Special Episode: COVID-19 Crisis and Impact on Practice Value

Eyes Wide Open, Podcasts

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Jackie Joachim, COO of ROI Corporation has solid advice for practices under the assault of COVID-19.

 

 

Jackie Joachim, COO ROI Corp

About the Guest

Jackie Joachim is the Chief Operating officer for ROI Coporation. ROI specializes in assisting healthcare professionals in the Optometry, Dental and Veterinary spaces appraise and sell / transition their practices.

 

 

Episode Notes

While COVID-19 is an unprecedented event, Jackie recounts the experience of previous shocks to the economy including SARS and the 2008 recession, and opines on how the lessons learned may apply.

She emphasizes the imperative to remain positive and indicates what things can be done now to prepare for the return to business when it invariable comes.

Jackie has some easy-to-implement tips on how practices can maintain a positive connection with their patients and staff to ease the burden of the COVID-19 crisis, and support the emergence of a stronger practice when the crisis abates.

Resources

 

 

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto. In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. As  a host of  “Eyes Wide Open”, Glenn  looks forward to exploring new new technologies and services for eye care professionals.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

Dr. Chiasson splits EWO podcast hosting duties with Roxanne Arnal.

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Special Episode: Employment Legal Issues Around COVID-19

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Paul Martin, founding partner of Wilton Martin Litigation Lawyers, shares his views on how health care professionals might approach labour issues  arising as a result of the COVID-19 mandated practice shutdowns.

About the Guest

Paul is a founding partner at the law firm of Wilton Martin Litigation Lawyers. Paul provides civil litigation representation and advice in a broad range of matters to both businesses and individuals, with a particular emphasis on employment/labour, commercial litigation, professional discipline and health law.  Paul devotes a large part of his practice strategizing with his clients to ensure that they avoid the litigation process altogether. However, when litigation is necessary, Paul will work tirelessly to protect his clients’ interests.

 

Episode Notes

Paul Martin shares his experience in dealing with employment matters in health professional corporation settings. He discusses the conflict between doing what business owners might want to do versus what they are doing given the financial realities of the COVID-19 shutdowns. He explains why the current situation is exceptional and what he is advising clients regarding staff layoffs. Martin outlines how the standard layoff provisions apply within the Employment Standards Act (Ontario) and what the consequences might be if layoffs are extended beyond the period defined in the Act.

Resources

 

 

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto. In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. As  a host of  “Eyes Wide Open”, Glenn  looks forward to exploring new new technologies and services for eye care professionals.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

Dr. Chiasson splits EWO podcast hosting duties with Roxanne Arnal.

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It’s Time to Mend the Nets: Practice Advice for Turbulent Times

Human Resources, Managing Others, Webinar

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Practice Advice for Turbulent Times

“When fishermen can’t go to sea, they mend their nets.”

 There are plenty of tasks related, and even essential, to the success of your practice. This quote reminds us of the importance of forward momentum, which in turn can ensure you return stronger than ever, ready to meet the challenges ahead.

Eye Care Business Canada have teamed up with BMO Bank of Montreal and ROI Corporation, Canada’s largest health care business brokerage, to provide a live webinar series that will help you make the most of these challenging times and help prepare your future.

We are offering complimentary educational webinars on three topics of particular relevance to these trying times, delivered by industry experts. Audience is invited to put questions to the speakers.

The Webinars will be co-hosted by Jackie Joachim, COO of ROI Corporation and Dr. Glen Chiasson, Host of Eyes Wide Open, a Canadian podcast for eye care professionals published by Eye Care Business Canada.

Keeping Employees Engaged and Motivated
The closure of offices has been a wake-up call for the importance of a strong culture. It is crucial that practice owners do not succumb to the panic. Employees look to their employers for leadership and model their behaviour, especially in times of crisis. The focus of this session is to help you keep your employees calm, engaged and informed. Practice owners will benefit from the tips and tools to keep their teams motivated while the office is closed.

Presenter:  Nava Sarooshi
Motivating teams to achieve results is Nava’s passion. She has run various workshops and consults with teams who are looking to achieve higher performance. Nava is also the President of MDP Corp, a temporary personnel placement agency.

Thursday April 2, 3PM (EDT)  

 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW    

Managing the Practice’s Financial Health During Troubled Times
As a typical “black swan” event, COVID-19 took the world by surprise. Understanding the potential impact on the value of your practice and managing the financial risk associated with office closures is critical. This session will help you focus on the financial factors, especially as they pertain to the practice’s profitability and value.

Presenters:
Romal Bryce, Head of Healthcare Initiatives BMO
Romal oversees BMO Canadian Business Banking’s go to market strategy in the field of healthcare professional financing. He has been a financial services professional, primarily at Bank of Montreal, for 20 years He has held various sales, underwriting and risk-related roles in both retail and business banking.

Jackie Joachim, Chief Operating Officer for ROI Coporation
ROI specializes in assisting healthcare professionals in the Optometry, Dental and Veterinary spaces appraise and sell/transition their practices.

Monday April 6, 3PM (EDT) 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

Key Legal Issues Affecting Practice Owners
This is the time to look at all the legal factors that affect your clinic. This session will discuss the importance of key documents such as associate and employee agreements, partnerships, incorporating and leases.

Presenter:
Artem Kobzev,  LLP Tax Chambers
Artem’s practice focuses on providing individuals and closely-held corporations with a broad range of legal services, including personal tax planning, corporate tax planning, estate planning, business succession planning and asset protection. He frequently works with owner-managers to develop and implement the strategies and structures that will enable them to meet their specific needs.

Wednesday April 8, 3PM (EDT) 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

We look forward to e-meeting you at the webinars.

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Optical Companies Launch Initiatives to Support ECPs in COVID-19 Crisis

Practice, Products | Services | Industry News

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COVID-19 Support from Industry

Optical companies are unveiling new initiatives to help eye care practices deal the the difficulties of COVID-19.  Here is a recap of what some of the companies are doing:

Bausch + Lomb Canada
Bausch + Lomb Canada are providing free home delivery of Contact Lenses direct to patients.  This initiative will assist practice staff and patients in social distancing.  All B+L Territory Managers will be working from home until further notice but will remain available to assist ECPs including handling sample requests of PreserVision® and Bepreve®.
View the company’s COVID-19 Statement here.

ESSILOR Canada
Essilor Canada is providing a measure of financial relief by providing flexible case-by-case payment terms, immediate late fee suspension for all iECP customers, and pre-authorized payment suspension (lens purchase accounts only) for a period of 90 days.   Click here to view the Essilor’s statement.

Company initiatives to support ECPs during the COVID-19 difficulties will be updated on this page.

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Episode 7: How IRIS Challenged Ontario OD Regs and Won

Eyes Wide Open, Podcasts

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Dr. Daryan Angle shares the inside story behind IRIS’ struggle to modernize Ontario’s optometry regulations with host Dr. Glen Chiasson. Dr. Angle relives the 7-year battle with the College of Ontario Optometrists with a blow-by-blow account of how IRIS challenged the status quo and eventually overturned antiquated regulations.

About the Guest

Dr. Daryan Angle graduated from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry in 2001. He joined IRIS in 2002 as a practicing optometrist in British Columbia, and shortly thereafter becoming a franchise partner in 2 IRIS practices. In 2006 Dr. Angle relocated to Kitchener, Ontario and led a legal challenge to the regulations governing the business practices of optometry in Ontario which ultimately led to modernization, allowing for open collaboration, marketing and retailing of eyewear in optometric practices. He currently holds the title of Vice President Business Development and in that role, primarily focuses on buying, partnering and integrating optical stores and optometry practices into the IRIS network.

 

Episode Notes

Changing the Game

For nearly a 30-year period, Ontario optometrists were prevented from having an association with opticians, either as employers or as business partners, and were restricted in pricing and marketing activities by College regulations.

Dr. Angle recounts the inspiring impact of the IRIS model of combining professional eye care with competitive retail-optical dispensing in a meeting with IRIS founder, Dr. Francis Jean, who passed away suddenly in 2014.

Dr Angle and his IRIS colleagues began to tackle the myriad of restrictive regulations for Ontario ODs by taking the argument to the Ontario Registrar and the Executive Committee, only to be resoundingly rebuffed, and even targeted for their efforts.

IRIS then adopted a legal challenge on the basis of the the “right to associate” embedded in the Canadian Charter of Rights.  They also brought the arguments to the Ministry of Health and the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council, which shared the perspective of leveraging various health care professions.

The Competition Bureau of Canada, which had a vested interest in ensuring there were multiple modes of practice in eye care to the benefit of consumers, were also an ally in the cause. These relationships, coupled with media interest, applied significant pressure on the College, which eventually capitulated on their long-standing positions.

Forces within Optometry began to join in the battle that IRIS initiated, and de facto changes to the regulations and enforcement began to take hold in 2008 and 2009 which lead ultimately to wholesale changes to the regulations in 2014.

Correction Note: The optical market in Canada is estimated @ $5 Billion CDN.

IRIS Franchise Partnership Model – Looking for Acquisition Opportunities

Dr Angle explains the IRIS franchise model is a partnership with either an optometrist or an optician or both. Each location leverages the IRIS brand name and power of a larger organization while providing the local practitioner the opportunity to practice in a sophisticated environment with advanced technology and pursue their professional passions.

The IRIS model provides younger doctors the opportunity to get into ownership without the stress and workload. For exit-ready older OD owners, the IRIS system guarantees that the practice will run smoothly and allows the owner to enjoy life when they go home. Many of the operational aspects such as HR, accounting and purchasing are taken away which helps the seller transition to a full exit.

IRIS is reaching out to acquire practices and/or optical stores and partner them. If you are somebody looking towards an exit, growing a career or taking your practice to the next level with a lot of support, IRIS may be an ideal partner.

Interested parties can reach Dr. Angle through the Web.

Click here to start the conversation

Resources

 

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto. In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. As  a host of  “Eyes Wide Open”, Glenn  looks forward to exploring new new technologies and services for eye care professionals.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

Dr. Chiasson splits EWO podcast hosting duties with Roxanne Arnal.

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10 Online Trends to Watch for 2020

Digital Marketing, Marketing, Resources

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At the February 2020 Transitions Academy in Orlando FL, social media expert, Davitha Ghiassi, Executive VP Social & Integration served up “10 Trends Through a 2020 Lens” and offered advice to the eye care professionals and business professionals assembled.

Here are the top ten trends to watch for in 2020.

  1. Short-lived rich media content is boomingBorn on SnapChat in 2011, limited view time content has been highjacked by all social platforms. Instagram Stories leads the way, with 64% indicating they became interested in a service or product after viewing it on Instagram Stories.
  2. Vanity metrics will vanishLow level engagement metrics e.g. “Likes” and  “viewers” will be replaced by more meaningful measures of content experience and conversion. Look for “Dwell Time” and other social experience metrics to matter more in the future.
  3. Social platforms are growing a social conscience Voluntarily or, more likely by government edicts, social platforms will need to appease the societal ills they enable.  Privacy protection, screen/life balance and cyber bullying and hate speech are among the areas that will be addressed through hiding likes, setting scrolling curfews, and banning political ads.
  4. Social commerce comes of age
    Social media has become a natural driver of brand awareness, discovery and conversion. Instagram is capturing teenagers eyes and B2B leads are dominated by LinkedIn.
  5. Multilogue messaging overtakes mainstream SM
    Brands leverage the ‘Social Learning’ feature in Groups to offer bespoke, branded educational content and courses to their community. Many to many group apps like Twitter Chats and Facebook Groups, spark more meaningful conversations versus eliciting engagement through comments on content.
  6. Pay to play is here to stay
    Digital media ad spending has now surpassed tradition media spending. In order to achieve relevant reach and real results, advertisers will have to open their wallets. Even if  you are not spending money on ad space, your competitors most likely are.
  7. Rethinking influencer marketing
    90% of business decision-makers research opinions from peers and industry experts. While there is a strong belief that online Ambassadorships are effective, proving the ROI has been a challenge.
  8. Artificial intelligence will rule the day
    AI, machine learning and cognitive computing are not just evolving but advancing the way in which people and marketers curate, create and communicate. Cognitive computing will affirm accuracy, increase efficiency and enhance experiences.
  9. The sands of search are shifting
    While SEO has always providing constantly moving goalposts, the 2020 focus will be towards on-page content that is trustworthy, authoritative of high in quality. Quality over quantity is the message.
  10. Distinction between consumers and businesses is blurred
    The lines between B2B and B2C are blurring. The strict delineation of personal and business is fading away. Marketers are adapting approaches focused on specific individuals’ needs. Think P2P (People 2 People) instead of separate domains of “consumers” and “businesses”.
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12 Tips for Stressed out Practice Owners

Human Resources, Managing Others

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Being an independent practice owner is tremendously rewarding but also can be very stressful and requires a lot of hard work. Where many tend to struggle, however, is when it comes to working too much, putting their work before their health and not handling stress properly. The bad thing about stress is if you don’t take care of it, it will take care of itself usually in the form of sickness and even death. How can business owners better handle their stress?

Dr. Alok Trivedi is a human behavior and performance expert, author of the book ‘Chasing Success’ and founder of the Aligned Performance Institute.

Here are his 12 tips for entrepreneurs to better handle stress:

  • Stress will kill you: So many entrepreneurs put in 16 or more hours each and every day to build their dream, and they’re literally killing themselves. Stress is a real serious problem that leads to mental and physical health problems. If you don’t learn to slowdown and recognize stress, your body will ultimately do it for you.
  • Take breaks: Everyone, even the hardest working entrepreneurs out there, need to take breaks throughout the day. Your body can’t perform at it’s best if you are constantly tired, overworked and running on fumes. Even small 10 to 15-minute breaks throughout the day can do wonders for your mind and body. Remember, lunch isn’t always about eating, and it needs to be a mandatory rest period you take advantage of each and every day.
  • Don’t become a multitasker: Our society thrives on being able to do more with less. Unfortunately, this is one of the worst things anyone can do and will increase your stress faster than anything else. Instead, focus on completing one task at a time. Not only will the quality of your work improve, you’ll make fewer mistakes and get more accomplished in the long run.
  • Become a master delegator: So many entrepreneurs live by the phrase, “I have so much to do.” But guess what? You don’t have to do it all. If you find too much on your plate and your stress building, it’s time to delegate some of your work to other people on your team. Remember, entrepreneurship is a team effort, and we are in the age of collaboration.
  • Know that you are not invincible: I was talking with a very successful entrepreneur recently, and honestly, I was concerned about him. He thought he was invincible. Two weeks later he was in the hospital recovering from exhaustion, dehydration and high blood pressure. If you don’t take steps to reduce your stress, it will sneak up on you and take you down no matter how great a business you run.
  • Make time for fun: Whatever your definition of fun is, make time for it. It can be playing golf, hanging out with friends, spending time with family or whatever. Everyone, especially the hardest workers among us, need time to have fun. If you’re constantly working and not enjoying your life, what’s the point?
  • Play the 80/20 rule of energy: Give everything you do your maximum effort. Envision a meter that slowly builds as your energy depletes. Once the meter hits 80%, it’s time to let the mind and body recover. Remember, focusing on your health and well-being is one of the most important things you can do as an entrepreneur. We all need to take time to disconnect and recharge in order to perform at our best.
  • Change your breathing: One of the best ways to relieve stress is to breathe properly. Most people take very quick and shallow breaths through their chest. Instead, the proper way is to breathe through the diaphragm (belly area). Inhale to the count of seven, hold for seven seconds, and slowly exhale to the count of seven. Do this a few times in a row and you will feel your stress diminish.
  • Diet and exercise are as important as ever: It should be common knowledge by now the importance of diet and exercise, but so many people, especially entrepreneurs, get this one wrong. They say they are too busy to eat right and hit the gym while downing fast food and sitting in front of the computer all day. Diet and exercise need to be a priority in order to alleviate stress and be your best in business and life.
  • Let your work fulfill you: Anyone can start a business, but not everyone can find true fulfillment in their work. When you find fulfilment in what you do, the state of your mental health will be much better off, and your stress will be much less. Not only that, but that fulfillment will rub off on everything else you do, and your overall level of happiness will be at an all-time high.
  • Get more sleep: Your brain can’ t process high levels of information without the rest it needs. Without quality sleep, your body and your work will fall apart. Your ability to manage stress decreases drastically when you don’t sleep properly.
  • Be realistic: If you think a project you are working on is going to become the next Facebook, Uber or other big thing, it’s more than likely a fantasy most novice businessowners try to believe. That doesn’t mean not to aim big, but it’s wiser to play your own game and take the right strides to make your business efficient and grow methodically. Doing so will keep your stress in check.
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5 Reasons Canadian ECP’s Don’t Get Access to the Best Designer Frames

Practice, Products | Services | Industry News

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International eyewear shows like Vision Expo are flush with beautiful independent designer frames that whet the appetite of many Canadian eyewear fashionistas. However, not all ECP’s have the opportunity to attend major international buying shows and the reality is that a large number of distinctive eyewear collections remain inaccessible to Canadian ECP’s.

 Optik Magazine recently investigated the reasons behind this and identified 5 key reasons, that the Canadian market lags behind USA and Canada in accessibility to independent designer frames.

  1. International Suppliers Don’t “Get” Canada
    Many international suppliers don’t understand the geographic reality of Canada: huge distances and low population density. They make minimum quantity purchases unrealistically high. The high minimum order quantities are often required to offset the high absolute cost of shipments. Distribution costs within Canada are among the highest in the world due to Canada’s geographic reality. This burden gets pushed onto the ECP and, ultimately, the eyewear purchaser and provides a practical limitation to market penetration.
  2. Order Surprises and After-sales Service are Problems
    Correcting an order error, such as wrong colour or frame size, is problematic. Servicing a broken frame part can be a headache leaving angst and distrust for the consumer and the client. It can take several weeks to get parts from a foreign supplier or implement a make-good for an incorrect order. These problems put barriers in place for Canadian ECP’s and complicates the relationship with the foreign supplier.
  3. Expansion Through National Agents is Slow 
    Even when a foreign supplier gains a beachhead in the Canadian market through distribution in a few accounts, the costs to expand coverage across the country is high. Niche products may rely on sales agents that have limited resources and reach.  It means that a fantastic product, which might otherwise be a great fit for a differentiated dispensary is difficult to find and remains undiscovered.
  4. Frame Suppliers Want Direct Control 
    Some of the independent boutique collections place a high value on direct communications with the retailer. For some companies, the relationship that is forged between the eye care professional and a Canadian distributor or agent is simply not intense enough. The communication chain can be erratic and may be harmful to the image of the foreign supplier. Companies may prefer to work directly with ECP’s to better understand the market. Still, their approach is often to focus on high density markets such as the GTA and Montreal leaving much of the country outside of their focus area.
  5. Following the Money Can be Difficult 
    Vendors accustomed to working in their home environments, in either Europe or USA, find obstacles in dealing with foreign exchange and payment methods. These are real operational difficulties in servicing Canada from a foreign base. While these problems could be solved by working with one of the several Canadian distributors, doing so comes at the cost of losing control and lower margins.

Notwithstanding the barriers, Canadian ECP’s that persevere through the obstacles will be rewarded by the addition of outstanding distinctive eyewear collections that enhance the appeal of their gallery.  Independent frame suppliers that find their path to the Canadian market are rewarded with growth opportunities in a market that values distinctiveness and differentiation.

Read Optik Magazine article: “Frame Designers Faced with Complex Canadian Market”, in February-March 2020 issue.

VuePoint Staff

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Episode 6: The State of the Nation – An Opticianry Perspective

Eyes Wide Open, Podcasts

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Dr. Glen Chiasson explores a wide range of professional issues with guest Robert Dalton, Executive Director of the Opticians Association of Canada.

 

Robert Dalton, Exec Dir. OAC

About the Guest

Robert Dalton is currently the Executive Director of the Opticians Association of Canada. After 20 years of independent retail opticianry experience and various volunteer efforts, he made the leap to member organization leadership in 2008, and was appointed to his current role in 2010. Robert splits his time between Winnipeg (OAC HDQ) and his home in Nova Scotia. He travels extensively in the fulfilment of his responsibilities as OAC executive director.

 

Episode Notes

Glen and Robert explore a variety of issues relating to Opticianry and in particular the relationships between Opticians, Optometrists and Ophthalmologists in a Canadian context. Robert provides a succinct overview of the scope of practice initiatives across Canada, including the history of gaining refraction services and why he feels the future struggle will be easier than in the past.

He provides some candid thoughts on how relations between optometry and opticianry have evolved. He makes the point that patient-centric collaboration between the professions happens successfully everyday, and when discussion gets elevated to the “political level” it can get bogged down.

He keenly observes that advancing technology makes a lot of the discussion between the professionals moot. Robert opines, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the very soon we are in a situation where the public themselves comes in with their refraction already done.”

They end their conversation on a note of optimism on how Bricks & Mortar eye care already successfully competes and how they will continue to do so in the future.

Dalton provides some additional thoughts as this weeks Insight Guest profiled on Eye Care Business Canada.

Resources

 

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto. In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. As  a host of  “Eyes Wide Open”, Glenn  looks forward to exploring new new technologies and services for eye care professionals.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

Dr. Chiasson splits EWO podcast hosting duties with Roxanne Arnal.

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COVID-19 and what it means for your office

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The Coronavirus has dominated much of the news in the past couple of months. Lately, it has made its inevitable appearance in Canada and other countries beyond its origin. Health Experts have begun to educate the Canadian public about precautions and preparations to help us understand how best to respond to this situation.

What can your practice do to proactively manage the health risks?

I was recently at both the emergency and the oral surgeon’s office (one of the benefits of having four children, I am well acquainted with most health care practitioners!). Both had protocols in place to screen for recent travel and signs and symptoms related to the flu.

This is something that would be easy to implement in any optometrist office. It might even be something that could be screened for prior to a patient’s visit to your office. If a patient has recently traveled, for routine eye exams, it may be prudent to reschedule them until after a two-week period following the trip.

For those that visit the clinic, and for the employees and doctors who work there, it is a good time to revisit hand washing protocols. It is understood that coronavirus is transmitted by droplets, so the most effective way to reduce transmission is to keep up a diligent regimen of hand washing between every interaction.

There are other measures you can take to make sure your office stays healthy. Ask your cleaning staff to clean from high to low. Implement a daily routine to clean areas that hands and fingers often touch like light switches, elevator buttons, doorknobs and other handles.

It is also understood that the risks associated with coronavirus are very similar to that of any flu we experience every winter. Like SARS in 2003, part of the fear with the coronavirus is the unknown. Having experienced SARS, however, Canada is in a much better position to share information and assist the general public to minimize their risk. Optometric offices, as part of the larger health care system, can help to educate the general public. They can both set a best practices example on how to screen and proactively diminish exposure risk and they can help alleviate unnecessary worry by educating on ways to protect yourself from contracting the disease.

For now, the risk of contracting coronavirus remains low in Canada. With some education and diligence, the risk is likely to remain low. As part of the Health Care front line, we can play a critical role in education, managing the risk and decreasing the chances that our patients and staff are exposed to the virus. Like SARS, coronavirus will teach us new insights. It will remind us to keep proper hygiene protocols in our offices and those will benefit all of us long after the fear of coronavirus has abated.

KELLY HRYCUSKO

is the co-founder and managing partner of Simple Innovative Management Ideas (SIMI) Inc. and expert Practice Management contributor for Optik magazine. She can be reached at info@simiinc.com.

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