As our worlds become more digital and visually demanding, we are leaving the era when visual acuity is the defining standard of good vision. We are entering an era where performance vision is a new standard of that measurement and where ECPs are well positioned to be the gatekeepers to both visual performance and overall eye health.

Technology provides us with the means to view vision and eye health within the entirety of human physiology. And by taking a holistic approach, we can improve lives by providing personalized and performance-enhancing vision solutions based on access to a multitude of biometric data.

I come to this conclusion based on more than a decade of clinical and research experience. As an ophthalmology-trained neuro-ophthalmologist, I measure visual functions by studying psychometrics, and I also have been involved in developing applications of AI, wearables and human-machine interfaces toward enhancing performance vision.

In my experience, I have observed a gap in how we understand and integrate the human visual system with overall physiology. From a traditional clinical approach, I repeatedly saw cases where a patient was examined and found normal, yet they had unresolved visual issues. A full range of biometric measurements were taken but not applied fully nor effectively to solve a visual problem or enhance visual performance.

As ECPs, we face a series of essential questions: How do we contextualize the biometric data we collect? How do we make this data meaningful and actionable? And how do we set and achieve goals for improvements in visual performance, for a variety of patients?

In our case, our patients include both elite and amateur athletes involved in competition or training to meet a personal best. We also see students immersed in study and professionals who are overworked and visually stressed, as well as patients who are rehabilitating a visual deficit from a concussion or other injury.

The task of addressing these kinds of varied conditions, needs and goals is at the heart of an emerging area we call performance vision. It is based on collecting and applying visual psychometrics, but it also involves the human element that we derive by evaluating the patient in their daily life environment.

We work with patients in a series of steps that begin with establishing a holistic baseline, then we employ intervention devices and measure and adjust at every stage of our process.

basketball

Establish a Baseline

This focuses on visual function, visual physiology and ocular structure, with a mix of new technologies and old-safeguard devices the average ECP is familiar with. For visual function, we democratized visual psychometric measurements typically done in vision science labs, and we apply these measurement techniques in software applications, including games.

Our process includes what we call the Vision Performance Index (VPI), comprised of over 103 psychometric signals, captured in the context of playing games. Current technologies we use also focus on visual function, electrophysiology, and structure.

Assign Intervention Devices

Once we establish a baseline, we prescribe interventions that incorporate devices and processes. These may include well-known devices and systems from Senaptec, Neurotracker, RightEye, Reflexsion, A-Champs, SyncThink, and others. We often employ multiple devices to address a number of conditions.

baseball

Measure Post-Treatment

The same biometrics measured in establishing the baseline are recorded and tracked throughout treatment. Whether we are looking to improve sports performance or rehabilitate visual performance and processing following an injury, detailed measurements allow us to objectively track progress. I always am struck with how individualized results can be. We continually measure the effect of treatment, to determine if it has been effective or if another course is warranted.

We Are All Athletes

We often talk about sports-performance vision as a rarefied field. The fact is, we all are athletes in many ways. We compete in work, sports and social interactions. The visual information we process and how well we process it can make fundamental differences in all aspects of our lives.

I work with elite athletes, including teams of esports athletes—gamers—who are challenged to process an overload of visual information and make good decisions instantaneously, all in a high-stress, artificial digital environment. Micro-increments of improved processing can make a huge difference in this world. But the same is true in our everyday lives.

Improvements in visual intake and processing of visual information are sought after by weekend warriors looking for an edge in their tennis or golf game or by an under performing student looking to reduce the eye strain brought on by sitting in front of a computer monitor. Likewise, enhanced visual performance is critical for a surgeon peering through a scope and conducting robotic surgery. The recovery from a concussion can be accelerated with the care of an ECP. And we can help a beleaguered accountant get through tax season by reducing eye strain.

At the same time, how well we can read and process visual information can mean life or death.

Picture a police officer engaging a suspect in a dimly lit street confrontation, or a fireman skirting flames and calculating the compromised stability of the floor he is walking on. Still further, imagine a combat soldier in a firefight where her vision is obscured but augmented by data displayed on her goggles.

For all of these visual needs, the collection and analysis of clean biometric data–collected in a standardized and consistent manner—is the key to providing improved vision and eye health services. And in that regard, all ECPs can participate. To achieve this, we don’t need to change much of anything, except how we think about eyecare.

We hope that we are helping to equip the next generation of ECPs to help patients to achieve the highest level of visual performance and improve their lives.

 

Performance Vision Meets Varied Needs

The implications of a holistic process are not limited to elite athletes or even to sports. Virtually everyone can be helped. A treatment to deliver a competitive edge might be as simple as prescribing better, more personalized eyeglass lenses. Or it could include a regimen of performance enhancing exercises. Employed in a holistic way, biometric measurements have applications in meeting a variety of patient needs:

Sports vision performance:  Professional, amateur and student-athletes all want to improve competitive skills or achieve a personal best.

Rehabilitative care: Those suffering concussions or injuries need help in relearning how they see and how they process visual information.

Low vision and partially sighted: New technology provides vast opportunities here, and the neurological component is a factor in success.

Military, firemen, police: The inherent dangers of high-risk occupations can be mitigated with biometric baseline measures and exercises to up-regulate and down-regulate select visual information.

Khizer Khaderi, MD, MPH

KHIZER KHADERI, MD, MPH

is Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at the Byers Eye Institute and is founder of Stanford’s Performance Vision Center. He also is founder and CEO of Vizzario, a human-centered AI platform where neuroscience is combined with artificial intelligence to deliver the next generation of intuitive AI.


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If you haven’t been “ghosted” yet – brace yourself, it’s only a matter of time. There is a new phenomenon  I remember hearing about on the radio for the first time last year. The radio hosts were talking about dating and referring to situation where two people agree to meet and one simply doesn’t show.

To be fair, the concept itself is not completely foreign. Instead, what is remarkable is the frequency that it is happening now. Of course, I have been happily married for a relatively long time. I took in this information, thanked my lucky stars that my dating years were behind me and moved on.

Until Ghosting spread to Job Interviews. The first few times I showed up at a client’s and the candidate failed to show, I felt embarrassed. Did I make a mistake? Send the wrong address, date or time to the candidate? I would frantically try to get a hold of the candidate. But the silence would be complete. My emails and voice mails would go answered. I had been Ghosted.

Once I understood that this was actually a deliberate act and not a misstep on my part, I felt complete outrage. Did they give no thought to the fact that someone drove an hour to attend this interview, not to mention the time out of the doctor’s schedule to accommodate them?

And if they really didn’t give a second thought to the people they were inconveniencing, what about the impact on their own reputation? It’s a digital age. Most Job Sites give the employer the option to give feedback on a scheduled interview – and “Did not show for a scheduled interview” is an option I use far too often. I would think that this could eventually cause a problem for these individuals when they apply to a position they are very keen to get. Employers who are choosing between two great candidates could use a history of unreliability to narrow the selection. Maybe a history of “Ghosting” will prevent the candidate from becoming aware of a position in the first place.

Call it a generational gap, I simply don’t understand how this behaviour serves anyone well. I can only hope that this phase passes quickly. In the meantime, the common courtesy of a quick note to let the prospective employer know when they can’t make it, has become a differentiator, separating the good from the mediocre. Perhaps it didn’t work out this time but if I see their name again for another position, I will certainly offer them an opportunity.

Kindness and respect can take you a long way. I hope future candidates start taking a selfish stance and protect their reputation by showing more of both.

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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Dr. Glen Chiasson casts a curious eye on topics of relevance and interest to Canadian Eye Care professionals. Our first episode addresses the most challenging issues (arguably) facing Canadian ECPs:  Finding and retaining great staff.

Glen is joined by Chief Visionary Officer, of Fit First Technologies, Tim Brennan, who breaks down some of the commonly held myths about the hiring process and particularly how bias enters into the decision process. Much of Tim’s experience is directly in the eye care industry, providing the opportunity to validate candidate selection technology with real-world performance.

Best quote:  “If it wasn’t for the people this job would be easy.” 


Tim Brennan

About the Guest

Tim Brennan is the co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Fit First Technologies, Inc. Fit First Technology drives the candidate assessment technology provided by Eyeployment.com. Tim has over 25 years of HR experience, helping businesses find employees that are a best fit to specific roles within your practice.

 


Episode Notes

Tim Brennan shares his motivation for launching a business that helps companies of all sizes and shapes make better hiring decisions.  This, he says, developed after years of hiring dozens of  new hires, only to realize that he got it right “about 50% of time”.

Tim passionately believes there is a better way to see the real person applying for the job and points out how one can discern the real person from the one doing an “audition” at the interview.  He provides an overview of time-tested proven technology used by Fortune 500 companies that is now affordable for Eye Care Professionals.

Check out the references for links to valuable resources to dig deeper into the episode topic.

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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When we are analyzing the health of a practice, the first thing we look at is the big picture of the Practice Performance. That is, we look at how much revenue is brought in on a monthly basis, how many patients are seen, how many doctor days were available, resulting in how much profit. It is amazing how much information we can glean by looking at this information on a monthly basis and by comparing it month over month and year over year.

 

From this overview, we can get a sense of trends happening in the office and start to dig deeper.

For instance, if we see the number of patients increase but revenue decrease, we know that the practice is working harder not smarter. We will then assess the number of patients being seen each day. In a full scope, primary care practice, seeing too many patients often translates into less revenue – there is a direct correlation. Staffing is also considered. If we are understaffed, it is possible that we are not able to offer as much assistance to each and every patient, which would also negatively impact the amount of revenue generated by the practice.

If we notice that the number of doctor days available in the clinic is less than the previous year, we will confirm that this was anticipated – either because of vacation or because an associate left the practice. This change often has the biggest impact on staff incentives. If the staff incentive has been set up to incentivize based on growth, the staff is unlikely to meet the goals in this scenario. This is one of the reason’s that we recommend that incentive programs be based on number of doctor days rather than straight practice growth.

If we find the doctor days are going up and revenue and number of patients is remaining fairly stable, we might suspect that we need to increase our marketing efforts. Digging deeper into the patient numbers and evaluating which efforts are the most successful would be our next logical step.

As with any business, there are ebbs and flows in an optometric practice business. Having access to data that will easily show you the pulse of your practice will help guide your business as you experience these constant changes.

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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We were talking to a potential client the other day who said that he did not think his business was worth much. He never imagined that he’d sell it for a profit. We asked what his annual sales are, what his net income is and whether he had thought about establishing a transition plan. He said that his kids had planned to take over the business, but instead moved on to other professions in technology and software and felt that his “old-fashioned” business system wasn’t right for them.

We inquired further. I asked whether he had a loyal, repeat client list. We asked if he had a continuing revenue stream. We asked if he had ever thought of selling to his employees. Perhaps one of his competitors might be interested?

He was stubborn and proud. He paid nothing for the company because he started it on a bootstrap budget more than 50 years ago. He never borrowed from the bank throughout his career. He sacrificed on food, cars, the house he lived in and never overspent, living well within his means. His business was founded on sweat equity.

As we conversed, he began to reveal more and more, especially after we asked about his client list. He proudly confirmed that he had a very vibrant list: a steady, loyal clientele that had served him well for many years. We asked again about his annual revenue, which he was reluctant to reveal. We respected his reluctance to disclose his financials; as we are brokers, he must have thought we were just trying to get a business listing.

We talked more about his industry and where it was in terms of growth or decline. Eventually he related that he’s in a high-growth industry, something he knew all along yet had never exploited to its full potential. He admitted that he did not want to buy the equipment, hire more staff and move toward computerization to upgrade to the necessary technology— namely, do the things that would allow him to face his new competitors. He readily acknowledged that, while his long-term clients remained loyal to him, lately some had concerns about his slow delivery and service. They never complained about his quality nor his price, only about not getting his goods fast enough.

He further admitted that he was slow but he was good. In fact, he said, “I’m the best” and we believed him. So, what do you do? What would you do—buy his business? Is his business likely to fail because of the competition? Should he upgrade?

There are at least two mindsets on this, depending on whether we’re discussing a business or an optometric practice. One would believe this business is an easy picking to compete against. The other thinks of buying this business and doubling the revenue.

As a broker and appraiser these are the types of insights that present themselves when meeting with business or practice owners. The hidden value of the business is often uncovered with minimal effort. Practitioners or entrepreneurs regularly want to tell their stories and confide their trials, tribulations and triumphs over the years. One thing they’re not able or likely to do is tell a potential buyer how much business they left on the table. They might humble-brag about it and say, “If somebody younger or more competitive takes over, they will do better than me.” This revelation is left to the third party acting for the seller, and that’s where a broker comes in.

The truth is, every business or practice has untapped potential and hidden revenue. You can ethically exploit it yourself or a buyer can. Your call.

TIMOTHY BROWN

is Chief Executive Office of ROI Corporation Canada’s national professional practice and brokerage firm.

Jackie Joachim, COO ROI Corp

JACKIE JOACHIM

Jackie has 30 years of experience in the industry as a former banker and now the Chief Operating Officer of ROI Corporation. Please contact her at Jackie.joachim@roicorp.com or 1-844-764-2020.


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What hiring trends are emerging in 2019?  The 3.8 million members of  Alignable.com, the largest social media network of small businesses in North America, have identified three key trends from surveying nearly 6000 small business members. Do these themes sound familiar?

Trend 1: Hiring surges are predicted among many small businesses in the U.S. and Canada for the rest of 2019. 

According to the survey results, 33% of small business people polled want to hire even more people than they had planned in early 2019. However, 59% of those hiring say it’s a growing struggle; finding the right people is a huge problem.

In Canada, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan businesses anticipate being the most active recruiters while Manitoba trails the pack.  (see table below )

Trend 2: Small business owners who are hiring are having a tough time filling their open positions.

Getting a good number of quality candidates a problem?  You are not alone. Unemployment levels remain low and are getting lower.  The June 2019 unemployment rate nation wide fell below 5% in June and the trend is down.

Trend 3: Despite the heightened demand for help, thousands of Alignable members 50+ are still struggling to secure full-time or even part-time positions, pointing to blatant ageism.

Tim Brennan, Chief Visionary Officer of Eyeployment.com said the Ageism called out in this survey doesn’t surprise him, noting, “one of the most obvious visual discriminations is age and it’s a weak predictor of behaviour”. Employers may perceive that older candidates may want higher pay and employers do not necessarily value the experience and mentorship attributes an older employee might bring to the team.

Brennan’s hiring technology provides the ability to “meet the candidate before you see them”, which reduces all forms of visual bias and improves your odds of getting talent stars for your business and avoiding the passengers.

Brennan advises, it always better to get the best person possible rather than “settle” for someone who walks in your door and looks the part particularly in a tight labour market.  Making a hiring mistake gets amplified under such market conditions.

 % of Small Businesses that plan to hire more than initially planned in 2019. 

NB – 60%

SK – 40%

BC – 31%

AB – 25%

QC – 25%

NS — 25%

ON – 24%

MB – 20%

Source:
https://www.alignable.com/forum/hiring-expected-to-escalate-among-33-of-smbs-for-the-rest-of-2019


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The cornerstone of a superior, profitable practice is the productivity of a staff that is focused on patients and practice issues each work day. I am a part-time associate in a two-doctor, four-employee practice, We Are Eyes, in Boca Raton, Fla., and our practice works hard to keep our employees productive and focused on patient care.

Here are key ways to boost productivity, and some of the distractions that could damage productivity–and what to do to emphasize the positive use of tools like smartphones and tablets, while decreasing the chances of these things becoming distractions.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EHR

Electronic health records are designed and intended to make a practice more productive, but most doctors find themselves less productive at first. Practices that transition from paper to EHR find that it changes the way employees communicate with each other.

Doctors find themselves spending more time entering data and less time with patients at the beginning. And if they choose to delegate the data entry to an employee, again, that is less time that the employee has to do other tasks.

But once the transition period is over, and the practice has worked out all the initial EHR kinks, a good system can make the doctor and support staff more productive. An EHR system can allow for patient data to be shared more easily between multiple physicians and between physician and support staff.

An EHR can also eliminate medical errors that occur from poor physician handwriting. The days of the optician filling a spectacle prescription with -3.25 when it should have been a -3.75 are less common with EHR.

EMPHASIZE TEAM WORK

I believe that the best way to enhance productivity is with teamwork. One team member cannot be successful without the help of everyone else. And no team member fails alone either. For example, if an optician has a really big sale, but the insurance was not billed properly, and the patient was not notified that the glasses were ready in a timely manner, the patient is likely to be upset and not return. But if everyone does their part, the success is shared and everyone benefits, not just the optician.

HOLD REGULAR STAFF MEETINGS & EMPOWER EMPLOYEES

Holding regular staff meetings are critical for overall productivity. But just like anything else, many employees will consider too many meetings a waste of time. The key is to have meetings with a clear goal and keep employees engaged. Sometimes my employees get tired of hearing me say the same things over and over again. So, I often allow someone else to run the staff meeting.

For example, give a technician the opportunity to educate the entire staff about the features and benefits of a diagnostic technology. Let the technician research glaucoma and the importance of visual fields testing and OCT. Have them work with insurance billers and understand the appropriate coding involved. Allow them to present the case of a patient who is being treated, and how it affects their lives. The goal is to have the entire staff take pride and personal responsibility for the work they do. They will be more productive as a team if they know it is making a difference in a patient’s life.

IDENTIFY PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGES

The most common challenges to staff productivity are socializing with co-workers, online activities, texting, personal phone calls and social media. When employees waste time, it also looks unprofessional to patients. If left unchecked, the poor habits of a single employee can eventually spread to other employees. Before you know it, you have a problem with office morale, high employee turnover and major headaches for management. If managers are constantly forced to babysit employees, they can become overwhelmed and less productive themselves.

Before solutions to productivity killers can be established, it is important to understand why employees are wasting time. According to Salary.com’s Wasting Time at Work Survey, 35 percent of employees waste time because they don’t feel challenged. Other reasons for wasting time are lack of incentive to work harder, lack of job satisfaction and just being bored with work.

FIND SOLUTIONS

A key solution to productivity killers is starting with good habits from day one. When a new employee is hired, they should have a crystal clear understanding of their office policies and their manager’s expectations. And a new employee should understand on day one what the consequences of poor behavior are. In addition to understanding what their job description is, a new employee should also know how they affect the entire team. When an employee knows that they are part of a team and that their performance affects the entire office, it is easier for them to see the value in what they are doing and feel a sense of purpose.

But what does an employer do with that long-time employee who won’t stop texting? Or the employee who clocks in on time and spends 20 minutes drinking coffee and socializing? The key here lies in the manager. Managers need to lead by example. If a manager is constantly socializing and doing personal activities themselves, there is no hope of controlling the rest of the staff. Then, it is critical to set, communicate and remind employees of expectations. If your staff knows that their performance is valued, being measured consistently, and that there are specific consequences, they are more likely to be constructive and less likely to waste time.

MONITOR PERSONAL DEVICE IN OFFICE

Smartphones at work can hurt your practice with wasted time–or be used as tools to improve the patient experience.

It seems like everyone is addicted to their cell phones. And when a practice owner or manager sees productivity being killed by smartphones, the knee jerk response is to confiscate everyone’s phones. Lock them up in a drawer. Forbid employees from checking their phones while they are on the clock. Inevitably, the argument will come from the employee who needs their phone to communicate with family members in the event of an emergency. Many employees may feel more anxious and distracted if they feel unconnected. How does an employer balance and respect an employee’s private life with their work life?

An optician in Dr. Nguyen’s office checks his smartphone while working on a patient order. Dr. Nguyen says mobile devices like smartphones can be distractions, or they can help staff better serve patients, providing an easy way to look up information or additional products to order.

Each office has to establish their individual policy. Each practice owner has to be comfortable with their own decision. And whatever a practice owner decides to do, chances are, they will make some employees upset. But if you create a policy in writing, make it plainly known to all employees. Make the consequences known clearly as well. If you choose to be hard line and lock up all personal devices during work hours, then be consistent with all employees, no exceptions. But then consider allowing an employee to give family members the ability to call them on a landline in the event of an emergency.

Personally, I use my smartphone to look up information, market the office and communicate with patients regularly. It would be impossible to ban smartphone use in my office. But I have a strict rule that employees cannot have their cell phones out while they are with patients. Devices need to be in their pocket or in the desk drawer, not on the top of the desk where patients can see them. When patients are in the office, taking care of them is the priority. I know I cannot watch all the employees every minute of the day. I believe in the honor system, and I believe in strict consequences if they are caught with their phones out when they are with a patient.

TURN PERSONAL DEVICE USE INTO A POSITIVE

Even with all your efforts, there may be that one employee who cannot go more than a few minutes without checking their phone. There is always that one employee who distracts others with stories about their evening plans or their kids. These are the employees who make great advertisers and marketers for your office. These employees know more about social media than practice owners typically do. This is an opportunity to turn productivity killers into productivity helpers. If you have an employee who is an expert at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat and Pintrest, make them your social media guru. Give them a set amount of time each day to use their social media skills to market your office. Be sure to set specific limits and check on their productivity.

MANAGE YOUR OFFICE’S INTERNET USEAGE

If you don’t already have your internet filtered for employee workstations, go immediately to your server and block specific web sites. There is no reason an employee should be able to access dating and unsavory web sites at the office. Blocking other social media sites from workstations may sound extreme, but it can eliminate problems before they start. The only caveat is to be sure not to block any social media networks, like Facebook, related to the marketing work your employees do.

GUIDE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT ON STAFF-PATIENT SMALL TALK

Another source of wasting time is personal conversations between staff and patient. We all want our patients to feel at home in our office, and to feel that we know them on a personal level, but a conversation that goes too long will affect productivity, especially if other patients are waiting. Employees should be trained to be friendly and attentive, but to know when to politely end a conversation with a patient.

For example, if an optician is extremely detail-oriented and takes pride in the fact that they really get to know the patient, patients will love them and request their services regularly. But if each simple encounter takes over an hour, take that optician aside and let them know how valuable they are, and how you and your patients appreciate the job they do. But make it a goal to politely finish a conversation and move on so other patients don’t have to wait.

THUY-LAN NGUYEN, OD

Thuy-Lan Nguyen, OD, teaches at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry and works part time as an associate at We Are Eyes in Boca Raton, Fla. To contact her: TLNGUYEN@nova.edu


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Trump’s tariff tweet on August 1st brought the temporary trade war truce with China to an abrupt end by indicating the US administration’s intent to levy 10% tariffs effective September 1 on $300 billion of Chinese goods imported into the US. These new tariffs, if implemented, will impact virtually all spectacle frames, sunglasses, lenses and other optical goods entering USA directly from China, or indirectly through third-party countries including Canada.

While the industry’s representative trade group, The Vision Council, had lobbied hard to exempt optical goods from the threatened tariffs, it appears unlikely that optical goods will be spared.

In an August 1 email to members, The Vision Council acknowledged that it is unlikely that optical goods will be removed from the tariff hit list and advised members to “plan accordingly”.

China has indicated they will respond in kind if the tariffs go into effect September 1, but many analysts suggest that China is “slow playing” the trade tiff in order to “wait out” this administration until the 2020 US election is concluded.

Impact on Canada?
While Chinese goods imported directly to Canada are not impacted, many products destined to Canadian ECPs warehoused in US facilities will be subject to the tariffs. US importers will need to decide if they absorb the tariffs at the expense of profits or try to pass them on to their customers through increased prices. There have been reports from other industries that temporary “tariff surcharges” will be applied, similar to fuel surcharges applied by shipping services firms such as ICS, FedEx and UPS.  Resultant price increases will most certainly ripple through the supply chain and increase both wholesale and retail prices.

Canadian based retailers and distributors importing and warehousing in Canada will not be directly impacted. In fact, some Canadian Optical distributors see opportunity in the continuing trade clash.

Retailers and suppliers reliant upon supply chains with US facilities will be adversely impacted providing a potential advantage to Canadian distributors, though it may be temporary.

Look for the September Issue of Optik Magazine which delves into the Canadian optical market impact of the USA-China trade war.

 

Related Article:  2nd Annual Canadian Frame Study Reveals Opportunities and Threats

 


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There is a resource reference in the summer issue of Profitable Practice magazine entitled A Startup’s Secret Weapon: Retirees by Liz Brody. Recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that people 65 and older lead the way as the fastest growing segment of the American labor force. For the most part, these people have exited their former jobs and careers for retirement. Many, it seems, want more than a sunny beach, an afternoon nap or satisfying round of golf. They are not ready to go quietly into retirement and believe they have much to share given their previous experiences.

As a consequence, there are a number of companies today (YourEncore, Empowered Age, Patina Solutions, Work At Home Vintage Experts etc.) that are staffed with these “retirees” who bring expertise from a wide variety of business jobs and careers. They act as consultants as characterized by Liz Brody “who have been there and done that”. Their clients are often young millennial-aged entrepreneurs with startup business problems. These young gurus often face a business impasse they can’t seem to bypass and are stymied. While they are often superb risk takers and decision makers, they realize they need help and that more brain power and another pair of eyes is required to get them mobile again.

All entrepreneurs try to invent a new product, service or process or at least apply an innovation to an existing one. In doing so, they are repeating a journey that many others have taken before them—a few successfully and the many who got hung-up along the way. Health care practitioners are constantly searching for new and better ways to deliver health care service. Many find a successful track of operation either by perseverance or by enlisting the aid of others.

The above scenario got me thinking about my own company, which my father started and eventually sold to me. Recently my dad and the company received recognition for 45 years of distinguished service to the practice sales industry. In my case, he was always there in the background giving me the wisdom of his experience. In addition, the company had—and still has—a number of senior associates (retired dentists for the most part) who left dentistry to start a new career in practice sales. This core of elders was invaluable to the growth of our company and allowed us to be successful by avoiding many of the impasses all businesses face.

To my mind, no matter what business or health care practice you are in, it is wise to seek out the advice and ideas of both the young and old. Health care graduates today are schooled in the latest procedures and technologies and bring a contagious enthusiasm and a refreshing willingness to share with and learn from their older peers.

TIMOTHY BROWN

is Chief Executive Office of ROI Corporation Canada’s national professional practice and brokerage firm.


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In today’s world, every optometric practice needs to have a website. While there was a time a health care practitioner could hang out a single or put an ad in the phone book and patients would find them, that has changed. Now we rely on online searches to find a business or health care provider.

In Canada, there is a 60/40 for online searches for a business. 60% of people who do a search online have a specific business name in mind before they even search (via word of mouth, a returning client, etc.). 40% of people have a need for a business or service and do not have a name in mind. They don’t even know you exist.

For that 40% of customers who don’t know you, you should be laser-focused on two things:

  1. Getting your business found where and when they’re looking, and creating ads that entice them to engage with your business.
  2. Post. Click. Conversion.These are the results that let you know how effectively you have engaged your intended audience.

For the first point, Google Adwords and Facebook ads are the most effective. These are the ads that will pop up and be displayed to the consumer when what they are searching for matches the ad and the key words you have created and paid for.

Post Click Conversion is the measure of how well your website explains what you will do for them. It evaluates how well the information on your website is meeting the needs and interest of the audience reading it.

The trick is to try displaying information in different ways in order to find what will resonate with your audience. Ask questions of your audience and encourage them to contact you. Put your phone number, contact form, and email address everywhere. Then use the results of your post click conversion analytics to evaluate what is working and what is not. If you have pages of medical information that no one is clicking into, maybe this information is irrelevant on your website. Conversely, if you find that your patients are spending a great deal of time reviewing the brand names that you carry, you may want to consider adding more information to that page.

If you truly own the responsibility of finding out what happens when people visit your website, you will have a lot more success marketing your business.

ERIC HARBOTTLE

With 15+ years of marketing experience, owner of Addison Marketing Solutions and co-founder of MarketingforOptometry.com Canada’s newest marketing agency option for Optometrists, Eric Harbottle knows what it takes to succeed in a robust and confusion digital world.

Coming from a strong background working and consulting with some of Canada’s largest marketing agencies to offering SMB solutions at the ground level with his boutique agency, Eric is able to understand the needs of every level of client with unique optimism and an experienced view as a business owner himself targeting KPI’s and goals to help every client achieve success.


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