June 30, 2011
Bi-weekly information and advice to manage optometric practices
from the Management & Business Academy™ (MBA)
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June 30, 2011Bi-weekly information and advice to manage optometric practices |
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Sticky SituationsDr. Dave ZieglerA patient asks... “Why does my contact lens prescription expire after just one year?" A patient can be frustrated by having to take the time and spend the money to get a new contact lens prescription when everything seems to be going along fine. Besides the inconvenience, they may think that you require this just for the money. So it's important to get the patient thinking about their contact lenses like other medical products or services. If a patient takes a medication for something like high blood pressure, I will compare the two: "Just like your family doctor checks your blood pressure occasionally to make sure you are getting the desired benefit, we need to do the same for your contact lenses. We take the responsibility of your vision very seriously, and we want to make sure that not only are you seeing as well as possible but that the health of your eyes is as good as the last time." Dr. Dave Ziegler, who lectures and publishes regularly, is a member of the MBA Faculty.
Super Service PearlsAdvice from service experts to enhance the patient experience"Express Your Care"Surveys reveal that the most important factor impacting service perceptions of patients of medical practices is the extent to which patients feel that the provider really cares about their condition and welfare. For example, when patients were asked why they were particularly pleased with a hospital stay, nearly all the reasons given related to the compassion expressed by the hospital staff. Most medical offices are primarily interested in outcomes and efficiency. While efficiency is important, it is expected and is not the primary basis on which patients develop loyalty to providers. Patients put higher value on the quality of the human interaction at a doctor’s office. While most practitioners have a genuine concern for patients’ health and well being, their caring for patients’ feelings often remains unexpressed and therefore is not perceived by patients. |
How Does Your Practice Compare?
Some 58 percent of eye exams are basic refractions Fifty-eight percent of eye exams performed in independent optometric practices are basic refractions for eyeglass wearing patients. Another 30 percent of exams are contact lens exams, and 12 percent are “healthy eye” exams for patients not requiring correction. The mix of exams in new practices is identical, indicating that new practices, typically with younger owners, are no more likely to fit contact lenses than are established practices.  Market Facts
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MBA UpdatesUpcoming MBA Seminars:
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About the MBAThe Management & Business Academy™ (MBA) is a professional education program, sponsored by CIBA VISION and Essilor, dedicated to assisting independent optometrists to improve business management processes. MBA conducts live seminars, conducts on-going research to establish national optometric practice performance metrics, publishes MBA Insights (a quarterly practice management journal) and maintains www.mba-ce.com (a repository of practice management information). Copyright © 2011 Management & Business Academy™ (MBA). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. |
