ROB Archives

July 11, 2012

New This Week

The 1-2-3’s of a Successful Therapeutic Practice

Art Epstein, OD, FAAO, chief medical editor of Optometric Physician, describes the steps to developing a therapeutic practice. A practitioner must 1) diagnose ocular problems; 2) communicate their expertise in treating disorders; 3) then treat patients with success and explain what they have done.  >>READ MORE >>


Sunwear

“Outdoor Eyewear”: Present Sunwear in a New Light

By Ronald L. Hopping, OD, MPH, FAAO, and Shirley Earley, LDO
Present sunwear as the outdoor parallel to the eyewear that patients wear indoors. Protect your patient’s eyes and reinforce your health advisory role by presenting them with the “Sun Facts,” one component of a new consumer education campaign.
>>READ MORE>>


Contact Lenses

Daily Replacement CLs: Improved Compliance

By Mike Rothschild, OD

Take charge of your contact lens practice. Be the prescriber and present what is best for the patient—with daily replacement contact lenses. Included here are the steps to dramatically increase your daily replacement contact lens prescribing.   >>READ MORE>>


Staff Management

Make Your Office Harassment-Free: The How-To’s

By Pamela Miller, OD, FAAO, JD

Create a respectful office environment—and protect your practice from legal entanglements—by understanding harassment law and educating your staff about it. Here are practical steps to set up office policies before problems arise. >>READ MORE>>


SPECIAL SECTION: OPTICIANS HANDBOOK

Resources for Your Staff
Provide your staff with a primer on eye anatomy to help them to better understand the eye health and vision correction services that your practice provides. The 20/20 Opticians Handbook defines the basics of eye anatomy and provides key facts on lids, pupils, the cornea and its topography, tear film and conjunctiva, all written for optometric staff.
http://www.opticianshandbook.com/anatomy

And Know What it All Means…
Included in the handbook is a glossary of ophthalmic terms that are simply defined. Your staff can use this resource to better communicate with you and your patients.
http://www.opticianshandbook.com/abcd


ROB Fast Fact

How Will the Economy Affect Your Next Eyeglasses Purchase?

The economy seems to make no difference in the eyewear buying habits of 30.8 percent of consumers, who say they will not change their buying behavior because of the state of the economy, according to The Vision Council’s VisionWatch Economic Situation Study: April 2012. On the other hand, 28.8 percent say they will use their current eyeglasses for a longer period of time and hold off on purchasing new eyeglasses. Some 25.3 percent say they will search for the best value when shopping for prescription eyeglasses while 21 percent say they will continue to use their old frames and only purchase new lenses. Some 5.9 percent say they will use the internet to purchase their next pair of prescription eyeglasses while 8.8 percent will try and save money by purchasing multiple pairs of eyeglasses at the same time. Some 19.1 percent say they will spend less than they spent in the past on the eyeglasses they end up buying.

Click HERE to read more from Review of Optometric Business professional editors Carole Burns, OD, FCOVD, and Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD, on improving your eyeglasses purchase capture rate.

In Brief

First Practice Academy Lectures Given at Optometry’s Meeting

Four lectures of the First Practice Academy  (FPA) were presented at Optometry’s Meeting, the AOA annual meeting in Chicago in June. The FPA , sponsored by Alcon and Essilor, is dedicated to helping independent optometrists to plan, manage and grow their practices in their first years of practice ownership. >>READ MORE>>


AOA Launches Suite of Practice-Building Resources

The American Optometric Association has launched AOA Excel, a package of practice improvement tools. The suite includes AOA Xcareer featuring Optometry’s Career Center with job opportunities, salary negotiating/information, career coaching services and resume and cover letter services; Practice Pathways, a course and online resources designed to give both buyers and sellers the facts needed to successfully transition a practice; and  free business cards.  >>READ MORE>>


ROB Poll Results

Readers Say Pleasing Office Environment
= Loyal Patients

Asked what most creates loyal patients, 40 percent said a pleasant, comfortable office environment including pleasant staff does the trick while 32 percent of ROB readers cited high satisfaction with eyewear and contact lenses as a top generator of patient loyalty. Twenty-eight percent said consistent, high-quality medical eyecare most contributes to loyal patients.

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