DATE: August 25, 2010 (revised August 30, 2010)
FOR RELEASE: Immediately
CONTACT: Marketing Manager
410-581-6222
The Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (BOC) has expanded, adding four new directors effective immediately. All four seats were filled as appointment, according to BOC Board of Directors chairwoman Sharon Nichelson, CMF, COF.
The new Board members are:
- Mark L. Parris, Pharm.D., COF, who practices in Blue Ridge, Georgia and has been a BOC certificant since 2003.
- Robbin Wright, BOCP, of Yazoo City, Mississippi, who earned certification in 2000.
- Jeff Hedges of R.J. Hedges & Associates, New Florence, PA.
- William J. Powers, a retired military Medical Service Corps officer and a retired non-profit healthcare executive residing in Midlothian, VA. Bill is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
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| Mark L. Parris, Pharm.D., COF | Robbin Wright, BOCP |
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| Jeff Hedges | William J. Powers |
“Our Board of Directors is expanding in both size and diversity,” says Nichelson. “In fact, an additional slate of candidates will be presented to our certificants this fall. It’s a pleasure to welcome Mark, Robbin, Jeff and Bill to the Board. The expertise they bring will make us a stronger deliberative body, expanding our perspective on O&P and our certified practitioners’, accredited facilities’ and patients’ needs.”
BOC’s Board of Directors approved both the expansion of its membership and the nominations of Parris, Wright, Hedges and Powers during its July 26 meeting. BOC Board members are typically selected by direct vote of BOC certificants. However, BOC’s bylaws call for directors to be appointed if a vacancy occurs during a standard term. Parris and Wright were appointed to fill vacancies. Because neither Hedges nor Powers are O&P practitioners, the bylaws provide for them to serve by appointment as ex officio voting members.
Parris is President and CEO of Parris Pharmacy and Parris Medical Services, both located in Blue Ridge, Georgia. After earning his bachelor’s degree in biology, he studied at Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, and his special concentrations include working with patients who have asthma, diabetes, and/or high blood pressure, as well as patients who need orthotics. He is a member of the Georgia Pharmacy Association and the National Community Pharmacists Association, and a past Board member of the Georgia Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Independent Pharmacies, the Academy of Compounding Pharmacies, and Fannin Regional Hospital.
Wright is chief prosthetist at Mid State Artificial Limb, Inc. in Jackson, Mississippi. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at Jackson State University before starting with Mid State in 1991. Later, she joined the staff at Pathway Prosthetics in Brandon, MS as a prosthetist specializing in patient management. For seven years, Wright was owner and president of J RAPHA Medical Group Prosthetic Facility in Yazoo City, returning to Mid State in 2008. Since 2005, she has served on BOC’s prosthetics examination item writers committee.
Hedges is president of R.J. Hedges & Associates, and as a recognized leader and advocate for community pharmacies, laughingly admits to being known as “The HIPAA Guy.” He is co-author of the National Community Pharmacists Association’s HIPAA Security Handbook, and has written numerous articles on HIPAA Compliance, Medicare Accreditation and other federal compliance topics, and travels nationally to deliver continuing education presentations. After 27 years in the U.S. Air Force, Hedges retired and formed a company that offers comprehensive healthcare compliance services for independent pharmacies, home health care facilities, medical supply companies, physicians and other small practices throughout the United States. R.J. Hedges & Associates products include policies and procedures manuals and education and training programs.
Bill Powers earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rutgers University before being commissioned in the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corp. He held several positions of increasing responsibility over a nearly 30-year career, retiring from the Air Force as a Colonel serving as chief executive officer of the Wright Patterson Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. While in the service, Bill earned his master’s in business administration and attained Fellowship in the American College of Healthcare Executives. After retiring from the military, his civilian career included an executive consulting position with Joint Commission Resources, a subsidiary of the Joint Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations, and a Director-level position within the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association’s Educational Consortium. Bill concluded his civilian career by serving over six years as the Chief Operating Officer of the American Nurses Association.
“Part of the Board’s reason for expanding is to refine the balance among the five specialties represented on our Board,” says BOC president Claudia Zacharias, MBA, CAE. “We also wanted to even out the rotation of how many Board members’ terms expire each year. Immersing oneself in a Board’s work takes time; it’s helpful for new members to serve with experienced ones, and experienced Board members benefit from the energy new Board members bring. Making sure there’s a good mix of new and continuing Board members every year keeps the Board strong. I join Sharon in welcoming our newest Board members. Mark and Robbin have a terrific breadth of experience, and Jeff and Bill come from extremely successful careers that include the military, not-for-profit organizations and business.”
Since 1984, the Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (BOC) has provided credentials demonstrating the competence and proficiency of orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) professionals. BOC offers NCCA-accredited certification programs in five disciplines: orthotics, prosthetics, pedorthics, orthotic fitting, and mastectomy fitting. BOC’s facility accreditation program partners with Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers to meet standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and improve business practices. BOC credentials celebrate and recognize the competence, professionalism and safe practice environments of BOC-certified practitioners and BOC-accredited facilities.