed. The
rating of the importance of the activities has led to the suggestion of a curriculum
for Optometric Practice Management for the undergraduate programme as well
as a possible postgraduate course.