American Academy of Ophthalmology
Michael X. Repka, MD, to Provide Practitioner Perspective on the Hill
Washington, D.C. – The American Academy of Ophthalmology has named Michael X. Repka, MD, to the newly created position of Medical Director for Governmental Affairs. The position was created to provide Washington-based physician leadership on Academy issues and critical health care topics being debated on Capitol Hill and before government regulators.
"Dr. Repka, with his extensive regulatory and policy experience, adds a unique perspective and set of talents to our initiatives in the nation's capitol," said David W. Parke II, MD, Academy CEO. "The addition of Mike Repka to the Academy's D.C. team amplifies ophthalmology's strong and knowledgeable voice on health care issues and enhances our ability to effect change."
The Academy is the voice of ophthalmology on critical legislative and regulatory issues. In partnership with its members, the Academy fights for the profession on both the federal and state levels to protect patient safety and ensure that ophthalmologists can continue to provide Americans the highest quality eye care.
Dr. Repka has served on the Academy's Committee of Secretaries as the secretary for federal affairs since 2005. For many years he chaired the Academy's Health Policy Committee and he is an expert on Medicare issues. Dr. Repka is a professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he will soon complete a Master of Business Administration degree. Dr. Repka is nationally and internationally known for his contributions in the fields of pediatric ophthalmology, strabismus, retinopathy of prematurity and pediatric neuro-ophthalmology.
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About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The Academy is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons—Eye M.D.s—with more than 29,000 members worldwide. Eye health care is provided by the three "O's" – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery. To find an Eye M.D. in your area, visit the Academy's Web site at
www.aao.org.