STRATEGIC PLAN

Recommendations

2013 – 2015

I. Core Beliefs………………………………………………………. 3

II. Executive Overview…………………………………………… 5

III. Strategic Planning Committee…………………………… 7

IV. Strategic Planning Process………………………………… 8

V. Strategic Initiatives for 2013 – 2015………………….. 10 Legislative/Regulatory (Reimbursement) Advocacy…………….. 11 Brand/Member Value…………………………………………………………. 19 International………………………………………………………………………. 24 Governance………………………………………………………………………… 30 The Future………………………………………………………………………….. 33

C O N T E N T S

Mission The EBAA champions the restoration of sight through core services to its members which advance donation, transplantation and research in their communities and throughout the world. Vision The vision of the EBAA is the restoration of sight worldwide. Values

Quality: Serving its membership by promoting tissue safety, setting medical standards, promoting effective business practices, and providing professional development that advance our mission. Collaboration: Supporting an environment where members work together to solve common challenges by sharing ideas and helping each other meet the needs of the communities we serve. Innovation: Fostering expansive and creative approaches to eye banking and demonstrating dedication to continuous improvement. Advocacy: Communicating with governmental agencies, corporate entities and stakeholders through innovative and forward-thinking exploration to advance the restoration of sight. Service: Honoring its members through recognition and respect for the services they provide.

Core Services

Setting Standards Advocacy Education

I C O R E B E L I E F S M I S S I O N , V I S I O N , V A L U E S , A N D C O R E S E R V I C E S

Principles of Professional Conduct The Eye Bank Association of America is committed to promoting an ethical culture within the Eye Bank community in order to better advance its Vision, to respect its Mission and to reinforce its Values. The EBAA expects all Association members and their representatives to voluntarily observe these principles for the benefit of the

community and to champion the restoration of sight.

An EBAA Member Bank:

Acts in good faith in all matters related to the recovery of donor eyes/corneas.

Respects the rights of donors, their families and recipients, including the right to privacy and confidentiality.

Operates in a fair and equitable manner.

Achieves and maintains quality in all its services.

Collaborates, cooperates and communicates with other EBAA members to create a culture of mutual respect and trust.

Holds itself to be publicly accountable, earning and maintaining the confidence of all stakeholders.

Demonstrates transparency in its public and professional relationships.

Assumes authority to represent itself and no other.

Avoids actual and potential conflicts of interest.

Implements policies that adhere to EBAA Standards.

Complies with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Conducts business in a fiscally responsible manner consistent with accepted business practices.

Establishes itself as a non-profit organization (or its foreign equivalent)

Commencing in January 2012, Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) Board of Directors, management, staff and members have participated in a strategic planning process designed to aid the organization’s leadership in successfully fulfilling their responsibilities. Members have been provided multiple opportunities to share their input and the resulting research was presented to the membership as a whole. The Strategic Planning Committee and Strategic Planning Work Group were comprised of Board members, association members and staff members. This document is the record of EBAA’s strategic planning process to date and reflects the transparent manner in which EBAA’s leadership and its members expect the association to be governed. The contents of this strategic plan summarize the Strategic Planning Committee and Strategic Planning Work Group’s recommendations for the direction of the association over the next three years. The resulting five strategic initiatives, in addition to the association’s current day-to-day activities, are intended to leverage EBAA’s strengths as it pursues its mission and vision, both in the short term and while laying the groundwork for the future. Each of the initiatives includes an assessment of our current situation and an action plan (complete with strategies, timelines, resources and metrics) needed to accomplish the objectives.

Legislative/Regulatory (Reimbursement) Advocacy To strengthen eye banking’s financial and operational future by presenting a compelling argument for our unique role to key decision makers in government and private sector.

II E X E C U T I V E O V E R V I E W

Governance To improve the composition, process and communications of EBAA’s Board of Directors, committees and House of Delegates to align these bodies towards the accomplishment of our strategic objectives and to increase transparency, trust and effectiveness. Brand/Member Value To measure perceived value to our current constituents; identify our full spectrum of potential constituents; develop a clear brand and a marketing plan to communicate that brand and create a service platform for constituents in order to increase the perceived value of EBAA participation. International To enhance the practice of eye banking internationally and in the United States by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and information between EBAA and eye banks and eye banking associations around the world. Future Provide the Board and the membership the information they need to make informed strategic decisions.

The following individuals generously shared their time, insights and intellect to help shape this strategic plan.

Name Organization

Vicki Adler Sight Society of Northeastern New York

Tim Askew Tissue Banks International

Tony Bavuso Heartland Lions Eye Bank

Michael Bearden Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Eye Bank

Tom Bruderle EBAA

Tom Buckley New England Eye & Tissue Transplant Bank

Kevin Corcoran EBAA

Bernie Dellario EBAA

Jennifer DeMatteo EBAA

Donna Drury UT Transplant Services Center Lions Eye Bank

Stacey Gardner EBAA

Mary Gatien The New Brunswick Eye and Tissue Bank

Molly Georgakis EBAA

David Glasser MD Medical Eye Bank of Maryland and Washington Eye Bank

John Guckes Bausch & Lomb

Trish Hardy EBAA

Bernie Iliakis SightLife

David Korroch Lions Medical Eye Bank & Research Center of Eastern Virginia

Barry Lee MD Georgia Eye Bank

Jay Lugo Idaho Lions Eye Bank

Marian Macsai MD Evanston Northwestern Healthcare

Jackie Malling Minnesota Lions Eye Bank

Mark Mannis MD Sierra Eye & Tissue Donor Services

Noel Mick The Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration

Monty Montoya SightLife

Michael Nordlund MD PhD Cincinnati Eye Bank for Sight Restoration

Jeff Penta San Diego Eye Bank

Jim Quirk Lions Eye Bank of Delaware Valley

Cindy Reed PhD Iowa Lions Eye Bank

Jake Requard Vision Share

Kevin Ross Midwest Eye-Banks

Chris Stoeger Lions VisionGift

Doyle Stulting MD PhD Georgia Eye Bank

Woodford Van Meter MD Lions Eye Bank of Lexington

Bruce Varnum Georgia Eye Bank

Dean Vavra North Carolina Eye Bank

Jim Wagner San Antonio Eye Bank

Doyce Williams Alabama Eye Bank

Jason Woody Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research

III S T R A T E G I C P L A N N I N G C O M M M I T T E E

TIME FUNCTION DESCRIPTION PARTICIPANTS January - February 2012

Preparation Initial briefing, interview design and approval Catch Your Limit, Kevin Corcoran, Molly Georgakis

March - April 2012 Phone Interviews and Online Survey Preparation

Conduct phone interviews with 30 Board/non-Board members; also interview all EBAA staff. CYL also advised staff on member survey development

Catch Your Limit, EBAA staff, Board of Directors, non-Board members

April 2012 Online Survey Administration

Online survey distributed to all eye banker and physician members

48 eye banks, 54 physician members

May 2012 Survey Analysis Catch Your Limit analyzes key findings from survey data, prepares key findings report and presents research findings to EBAA leadership

Catch Your Limit, Kevin Corcoran, Molly Georgakis

June 7, 2012 Survey Results Report Catch Your Limit formally presents research findings to Board of Directors

Catch Your Limit, Board of Directors, EBAA Staff

June 22, 2012 Town Hall Meeting Build trust with members by being transparent re: feedback provided via assessment and online survey data and our strategies for building EBAA’s future

Provide an opportunity for members at large to be involved and provide further input to be considered as part of EBAA’s strategic planning process

EBAA Membership at large

June 23, 2012 Strategic Planning Orientation Session

Obtain buy-in from EBAA’s Board of Directors re: EBAA’s Strategic Planning Process and Timeline.

Clarify Catch Your Limit’s expectations of strategic planning participants

Outline benefits to EBAA of strategic planning

EBAA Strategic Planning Committee

June 24, 2012 Strategic Planning Session 1

Discern if Board is on same page re: EBAA’s “As Is” and what, if any, changes needs to be considered

Determine how the strategic planning process and EBAA’s success will be defined/measured by the Board of Directors

Define the work plan for the Strategic Planning Work Group

Explore scenarios describing potential futures for EBAA and for eye banking

Draft initiatives to be undertaken to address these scenarios

EBAA Strategic Planning Committee

IV P R O C E S S

September 21-23, 2012

Strategic Planning Session 2

Review outcomes of Strategic Planning Committee Session 1

Solidify scenarios for exploration

Commit to EBAA Strategic Planning initiatives

Define success and measurement for each Strategic Planning initiative

Define the work plan for the Strategic Planning Work Group

EBAA Strategic Planning Committee

October 20-21, 2012 Strategic Planning Work Group Session

Review outcomes (Decisions/Work Plan) of Strategic Planning Committee Session 2

Execute work plan

Finalize plan (complete with objectives, strategies, timelines, accountabilities, evaluation procedures) for recommendation to EBAA Board

Prepare presentation of plan to be presented to EBAA Board

EBAA Strategic Planning Work Group

November 1, 2012 Plan Presentation Strategic Planning Work Group to present recommendation and plan to EBAA Board

EBAA Strategic Planning Committee

November 8, 2012 Board Review and Approval

Board of Directors will review final version of strategic plan and vote on approval

EBAA Board of Directors

V I N I T I A T I V E S

Legislative/Regulatory (Reimbursement) Advocacy

Objective: To strengthen eye banking’s financial and operational future by presenting a compelling argument for our unique role to key decision makers in government and private sector.

Background: Eye Bankers (93%) and Physicians (91%) both rank “representing eye banking’s interests before legislative and regulatory bodies” as a top priority for EBAA’s future planning efforts. When asked, “protecting the pass through” was deemed the most important thing the association could/should do to be more of a resource to its members and the profession. Eye Bankers (93%) and Physicians (76%) list informing members of regulatory/compliance issues as a top priority. The majority of both Eye Bankers and Physicians also deemed advancing the public image of the profession important. The current legislative, regulatory and reimbursement environment is one of great uncertainty. It is imperative EBAA be seen as the voice of the profession. If EBAA is properly positioned, regulatory agencies and other policymakers at all levels should want our input as a source and resource. Management responded to the members’ expressed desire for greater communication with key legislators and their staffs by securing the services of a consultant for this purpose in August 2012. The role of advocacy also extends to eye banking’s relationship with providers (i.e. physicians, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and all others in the “supply chain”) to discern common interests and articulate positions those involved in cornea transplants may collectively support. EBAA can significantly improve eye banks’ financial and operational success by educating these providers to properly process reimbursement for corneal tissue. Advocacy also includes outreach to private insurers, to ensure that they understand the market forces and systemic benefits that eye banking and corneal transplantation offer to health care. Throughout these initiatives, it is essential that we properly inform and educate our members about our efforts, including ways that they can help advance and reinforce our work.

Action Plan:

I. Information Gathering: To educate policymakers about eye banking and corneal transplantation, we must first fully understand the factors that influence the cost-benefit equation.

A. Eye Bank-Oriented: Develop a comprehensive picture of eye bank reimbursement; payers, reimbursement rates and issues in securing payment.

1. Survey eye banks to collect this data; seek parallels in other areas to forecast potential futures

TIMELINE: o 4Q 2012: Contract with third party (Lewin, etc.) to assist in survey development and

to analyze results o 1Q 2013: Draft/administer survey o 2Q 2013: Analyze results o 3Q 2013: Publish results for members (and select partner groups?) seek feedback;

also, integrate survey results into talking points for legislators and regulators o 4Q 2013: Convene work group to draw conclusions; integrate work group’s findings

into future planning efforts o NOTE: Kevin to inquire with Lewin re: reasonable timeline and budget allocation

RESOURCES: o Third party survey development and analysis firm ($40,000+) o Member survey and analysis – volunteer and staff time (Kevin/Molly/Bernie) o Work group – volunteer/staff time (Kevin/Molly) o Financial: Small cost for teleconferences

METRIC: o Survey complete, report back to members, responses obtained from 90% of eye

banks

NOTE: Some eye banks may be reluctant to provide this data. EBAA must clearly delineate the reasons for sharing and benefits to be derived by individual banks and by the eye banking community as a whole.

B. Physician-Oriented: Develop a comprehensive picture of the economics of sight restoration from donor to recipient. 1. Expand Lewin study to include physician/facility expenses. Explore adding cost utility studies (may

be too difficult to secure and integrate this data) 2. Determine annual/lifetime cost of corneal blindness

TIMELINE: o 4Q 2012: Contract with third party (Lewin, etc.) to assist in survey development and

to analyze results o 1Q 2013: Form work group to draft survey o 2Q 2013: Draft/administer survey o 3Q 2013: Submit results for analysis o 4Q 2013: Receive results, convene work group to draw conclusions; integrate work

group’s findings into future strategic planning o NOTE: Kevin to inquire with Lewin re: reasonable timeline and budget allocation

RESOURCES: o Member survey development - volunteer and staff time (Kevin/Molly/Jennifer) o Integration into leg/reg talking points (Tom) o Work group – volunteer/staff time (Kevin/Molly) o Financial: Small cost for teleconferences, significant cost ($40,000+?) for third party

analysis o Netherlands Study may serve as a resource and present opportunities to partner with

researchers at Harvard

METRIC: o Timely completion of action items; utility of resulting study data

NOTE: Surgeons may not have access to cost data, resulting in significantly greater cost to obtain this info.

C. Establish partnerships with ASCs and hospitals.

1. Initiate contacts at national association level to understand their challenges, cost pressures and interests, noting that needs may differ among hospitals, hospital-based ASCs and independent ASCs. Develop better understanding of prevalence of procedures by facility type (ASCs vs. hospitals)

2. Develop shared model of reimbursement, seek to present united front with payers 3. Develop tools that eye banks can use with facilities

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013:Iinitiate outreach to ASC and hospital associations o 2Q 2013: Schedule meeting(s) to discuss areas of mutual interest/concern o 3Q 2013: Form task force among eye bankers, ASCs and hospitals to develop shared

resources o 4Q 2013: Eye bankers in task force will host webinar with eye bank-specific info to

educate members about ASCs’ and hospitals’ concerns; offer tools to maximize reimbursement

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Kevin/Jennifer/Tom)

o Task force of eye bankers and other interested parties o EBAA-hosted webinar

METRIC: o Timely completion of action items, report progress to Board; members actively using

resources

4. Develop database of private insurer Medical Policy Directors and related decision makers.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Begin research into sources of this data o 2Q 2013: Consolidate this data and retain while evaluating results of eye bank and

physician studies and outreach to ASCs and hospitals o 3Q 2013: Develop strategy to contact private insurer decision makers o 4Q 2013: Initiate contacts o NOTE: Timeline will be determined by completion of revised Lewin Study

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Kevin/Jennifer/Tom) o Task force of eye bankers

METRIC: o Completion of database

II. Outreach – External: EBAA has traditionally maintained a very low profile among policymakers; this

approach will not serve our interests during times of rapid change. By establishing strong relationships with the individuals who affect our interests, we can speak on our own behalf and take a more proactive stance.

A. Establish strong relationships with legislators and regulators 1. Profile and prioritize all legislators and schedule introductory meetings with them in DC.

TIMELINE: o 4Q 2012: Prioritize and start meetings o Schedule three meetings per month

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Tom/Kevin)

METRIC: Report on meetings held 2. Schedule regular meetings with key regulatory agencies; CMS, FDA and CDC.

TIMELINE: o 4Q 2012: Begin scheduling meetings every other month

3/year with FDA; 2/year with CMS; 1/year with CDC. o Supplement with spot meetings as appropriate, seek to add new agencies as needed.

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Jennifer/Kevin/Tom) o Volunteer time (physicians and eye bankers)

METRIC: o Report to Board and membership on meetings and issues discussed

3. Increase EBAA’s participation on regulatory agencies’ advisory committees.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Inquire about advisory committees during meetings with regulatory

agencies. o 1Q 2013: Share news of committee opportunities with like-minded associations

(AATB, AOPO, DLA, etc.); offer to co-endorse candidates or exchange supporting nominations for each other’s candidates.

o On-going: Monitor Federal Register for service opportunities; submit applications whenever appropriate.

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Jennifer/Kevin/Tom) o Volunteers to serve on advisory committees

METRIC: o Applications submitted for all appropriate advisory committee openings

4. Seek collaborative opportunities with professional associations (i.e. AOPO, AATB, AAO, CS, ASCRS, DLA, OOSS, others) to identify and support our mutual interests. Seek opportunities to attend meetings, make presentations, submit articles, etc.

TIMELINE: o On-going; accelerate in 2013 and beyond

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Kevin/Jennifer/Tom); volunteer time to attend meetings, make

presentations, etc. o Financial - $1,500 - $2,000/meeting to attend other organizations’ meetings

METRIC: o Secure meetings and collaboration opportunities; report activity to Board

III. Outreach – Internal: Assertive advocacy requires members who understand our positions and actively

advance them. Our members, and the families and recipients they serve, are the embodiment of our mission and can present our issues in a compelling way.

A. Share information and resources more effectively with and among members; draw on resources and knowledge held by members to advance the entire association’s interests. 1. Communicate regularly with members about legislative/regulatory/reimbursement advocacy

efforts.

TIMELINE: o 2Q 2012: Established “The Focal Point” newsletter to provide news and information

about regulatory issues of interest o On-going: Provide continuing coverage of advocacy efforts via The Focal Point. If

warranted, develop separate newsletter(s) for legislative/reimbursement updates.

o 1Q 2013: Explore other mechanisms to share news about EBAA’s activities. These might include audio or video recordings; webinars, town halls and EEIs; dedicated reports from CEO or other staff/volunteers, etc.

RESOURCES: o Staff time to compile and report o Purchase of video camera for recording video messages ($250); small cost for

webinar or similar platforms.

METRIC: o Timely publication of news and information; members’ increased knowledge and

understanding of EBAA’s efforts in these areas.

NOTE: Refer also to action items under other initiatives, which anticipate regular reports to Board and membership, on-line debriefing forms regarding legislative visits, etc.

2. Develop Key Contact program to connect members with legislators in their area.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Send program invitations to all EDs, listing legislators for each eye bank o 1Q 2013: Confirm assignments and provide talking points o On-going: Work with all eye banks to schedule at least one in-district meeting per

year; require meeting debriefs whenever eye bank meets with their assigned legislator. EBAA staff will provide similar debriefs following Capitol Hill visits

RESOURCES: Volunteer/Staff time (Tom/Kevin) o On-line debriefing form for use by eye bankers after meeting with legislators (cost –

approx. $1,000 for programming)

METRIC: o Program introduced to members by March 31, 2013; post-meeting debriefing forms

received and recorded

NOTE: Some EBAA member eye banks (university affiliated, etc.) may be precluded from fully participating in this initiative because of organizational policies.

3. Add an advocacy component to 2013 Leadership Conference, including an event that brings members into contact with legislators and their staff.

TIMELINE: o 4Q 2012: Begin planning event o March/April 2013 Hold event, including Congressional Reception for legislators and

staff

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/staff time (Molly/Kevin/all staff) o Ad hoc task force to plan conference o Financial – $7,500 for Congressional Reception

METRIC: o 2013 attendance > 50 people; 2014 attendance increases 20%; 2015 attendance

increases 10%; evaluations of meetings by attendees.

4. Develop a mechanism to quickly identify and secure active support from transplant recipients and donor families to lobby on behalf of EBAA’s interests

TIMELINE: o June 2013: Announce program o 3Q 2013: Distribute profiles of prospective speakers to eye banks (donor families)

and surgeons (recipients), encouraging them to identify and submit names

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/staff time (Kevin/Tom) o Volunteer task force – chaired by Bruce Varnum? o Partner with National Donor Family Network?

METRIC: o Identify at least six individuals/families, distributed geographically and demographically,

by December 31, 2013.

Ideas for Consideration

Understand what reimbursement really means for eye banks o Survey eye banks o Gov't/non-gov't payer organizations o Where is the action? o Ability to define overall reimbursement battle o How are we being sliced and diced? o Get comprehensive picture o Forecast and look for parallels in other areas of ophthalmology

Establish strong relationships with regulators and legislators

Education for eye banks in reimbursement (coding)

Education for eye banks on contract negotiations

Develop knowledge of Canadian regulations

Ocular tissue acknowledged as different than other tissue and regulated accordingly

Increase physician involvement on CBER advisory committees to help guide regulation

Redo Lewin Study, use as base for our platform o Data-based framing of our positions and platforms o Outcomes analysis

EBAA will advocate for eye banks and surgeons re. reimbursement

Increase reimbursement

Toolkit for eye banks to deal with the own legislative situations

Hold successful DC lobbying day

Monitor threats from The Hill

Gather clinical data to support appropriate regulation

Initiate/strengthen alliances

Build database of recipients and donor families to support our efforts

EBAA members encouraged to conduct personal advocacy with legislators

Brand/Member Value Objective:

To measure perceived value to our current constituents; identify our full spectrum of potential constituents; develop a clear brand and a marketing plan to communicate that brand and create a service platform for constituents in order to increase the perceived value of EBAA participation.

Background: Research showed 58% of Eye Bankers and 86% of Physicians participating in the online survey as Satisfied/Very Satisfied with their EBAA membership. The assessments explored value of membership and found:

In terms of value of membership personally, to their business and the profession, Physicians’ perceived value was higher than the total sample and the Board as a whole.

All interview participants ranked the value of membership to the profession higher than to their business.

Interview participants perceived the value of membership to themselves personally as less than to their individual eye banks and the profession.

Research rankings indicate EBAA’s performance as average, mediocre at best. For example, when asked how you would describe the association’s performance over the past 3 years, the highest percentage rating EBAA earned on a given attribute was 63% by Physicians and 56% by Eye Bankers. Physicians consistently ranked EBAA’s performance higher than Eye Bankers did throughout the research. This differential is believed to be caused by physicians’ lower engagement with EBAA and reduced expectations of targeted products and services. The majority of both Eye Bankers and Physicians deemed advancing the public image of the profession important. These findings indicate the need to strengthen the value the association offers its members and to clearly communicate that promise in a compelling manner. That “promise” is the association’s brand.

Why Clarify EBAA’s Brand? Trust binds all relationships. In all human endeavors, confusion breeds distrust. Hence, clear communication aids successful collective activity. The number one thing associations can do to make it easier to initiate and sustain membership is to be able to clearly communicate the value they offer current and prospective members. Communicating this message in a consistent manner paves the way for retention. Making a consistent promise and just as consistently fulfilling that promise, builds trust with members and others. This promise of the relationship is the association’s brand. A clear brand promise consistently communicated to your current and prospective members builds a sense that the association is dependable and worthy of their trust. The bottom line of all of the above is summed up in the five elements of Brand Equity:

1. Brand Loyalty

Reduces marketing costs

Attracts new members; maintains support of existing members 2. Brand Awareness

Familiarity leads to appreciation

Signals substance 3. Perceived Quality

Provides a reason to belong

Elevates membership from a transaction to a relationship 4. Brand Associations

Helps differentiate and position the brand among the members’ options.

Provides additional reasons to belong 5. Other Proprietary Brand Assets

Helps build competitive advantage

Action Plan: 1. Identify and prioritize constituents: EBAA has identified and prioritized its constituents in order to

determine the baseline value and primary audience for its services/benefits. This strategic plan focuses its efforts employees as follows:

Primary: Eye Banks and key eye bank employees

Secondary: Corneal Surgeons

Tertiary: Patients, general public, affiliated organizations and others 2. List key eye bank employees by job function in EBAA database to enable us to better segment and

communicate with current and prospective participants.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: List contacts in EBAA database by eye bank; send list to EDs for

categorization into standardized job function codes; seek additional eye bank staff to be included in database

o 2Q 2013: Complete data entry; begin using categories to send targeted news, alerts, educational content, etc.

RESOURCES: o Staff Time (Molly/Trish) for database work to track employees by function

METRIC: o Completion of database modifications by June 30, 2013; thoroughness of data

submissions from eye banks 3. Establish members’ baseline value perception of EBAA membership.

Review current data (2012 survey results), then conduct focus groups and a new survey to augment results of 2012 survey of perceived members value. Include additional demographic information to parse and analyze our value to different constituencies.

TIMELINE: o Feb 2013: Host first focus group at TES o 2Q 2013: Host additional focus groups by phone o 2Q 2013: Conduct survey of members’ perceptions o April 2013: Host physician focus groups at ASCRS o June 2013: Host focus groups at Annual Meeting o June 2013: Present survey results at Annual Meeting o 3Q 2013: Begin analysis of findings o Nov 2013: Present preliminary findings for feedback to members o 4Q 2013: Integrate feedback into analysis o 1Q 2014: Complete analysis, present report to Board

RESOURCES: o Volunteer Task Force/Staff Time (Molly/Kevin) for conference calls to discuss survey

tool (task force will help design important demographics), o Consultant to help design survey and analyze data to quantify “feelings”, and to run

focus groups o Financial – approx. $20,000 for consultant; $500 per telephone focus groups

METRIC: o Report to Board by March 31, 2014

4. Clarify/develop the message/value/brand to clearly demonstrate the value of belonging to, and

participating in, EBAA.

Use baseline value perceptions (step #3) to develop a message that outlines the benefits of membership.

Develop materials (written/electronic) about EBAA that can be distributed to new/existing eye bank employees to communicate this message.

Educate members about EBAA’s legal and strategic responsibilities to give them a basis for realistic expectations of the association’s role and what it can, and cannot, accomplish.

TIMELINE: o 2Q 2014: Begin message development o 3Q 2014: Formalize message, begin member education process o 4Q 2014: Develop and distribute Benefits of Membership materials to eye banks and

their employees

RESOURCES: o Volunteer Task Force/Staff Time (Molly/Trish) for conference calls to discuss, and for

surveys as needed, Consultant to help with development of message o Financial – included in #2 above; $1,000 design/printing costs for membership

materials

METRIC: o Development of message; members’ understanding of EBAA’s roles and

responsibilities

5. Develop new products and services to better serve EBAA members.

Integrate member survey results, message development efforts and environmental scan of products and services offered by other associations (within and outside our immediate sphere) to identify gaps and opportunities.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2014: Staff initiates research into products and services offered by other

associations. Board and committee leaders asked to consider the organizations to which they belong to identify services for EBAA’s consideration

o 2Q 2014: Evaluate potential new products and services on basis of utility to members, operational feasibility, financial impact (revenue and expense), and fit with EBAA’s mission and strategic plan

o 4Q 2014: Begin to implement new product/service ideas o 1Q 2015; Introduce first new products and services to members

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/Staff Time (Molly) to identify and consider potential new offerings,

additional time to implement and deliver new products and services

METRIC: o Deliver at least three new products and services to EBAA members

6. Conduct new survey to measure success of the Brand/Value initiative.

Use 2012 survey as baseline document, with additions to measure new products and services

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2015; Conduct survey o 2Q 2015; Analyze results o June 2015: Present results at Annual Meeting

RESOURCES: o Volunteer Task Force/Staff Time (Molly/Kevin) for conference calls to discuss survey

tool o Consultant to help design survey and analyze data o Financial –$5,000

METRIC: o Survey prepared and reported on by 2015 Annual Meeting; compare results with

those from previous survey, seek positive assessment of new programs and benefits, including 10% improvement in member satisfaction as measured by “value for dues paid”

NOTE: When surveying member satisfaction, include follow-up questions to better understand sources of dissatisfaction among those not scoring us highly.

Audiences:

Eye Banks

Eye Bankers

Surgeons

Donor families/recipients

Researchers

General public

Eye care population

Partner organizations (i.e. Donate Life, America, AAO)

FDA

CMS

Vendors

Sponsors

Media

Volunteers (Board and Committee members)

Hospitals

ASCs

NAME

NAFD

MEs/Coroners

Funeral Directors Initial Service/Value Ideas:

Education on business/marketing skills to assist eye banks with competition

Education on coding/reimbursement

Fundraising education

Affinity programs/group purchasing

Certificate programs

Mechanism for additional ideas to be shared

Etc.

International Objective: To enhance the practice of eye banking internationally and in the United States by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and information between EBAA and eye banks and eye banking associations around the world.

Background: When asked “what is the most appropriate role for EBAA to play internationally”, 65.5% of Eye Bankers and 64.3% of Physicians responded “collaborate with other international eye banking associations.” The majority of Physicians (64.3% compared with only 47.3% of Eye Bankers) also felt that EBAA should share information/expertise with eye banks in developing countries. What form “collaboration” may take and how success will be determined/measured/evaluated, as well as, the resource implications of sharing information and expertise need to be clearly articulated for the staff to be able to understand and commit to meeting the Board’s expectations. EBAA’s medical standards and accreditation process are recognized as the global gold standard. Members hold varying opinions as to whether or not the medical standards should be given away or should the association charge for them. The membership expressed the expectation that the association take a leadership role internationally as such this will require EBAA’s active participation with eye bank associations around the world. Simultaneously, members expressed a desire for a true two-way exchange of information based upon the belief that there is a lot that the US members could learn from our international colleagues.

Action Plan:

I. Integration - Work collaboratively with international eye banking associations and international eye banks to understand the top needs and expertise of international eye banks. 1. Continue and deepen EBAA’s participation in the Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations.

TIMELINE: o On-going

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/Staff time (Kevin); Approx. $4,000/year to attend/host GAEBA meetings

METRIC: Report to Board on GAEBA’s progress 2. Establish and strengthen contacts with international eye banks and associations.

TIMELINE: o On-going

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Kevin)

METRIC: o Identify contacts and provide regular updates to Board

3. Ensure EBAA’s representation at conferences hosted by international associations and by NGOs

such as WHO.

TIMELINE: o 2013 and on-going

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Kevin); others as appointed by Chair o Financial: $3,000/person/meeting

METRIC: o Kevin to suggest which meetings to attend (for Board approval)

4. Encourage non-U.S. members to serve on EBAA committees (MAB, TechEd, Int. Rel).

TIMELINE: o June 2013

RESOURCES: o None

METRIC: o Increase international members’ participation in EBAA (committee service, meeting

attendance, etc.). Need to establish 2012 baseline for specific growth goals. Note that no focused staff effort will be made to increase membership.

II. Education - Foster open and robust information exchange between EBAA and international associations. 1. Participate in World Eye Banking Symposium (WEBS) in Rio in 2013.

TIMELINE o August 2013

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/Staff time (Kevin/Molly/Stacey); $3,000/attendee (min of 1); identify

members who are already planning to attention (no cost to EBAA)

METRIC: o Active participation in meeting; report to Board on meeting activities.

2. Determine ways to share EBAA Medical Standards while maintaining control over their content and

distribution internationally. Develop “Core Standards” on which international associations can base region- or country-specific standards. Provide these standards at no cost to international eye banking association in exchange for access to their final standards document.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Form task force to identify “core standards” to be included in template o June 2013: Secure approval of core standards by MAB and BOD o 3Q 2013: Begin offering core standards to international associations

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/Staff time (Jennifer)

METRIC: o Timely development of core standards; utilization of standards by non-US eye bank

associations. 3. Determine method to spread EBAA accreditation model to non-U.S. eye bank associations.

TIMELINE: o 4Q 2013: Form committee to evaluate opportunities o November 2013: Report to Board for review and approval o 1Q 2014: Implement Board Decision o NOTE: Timeline may change based on experience with Medical Standards

RESOURCES: o Volunteers/staff (Jennifer) on recommendation committee o Volunteers/staff (Jennifer) to implement decision

METRIC: o Board decision; timeliness of implementation

4. Explore ways to secure and analyze limited statistical reporting from eye banks around the world.

TIMELINE: o TBD – longer-term decision

5. Create curriculum for training non-US eye bank personnel.

TIMELINE: o 3Q 2013: Establish task force of members from Tech Ed and Int. Rel. committees to

develop curriculum o June 2014 Seek Board approval for curriculum o 3Q 2014: Begin offering curriculum to non-US eye banks and/or eye bank

associations.

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/Staff (Stacey) time

METRIC: o Curriculum prepared for Board approval by June 2014 o Adoption of curriculum by eye banks or eye bank associations

6. Educate EBAA members about the expertise, experience and issues of non-US eye banks and

physicians by featuring global speakers at Annual Meeting, Fall Symposium, EEIs and other venues. Include references to internationally-sourced news and white papers in EBAA publications; ask members attending international meetings to submit one- or two-page summaries for publication.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Work with appropriate committees (IRC, TechEd, Meetings, etc.) to select

topics that would benefit from global perspectives o 1Q 2013: Kevin to seek out topics and resources while attending EEBA annual

meeting o 2Q 2013: Leverage relationships with GAEBA and other international organizations

to identify speakers o 3Q 2013: Begin to integrate speakers into EEIs, etc. o On-going: Use publications such as International Journal of Eye Banking and others

as sources for content

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/Committee/Staff time to identify topics, vet speakers, etc.; approx.

$2,500/person to bring international speakers to Annual Meeting or Fall Symposium

METRIC: o Increase the number of non-US speakers and topics in meetings, EEIs and

publications

III. Collaboration 1. Continue information exchange with other eye banking associations in their efforts to unify

policies, procedures and documentation. Monitor and participate in discussions; report findings to MAB and Board of Directors for information and possible future action or endorsement. Unification initiatives include ISBT 128, Project Notify and EUSTITE.

TIMELINE: o 3Q 2013: and on-going – Monitor these meetings and discussions; report to MAB and

Board as appropriate

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/Staff (Jennifer) time o $3,000/year to attend EEBA meeting where Project Notify and EUSTITE are discussed

METRIC: o Reports to Board; potential future Board vote on ratification/endorsement of

common policies and procedures

IV. Outreach - Make EBAA a valuable resource to non-U.S. eye banks and physicians. 1. Increase number of non-U.S. eye bank and physician members in EBAA. 2. Increase communication with non-U.S. eye banks and physicians.

TIMELINE: o Ongoing

RESOURCES: o Staff time (Molly/Trish)

METRIC: o 2013: 2 new eye banks and 10 new physician members o 2014: 2 new eye banks and 10 new physician members o 2015: 2 new eye banks and 10 new physician members o NOTE: These gains are assumed to result from EBAA’s increased international

engagement; no focused staff effort will be made to increase membership.

Governance

Objective:

To improve the composition, process and communications of EBAA’s Board of Directors, committees and House of Delegates to align these bodies towards the accomplishment of our strategic objectives and to increase transparency, trust and effectiveness.

Background: Members desire stronger, impartial leadership from the Board and the association as a whole. The research uncovered the perception that some members have greater influence than others and they use that influence for the interest of their particular eye banks versus the profession as a collective. Other concerns relate to the association’s governance structure as it relates to efficient and effective operation as well as the association’s ability to remain relevant to the profession. Another perceived weakness of the current governance structure is the insufficient attention to engaging and growing future leaders.

Action Plan:

I. Board of Directors - Restructure the Board of Directors to make it a more representative, strategic and responsive body with skills and experience best suited to address EBAA’s current and anticipated needs. 1. Re-evaluate the composition and election of Board of Directors members. 2. Determine skills and competencies needed for each position; establish position descriptions and

performance expectations.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Begin to evaluate the skills and competencies needed; draft position

descriptions; assess need to change current board structure o June 2013: Present initial draft to Board of Directors and membership for feedback;

tie in “core constituents” from Brand o 3Q 2013: Refine draft based on feedback o November 2013: Present revised draft to Board for review and approval o 1Q 2014: Present to membership via webinar for consideration and comment; begin

work on bylaws amendments o June 2014: Present to House of Delegates for approval o 1Q 2015: Seek nominations in accordance with new Board composition o June 2015: Elections conducted under new system

RESOURCES: o Board/Volunteer/Staff time (Kevin/Molly) for survey of members; committee of

Board and non-Board members; Legal and C&B review o Consultant to guide this process (cost TBD); legal fees to review alignment with

Articles of Incorporation and C&B (cost TBD)

METRIC: o Performance of activity as per timeline

3. Schedule quarterly Board meetings, in-person or by telephone, with emphasis on strategic issues.

TIMELINE: o 4Q 2012: Schedule teleconferences for March and September o 4Q 2013: Conduct survey of Board members to evaluate benefits of more frequent

meetings

RESOURCES: o Board/Staff time (Kevin/all staff); small cost for two teleconferences/year ($100/call)

METRIC: o Board members’ participation in meetings and calls; results of Board survey

II. Volunteer Committees - Restructure committees to better match members’ interests and skills with EBAA’s current and anticipated needs, to encourage broader member participation and to ensure an active and positive role for all who wish to serve. 1. Review the number and purpose of all EBAA committees. 2. Determine skills and competencies needed for each committee; establish position descriptions and

performance expectations. 3. Use the Strategic Plan to align committee activity over monthly and annual timeframes. 4. Develop infrastructure to foster more effective communications among Board, committees and

members.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Form task force to consider alternatives o June 2013: Present initial draft to Board of Directors and membership for feedback o 3Q 2013: Refine draft based on feedback o November 2013: Present revised draft to Board for review and approval o 1Q 2014: Host webinar to present to membership for consideration and comment;

begin work on bylaws amendments o June 2014: Present to House of Delegates for approval o 1Q 2015: Seek nominations and applications in accordance with new committee

structure o June 2015: Appoint new committee members to fill vacancies or to constitute newly

formed committees o June 2016: Appoint all committees based on new structure

RESOURCES: o Board/Volunteer/Staff time (Kevin/Molly) for Survey of members; Committee of

Board and non-Board members; C&B review

METRIC: o Performance of activity as per timeline

III. House of Delegates - Restructure the House of Delegates to serve as a better representative of the

members while increasing engagement and transparency. 1. Re-evaluate allocation of votes, and secrecy regarding number of votes per bank.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Form committee to review alternatives o June 2013: Introduce alternatives to HOD for discussion and vote o June 2014: Conduct elections following new vote allocation model

RESOURCES: o Volunteer/staff time; survey of members (Kevin/Molly/Bernie); C&B review

METRIC: o Performance of activity as per timeline

Ideas for Consideration Board Issues:

Develop Board position descriptions, expectations and accountability – with enforcement

Stagger terms of service

Board should meet more often

Consider reimbursing officers

Clearly communicate our Board/Committee organizational chart

Establish smaller board, with all members elected by popular vote

Encourage more diversity among Board members

Examine eye banker / physician balance on Board

Examine Board composition

Establish more stringent vetting of Board members

Re-examine role and structure of EC, including Immediate Past Chair

Change Board structure to facilitate better Board rotation

Actively recruit and cultivate new leaders

Add Young Physician roles to Board and committees

Improve communications among Board, committees and members

Consider recipient/donor family representative on Board Committee Issues

Review number of committees and their goals

Develop Committee position descriptions, expectations and accountability – with enforcement

Stagger terms of service

Clearly communicate our Board/Committee organizational chart

Establish more stringent vetting of committee members

Create smaller, more action oriented committees

Consolidate committees

Actively recruit and cultivate new leaders

Add Young Physician roles to Board and committees

Improve communications among Board, committees and members

Establish Committee Chair term limits HOD Issues

Eliminate the HOD and replace with a more informative membership meeting

Allow on-line voting for HOD issues

One bank = one vote

Disclose number of votes cast by each bank Other Issues

Re-examine our Accreditation process

Foster delegation of duties among staff

Future

Objective: Provide the Board and the membership the information they need to make informed strategic decisions.

Background: The research uncovered members’ desire for the association to provide information they either cannot afford to gather individually or do not have the expertise to do so. In addition, the Board through its scenario planning exercises identified long term possibilities it deemed important to monitor if they are to execute their responsibilities effectively.

Action Plan:

1. Create a Management Collaborative, similar to the Cornea Collaborative, in which benchmark metrics, appropriate staffing, finance, marketing, operations and leadership issues may be explored and shared.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Establish task force to determine what tools, resources and materials

would be most beneficial to members. Also explore which services should be considered a benefit of membership (no cost to members) and which should carry a fee

o 3Q 2013: Present alternatives and recommendations for products, services and resources to Board for review and approval

o 4Q 2013: Present Management Collaborative to membership, begin data collection required to develop products, services and resources

o Throughout 2014: Roll out specific products and services o 4Q 2014: Complete execution of Management Collaborative products, services and

resources

RESOURCES: o Task force of members plus staff (all) o Member surveys and data collection efforts o Web design time to house Management Collaborative resources and facilitate

members’ access o Data analysis time to transform members’ data into useful resources. May secure

services of PhD students or others to assist with this project

METRIC: o Timely accomplishment of action items listed above; members’ evaluation of

Management Collaborative resources in future member satisfaction surveys; sustainability and enhancement of Management Collaborative

2. Inventory and evaluate existing information to identify and disseminate tools and resources (white

papers, presentations, data analysis, etc.) already in existence.

TIMELINE: o 1Q 2013: Distribute requests to all eye bank and physician members seeking tools

and resources o 1Q 2013: Review all presentations at Annual Meeting, Fall Symposium, EEIs,

webinars, Board meetings, etc. to identify potentially useful resources (past five years)

o 2Q 2013: Begin to compile these resources into a single on-line location o 3Q 2013: Establish diverse task force of eye bankers and physicians to review

compiled materials and identify the most useful items o 4Q 2013: Develop section of members-only website where these resources can be

accessed by members o On-going: Foster a culture of collaboration among members which encourages them

to share their intellectual property with the association for the common good.

RESOURCES: o Communications effort to request submission of resources o Staff time (all) to collect past presentations from meetings o Task force to review and categorize resources o Web design to provide members access to resources (see also Management

Collaborative above)

METRIC: o Timely accomplishment of action items listed above; members’ utilization of

resources; responses in future member satisfaction surveys

3. Discern surgeons’ expectations and trends for tissue quality, preparation, technique, etc. to help eye banks forecast their future activity.

TIMELINE o 1Q 2013: Convene small group of eye bankers to share their insights and experience

of surgeons’ expectations for cell count, donor age and other issues; summarize this conversation and distribute to all eye bank members to determine their concurrence with the findings. Compare this with existing research to evaluate if/how surgeons’ expectations exceed evidence based standards.

o 2Q 2013: Engage surgeons in an open discussion about the causes and implications of the gap between expectations, research and available tissue supply. Seek common ground and understanding on both sides.

o 3Q 2013: Research Committee to explore opportunities to study tissue acceptability and surgical outcomes, utilizing existing studies and/or commissioning original research. Research Committee will also examine whether EBAA should collect new types of data regarding tissue utilization – study tissue refusal as well as tissue suitability, etc.

o On-going: Seek ways to initiate this conversation with surgeons (MAB, Fall Symposium, open panel discussions, etc.)

o NOTE: EBAA’s role is as a body in which these discussions can be had in an open and collaborative way. Ultimately, this is a Practice of Medicine issue over which EBAA has no direct authority.

RESOURCES: o Task forces of eye bankers to share insights; survey of all eye bank EDs to validate

their findings; Research Committee to consider both existing and original research

METRIC: o This is a long-term, qualitative initiative; metrics will be difficult to discern.

NOTES: o Expectations are changing. Seem to be more conservative/more restrictive. Need to

see what we can do to help EBAA be more responsive. This discussion evolved to needing to better communicate to those physicians who are resisting existing research. Others feel that research is not clear in terms of long term accuracy. The primary role of the EBAA was defined as being the host/fostering the debate/holding symposium on acceptance/usability.

o Will eye banks need to begin gathering diff/new data? If so, do we need to canvass the entire membership, or would a representative sample suffice? Do some eye banks already have this data? If so, could a white paper be compiled?

o Where does quality fit into this plan? Should Quality Committee be charged with expanding their focus?

Additional Ideas for Consideration under Future:

EBAA may need to consider alternative approaches to research/resources. Could apply for grants to fund cornea-specific research. Such an initiative would require hiring/contracting with a Development Director, and could be best served by establishing a Foundation to administer this fundraising effort. EBAA might wish to identify research projects using corneal tissue and coordinate placement of that tissue from members’ excess supply. If this is to be considered, a task force should be created to assess this opportunity and provide further recommendations.

Many of our initiatives in this section and others call for data gathering from internal and external audiences. EBAA should coordinate this effort to ensure that these efforts are thorough and non-repetitive.

Ideas for Consideration

Create a State of the Profession report to determine benchmarks and discern efficiencies.

(Management Collaborative)

Build a financial database to identify trends (Management Collaborative)

Build an HR database to identify trends (Management Collaborative)

Discern education/training/ retention costs as they relate to productivity (Management

Collaborative)

Develop management tools for the profession (Management Collaborative)

Discern options for members in times of change (Management Collaborative)

Provide surgeon education, collect (assemble a library) and distribute what’s currently being

done, best practices. Particularly as it relates to the softer side of donor family relations.

Discern growth opportunities for eye banks. What are other eye banks doing? Can we expand?

Develop a dashboard to keep track of key indicators (Management Collaborative)

Identify health and non-health organizations that have gone through the kind of change we’re

experiencing. Lessons learned? ASAE can be a resource.

Inventory and evaluate our current services to see we can consolidate.

Offer pre-employment testing/screening services to our members.

Discern formulas for success (benchmarks)

Develop assessment tools

Develop plan for member survey (What decisions do we want to make? What information do

we need to make those decisions?)

Staff analysis (best practices as related to outcomes)

Build and execute a national awareness campaign to help donor families decide to consent. Tell

the stories, a la Ad Council’s Texting Campaign.

Create a forum to share our wisdom (stories) - what we know and how we know how to use it.

Communicate throughout the profession; up and down the “supply chain”.

Identify what we don’t know.

Celebrity endorsements to enhance the brand and aid fundraising. Doctors talking to doctors,

sharing the soft skills.

Specify why we collect data/information; the purpose and outcomes.

“Fireside chats” for eye banking staffs to share wisdom and help them cope with stress.