Myopia and Optometry: It’s Ours to Own

Practice, Specialty Practice, Webinar

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I’m honoured to be speaking to you along with my colleagues, friends and people within our optometric community whom I respect and admire for the impact they have on our profession.  I will start us off in my capacity with the World Council of Optometry (WCO) to give you a global perspective of myopia and the impact that its upcoming epidemic will have on our patients, our practices, but even more so its impact the world over.  I hope to illustrate to you the etiology, some new findings and current realities, and the risks to adult vision.

I think it is important, first, for everyone to have a brief history, specifically of WCO’s role and its relationship with myopia and myopia control and how central it is to this talk in a broader sense.

The reason WCO is important to us in Canada is because even though we are the beneficiaries of all those who have created our position and our role in the Canadian healthcare system, there currently is no official national strategy on vision care in Canada.  One of the reasons that Canada is not mandated to have one is because the vision care sector has virtually no presence at the World Health Organization.  There is no secretariat or office dedicated to vision.  As a matter of fact, we are under Non-Communicable Diseases and currently in Disabilities and Rehabilitation.  It’s actually very difficult to find us there!

Because there is no such directive from the WHO to its member countries, including Canada, there is no formal national mandate.  This is a bigger issue globally where optometry is often not recognized as a healthcare player, including in much of Africa, Asia and Latin America.  And you will be shocked to hear that even France does not recognize our profession and, as a matter of fact, it’s illegal to be an optometrist in France.

The World Health Organization estimates that 285 million people suffer from moderate to severe vision loss with 39 million considered blind.  Of these, 123 million or 43% have uncorrected distance refractive errors.  Uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment globally which places a financial burden on the economy, is a significant contributing factor to poverty, and is avoidable.

Our WCO Councils and Presidents have done a tremendous job of advocacy with our federal governments in recent years.  In the last 15 years, Canada has signed on to the only two WHO-recognized vision care sector programs: VISION 2020: The Right To Sight, and the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment 2014 to 2019, where the goal is to reduce avoidable blindness by 25% by 2019.

So why is WCO and its relationship with the WHO important to us as Canadian optometrists?  The next wave of WHO Sustainable Development Goals will be passed at the General Assembly for the WHO in 2020 and one item under the mandate of the new Director General is Universal Health Coverage.  It is our aim, along with our partners in the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, to have the vision care sector recognized globally by the WHO within the broader public health arena.  That has never happened before, and if we don’t get in this time it will be 10 years before we have another chance at this.

This directive runs until 2030.  We have the attention of WHO and this directive is not being led by ophthalmology, and that is a first.  Having such a WHO directive given to the federal government officially opens the door for formal dialogue for a National Vision Care strategy that is good for the public and our profession.

Remember, we own myopia and this impending crisis is ours to lead.  But if we don’t take the lead, others are already lining up to own it.  Along with the Brien Holden Vision Institute, the WCO recently announced Myopia Awareness Week for 2019. There are details to follow.

I felt it imperative to lay the groundwork for this talk by giving everyone an update on how optometry is recognized globally and what role we need to play in the management of myopia both here in Canada and globally.

 

SCOTT MUNDLE

OD, President, World Council of Optometry

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Insight with Jackie Joachim

Buying-Selling A Practice, Insights, Practice, Resources

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Jackie Joachim is the Chief Operating officer for ROI Coporation.

ROI specializes in assisting healthcare professionals in the

Optometry, Dental and Veterinary professions

appraise and sell/transition their practices.

Jackie Joachim

Chief Operating Officer ROI Corporation

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Business Administration, University of Toronto, 1989

 

Where do you see our industry going in 10 years?

I think optometry is entering exciting times for owners. I believe that optometrists have done well at demonstrating and communicating their value to patients. I believe practice values are on the rise and that is a good thing. Whenever I meet an optometrist, we also end up discussing how they are behind the dentists. Dentists, particularly in the past 15 years, have treated their practices more like businesses. While they may want to sell to their associates, they are much more willing to have us represent them in the open market. I see optometrists now beginning to do that more, so 10 years from now, I believe owners will truly receive the maximum value for the hard years they have invested in building and running their offices

What is something you have done in your business to set you apart?

I like to think we care more. I know that sounds like a real cliché but our founder – Mr. Roy Brown insisted that practice owners deserve to retire profitably and with dignity. This continues to be our mantra today. It is so critical that we understand our client’s goals at the very first meeting. Sometimes, we tell them not to sell or that the time is not right. We are true advisors and give our clients 44 years of expertise. We are not afraid to express our views because we believe we are doing so with the owner’s best interest at heart. Timothy Brown and Sandy Evans, owners of ROI Corporation, have always put family first. As such our staff also care which reflects in the quality of our work.

What is your definition of success or what habits make you a successful person?

I believe ultimate success is by the quality of the life one leads. Reaching financial goals is important. It is how we take care of our families, hopefully enjoy our lives and eventually retire comfortably. But I also think it is important to ensure we have good quality relationships in our life – with those closest to us. I am really not sure there is any point in having huge business success if those around us would prefer to be somewhere else. Personally, I wake up early so I can meditate and write in my journal each morning. I feel it helps set the tone for my day and keeps me mindful of things that I need to do. Being grateful is also an important ingredient for success.

What metrics do you track in order to gauge your success?

There are a few I like to use. The easiest one is when a client agrees to engage us in an appraisal and then moves to working with us in the sale. I also look carefully at the experience a vendor has had. Selling a practice can be emotional for some people. Therefore, when we hear a client say how much they appreciated us being there to help keep things and themselves calm or how they felt we had their back – those are huge markers. One of my favourites is also when a buyer turns into a vendor. Clearly, we demonstrated our value in the original transaction. It is also important to listen when we have fallen short. Thankfully it is not often but, on the occasion, when it does, finding a positive resolution is a great metric to measure.

Last time you laughed?

10 minutes ago. I can’t imagine my life without laughter. I love a good joke. I am not afraid to laugh at myself. My husband still makes me laugh after all these years and of course, my teenager constantly cracks me up. I think laughter is so important because it is contagious. A smile and friendly face go a long way in making people feel comfortable and relaxed. Smiles make people feel recognized and laughter can turn someone’s mood around.

What’s your favorite 80’s jam?

I am definitely a die-hard fan of Madonna – Material Girl, Papa Don’t Preach, Holiday all take me back to my early 20s.

Tell me something few people know about you?

I originally wanted to be a lawyer leading to a career in the diplomatic service.

Describe your perfect day.

After waking up from a wonderful sleep, I get up early and sit on my couch with a nice hot coffee and cuddle with my dog. After about an hour, I start making pancakes with the aroma waking up my husband and daughter. We eat a relaxed breakfast with classical music playing in the background. After church, we visit my elderly mom and then I spend my afternoon cooking. I love cooking. The evening is true family time where we eat dinner and watch a movie or play a game. A perfect day lets me end up in bed by 9 reading and lights out at 10

 

 

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Seeing Sales

Marketing, Merchandising, Practice, Resources

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One of the biggest conundrums of optometry is that it is possible for the Optometrist to not only detect the patient’s problem, but also to offer the products that fit the solution. Many associates and practice owners alike have expressed their fear and distaste at the idea of becoming “salespeople.”

The simple truth is advanced eye care and eyewear products and services don’t sell themselves. They require human intervention to facilitate the purchase cycle.

We coach practice owners and associates to stop thinking of themselves as salespeople and to instead focus on offering solutions to problems. Their job is to help patients navigate the buyer’s journey and make smart decisions. This type of selling can be a competitive advantage.

We often take for granted how much knowledge we have about quality and choices – whether we are talking about glasses, additional testing, drops or contact lenses. If optometrists took the approach that their purpose was to educate each patient about the options possible, they could release the anxiety associated with “sales” and embrace the confidence that comes with educating and offering choice.

By providing the patient with all the information they need to make an educated decision about their purchase, optometrists are also building trust with patients.  This trust leads to confident purchases by patients.  Many patients would prefer the security of buying a pair of glasses from their eye care provider. So if the doctor takes the time to explain all the choices available, along with the pros and cons of different decisions, the patient is quite likely to make a purchase with them.

Presenting choices to patients is still hard for many practice owners and associates. One of the easiest ways to approach it is to talk about what other patients are doing. For example, you could say, “Many of our patients are choosing to use both a primary pair of progressive glasses as well as getting a dedicated pair for coputer use. They find that their eyes are much less tired at the end of the day if they are supported properly.”

A patient may even ask what the doctor would do in a similar situation.  For instance, if there is only a minor change in the prescription and the patient is hesitant about how to proceed. Explaining that a new pair of lenses, even with a small prescription change, could allow the patient to take advantage of a better coating option and new technology in the lens design, helps the patient make an informed decision about whether or not to proceed with a new pair of specs.

Ultimately, whether you are the owner of the practice or an associate, the health of the practice is dependent on sales. Once everyone is comfortable with the idea that sales is a natural part of the process, it is key to spend time studying the multiple levers that will drive growth for the business.

How do you increase growth?

  • Study your market. What are the demographics? Are they changing? Who is winning in the optical game in your target market?
  • Study your customers. What type of experience are they looking for? What keeps them coming back to your office? What could possibly drive them to another office?
  • Study your business. Are you staying current with the latest trends? Is your office updated? Are you offering solutions that make sense for people’s lives in 2018?

There are opportunities at every step in the practice to educate, inform and ultimately sell great solutions to every patient.  And that’s a good thing for owners, associates and patients, alike.

 

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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Live Events: Buying an Optometry Practice

Buying-Selling A Practice, Practice, Resources, Webinar

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Join ROI Corporation for a lively discussion about the factors you need to consider when buying your own practice.

Topics that will be discussed include:

  • Which factors affect the value of the practice
  • What financing options are available
  • Understanding key numbers
  • How to choose the right practice for you

DATES:
November 7: Kitchener-Waterloo Deer Ridge Golf Club
November 14: East Toronto Delta Toronto East Hotel
November 21: Mississauga ROI North, Streetsville

All sessions will be from 6:00-8:30pm.
Light fare will be served.

RSVP: sales@roicorp.com or (905) 278-4145 Ext. 226

 

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Opening a New Practice – Starting from Scratch

Buying-Selling A Practice, Finance|Wealth, NextGenOD, Perspectives, Practice, Real Estate, Resources, Tax & Legal Matters

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One of our favourite things to do as Practice Consultants is to work with optometrists who are opening their own practices cold. This is an exciting, and stressful, time. There are many things to consider and decide on.

The very first thing to decide on is Strategy.

Will you be offering strictly primary care?  Are you going to offer other services, like specialty contact lens fitting or vision therapy as well? Once you have the answers to those questions, you can start to think about what your dispensary should look like.

If you are catering to Low Vision patients, you will want to ensure that you have a good selection of value priced frames. If you are offering Vision Therapy services, you will need a fairly substantial children’s section with great multi-pair savings options.

With a solid understanding of what you will be offering in terms of services, you can begin the process of looking for a location. If you are planning on concentrating on primary care, consider a more remote location with less competition. While it may seem tempting to gravitate to larger centres with denser populations, you will have the greatest competition in these locations as well. If you do it right, a smaller community will offer you patronage and loyalty.

If you are offering other services aside from primary care, you are decreasing the amount of competition you will have. In this case, it can make sense to locate in a more populated area where competition is higher as you will be marketing and pulling from a larger geographical area for patients seeking your other services.

A competitive scan of the area where you want to practice will provide invaluable insight. Who else is offering primary care within a 5, 10, 25 km radius? What other services are being offered in those practices? If you are offering only primary care, the denser the population in the immediate area of your proposed location, the better. If you will be offering additional services, which are not found in the local area, you can extend the radius from which you will be attracting patients.

After you have chosen your location, determined which services you will be offering, and done a competitive analysis on the competition, you need to decide on the strategy for your dispensary. As competition in the optical industry continues to grow from online purchases and big box stores, it is critical to create an intentional plan for the dispensary. If branded product is being offered in all of the primary care locations surrounding you, consider an unbranded approach. A la carte pricing is common in many optometric practices so moving to a flattened price structure can be a fresh approach.

Do you want to be all things to all people? Do you want to be the person for one thing? Do you want to be the low cost provider or the transparent practice?

Taking the time to understand what you want to be known for and developing a solid strategy at the beginning of your journey into practice ownership will make other decisions easier to make and guide you down the path to successful business ownership.

 

CHRISTINA FERRARI

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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Onboard like a Pro – Top Tips for Helping New Hires Succeed

Human Resources, Managing Others, Training & Onboarding

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When it comes to attracting and keeping the best talent there’s no doubt about it: hiring for fit first can increase productivity, reduce employee turnover and boost your bottom line.

But when it comes to creating a successful team that is a real asset to your practice, hiring the right candidate is only half the equation.

How you integrate new hires into your staff and their new roles within your practice is as important as the recruiting process itself.

Onboarding vs Orientation

On a typical first day most new employees fill out some paperwork, have a tour of the practice and meet a few co-workers.

While all this information – especially the location of the bathrooms and the coffee maker – are important, this basic orientation process should not be confused with onboarding.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the onboarding process can take as long as 12 months to complete.

Effective onboarding should acclimate the new employee to allow him or her to become a contributing member of the staff in the briefest period possible, while engaging the employee to enhance productivity and improve the opportunity for the company to retain the employee.

The High Cost of Onboarding Done Wrong

A good onboarding experience is the difference between setting your staff up for success or leaving them to struggle on their own.

In a survey from BambooHR, 17%  of the respondents reported quitting a job between their first week and third month of work. Their reasons for leaving included:

  • 23% –  didn’t receive clear guidelines for their responsibilities and desired better training.
  • 12% – wanted more recognition for their unique contributions.
  • 9% – wanted more attention from management or other employees.
  • 7% – other co-workers weren’t friendly or helpful.

4 Top Tips for Better Onboarding

1. Have a written plan

Commit to mapping out your onboarding process in writing. Take time to decide and document exactly what the process should entail.

Having a written framework to guide you helps all participants in the process stay on the same page, ensures essential steps don’t get missed, and provides consistency for future hires.

2. Take your time

It’s tempting to throw new employees right into the deep end, especially when the position has been vacant for a while. Don’t.

Introduce new tasks and concepts one at a time and allow the employee sufficient time to master them before adding new responsibilities. Think of the onboarding process as a marathon, not a sprint.

Nobody benefits if new hires feel burnt out after the first week.

3. Train your current staff in the onboarding process

Designate one or two key staff members to oversee the onboarding process and offer them appropriate training and guidance.

Establish guidelines, provide clear expectations and set achievable benchmarks.

4. Keeping focusing on fit

Focusing on fit during the hiring process helped you find and attract the candidate who best fit your position.

Now focus on helping the employee understand your office values, the atmosphere you strive to create, and how they can most comfortably fit in with your culture, staff and clients to ensure they succeed in their new role.

 

JAN G. VAN DER HOOP

Jan is the co-founder and president of Fit First Technologies, a company that applies its predictive analytics to the task of matching people to roles. Those algorithms drive platforms such as TalentSorter, FitFirstJobs and Eyeployment.com, which are relied upon by organizations to screen high volumes of candidates for “fit” in their open positions.

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Screening Job Candidates for Cultural Fit? Don’t Forget to Ask These 10 Questions

Human Resources, Talent Acquisition

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You’ve posted your job opening online, sorted through dozens of resumes and selected the applicants you’d like to interview. Now you just have to pick the one with the best combination of education, skills, and experience, right?

Wrong. In all likelihood, you’ve already screened candidates for those factors based on their resumes. Why do the same thing twice? The interview is your chance to dive a little deeper and assess what really matters most when hiring – cultural fit.

Fit with your office culture is a key determinant of whether a new hire will be successful in their role.  But how do you assess fit? Start by asking these 10 questions during the interview process:

1. Outside of work, what are you passionate about?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. We recommend asking it to get a better sense of the person behind the resume – what inspires them, whether they prefer solitary or group pursuits, are they process or outcome oriented?

It also makes for a great ice-breaker early in the interview to stimulate conversation and create a bond over shared interests.

2. What are the first 3 things you would do if you won the lottery?

Another open question without a right or wrong response, this one reveals where the employee’s true priorities lie.

The risk-averse may focus on paying off debt and investing for the future, while more adventurous types may dream of starting a business or travelling the world.

A focus on family or charity suggests they are loyal and are motivated by a sense of belonging and feeling that their job contributes in a positive way to the community around them.

3. What does your ideal job look like? / What does your nightmare job look like?

Encourage the candidate to describe their ideal work conditions, daily routine, managers and team-mates, as well as scenarios that they would describe as a nightmare.

Their answers will offer a clear vision of how well they might adapt to your culture, allowing you to identify any red flag areas where fit may be a concern.

4. How do you define success in your job?

Not only does this question help you decide how best to incentivise and reward a new hire, it reveals how they themselves measure success.

Are they focused solely on their own goals such as compensation, bonuses and promotions or are they concerned with practice goals such as increasing profit, improving patient satisfaction, or making a positive contribution to the community?

Make sure the candidate’s goals and values align with your practice’s mission and values.

5. What’s the most successful way you have delegated a task in the past?

The answers to this question reveal not only what kind of work the candidate has done in the past, but what leadership skills they possess.

You want long-term employees who will develop, grow and move up within your company, so you need to assess their aptitude not only for the current position, but their potential as future leaders.

6. Describe a time when you failed at a task

Even employees who are an ideal fit for the job will face challenges. How they deal with adversity determines how successful they will be as a member of your team.

Are they willing to ask for help or do they prefer to go it alone? Do they blame others for problems or accept responsibility themselves?

7. What is your biggest pet peeve about your last job?

This question can open up a whole can of worms. Complaints about tasks, supervisors, pay, overtime, co-workers and customers will help you determine whether the applicant is really suited to work in your unique environment.

Even more importantly, they reveal a great deal about the candidate’s character, loyalty and judgement.

Unless you want an employee who will freely badmouth you and your customers to others, a candidate who does so in an interview may not be your first choice.

8. Imagine you’re riding a runaway elephant that’s about to go over a cliff. What do you do?

Yes, it’s a ridiculous question and yes, that’s the point. The answer itself isn’t as important as how the candidate deals with the unexpected.

Can they think quickly on their feet? Do they come up with a creative answer? Are they rattled by a nonsensical question in the middle of an otherwise ordinary interview?

9. Is there something you believe in that goes against established norms?

We all want employees who aren’t afraid to think outside the box. Independent thinkers may be more creative in the workplace and come up with unique methods and solutions to improve workflow and patient satisfaction if empowered to do so.

On the other hand, candidates who have little respect for authority and who resent being told what do and how to do it are unlikely to succeed in highly regulated work environments.

10. Which of our company’s core values do you identify with the most (or least)?

This seemingly innocuous question is actually one of the most relevant ones.

On its face it reveals whether the candidate’s values align with those of your business – clearly a key factor in determining fit. More importantly, it tells you how much the applicant wants the job and how much preparation they have done for the interview.

Have they thoroughly researched your business? Are they aware of your mission and values?

A candidate who will go above and beyond to prepare for an interview is more likely to be an employee who will go above and beyond for your business.

Bonus Questions

Q. Who was the best manager you ever had, and what was it about them that made them such a great manager, for you? 

– Always follow with who was the worst manager… and what was it about them that made them a poor manager, for you?

Q. What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you at work? 

– Answers always give insight into underlying attitudes and beliefs. Also – is the answer self-deprecating or are they laughing at someone else’s expense?

 

JAN G. VAN DER HOOP

Jan is the co-founder and president of Fit First Technologies, a company that applies its predictive analytics to the task of matching people to roles. Those algorithms drive platforms such as TalentSorter, FitFirstJobs and Eyeployment.com, which are relied upon by organizations to screen high volumes of candidates for “fit” in their open positions.

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Improve Your Business Today

Human Resources, Managing Others

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If you want to improve your business, the best advice we can offer is to be intentional.

Consider your strategy and goals and put a lot of intention, action and oversight into making sure they happen by design.  Strategy by default won’t give you the competitive edge you need to achieve our goals. You have to work hard at it every single day.

Here are some of the actions you can take right now to move your practice in a positive direction.

  1. Increase transparency

Share information. Talk about your cash balance and how you manage it, particularly as it pertains to frame inventory. This builds trust and a common desire to see a positive change.

  1. Reconfirm the vision

As new employees come on board, take the time to clearly articulate your vision, mission and values to them. Give them examples of what makes your office special and unique.

  1. Fire someone

Keeping someone who does not fit with the values and vision of the practice person signals to everyone else that you’re willing to tolerate mediocrity.

Fire this person. Do it today. Do it humanely, do it legally. But do it.

  1. Thank someone with a handwritten note

It takes time and thoughtfulness on the part of the sender to hand-write a note. It’s a real, tangible thing. Think of someone in your organization who’s done something great, and thank them with a handwritten note.

  1. Give public praise

When someone in your practice does something amazing, walk into the center of your office and make that announcement. Publicly share this individual’s accomplishment, and why it was exceptional.

  1. Do the job no one wants to: a recall

If a patient cancels or no shows at the last minute, do something extraordinary. Do a recall. Keep going until you make an appointment. Show that this is a critical job and not above anyone’s pay grade, because without patients, no one has a job!

  1. Take your team to lunch

Reserve a private room at a nice restaurant, and take a two hour lunch. Don’t skimp, get loads of appetizers and order everyone desert. Show your love for the people who grind it out for you every day.

  1. Ask for feedback

Everyone has room to improve – even you. So, send an email to your entire team and ask for their help. What could you do differently? What could the practice do differently?

Do you want to start improving your business today?  Do these 8 things. Do them now.

 

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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Technology and Training: The Twin Tracks to Successful Practice Growth

Practice, Resources

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Michelle McLeod, Western Regional Director of Optometric Services Inc. (OSI), is an accomplished optician with over 20 years-experience in the optical field in a variety of dispensing and management positions. Today, she pursues her passion for the industry by helping optometrists reach their full potential by shaping practices to reflect their owners’ purpose. In 2018, the BC Association of Optometrists bestowed the Industry Representative of the Year Award to Michelle, recognizing her dedication and support to BC Optometrists.

CECBR sat down with Michelle to tap into her insights on how to achieve Optometric Practice growth and success.

CECBR: First, give us an overview of what you do for Optometric practices, and why you do it?

Michelle: In short, we help grow optometric practices to reflect the doctor who owns them and  the neighbourhoods and cities in which they are located. We do so by helping doctors to find their own voice and yet not be alone. My background is in helping optometrists develop business skills and a sense of understanding of what patients are looking for beyond the medical practice. For years, I’ve been observing how patients evaluate practices and make their decisions on staying with them. That experience, combined with the support of the OSI team, is what we provide to practices.

Why do I do it?  I’ve been driven to help small independent businesses maintain a voice in the face of extraordinary competition so that the patients have choices in their eye care. I think OSI members will all say that they feel that they have somebody that they can confidentially come to and talk about their unique selling proposition and find a way to develop it. That’s tremendously rewarding to me.

CECBR: How does the practice owner recognize that they need help? What prompts the initial discussion?

Michelle:  I’m always impressed that optometrists are constantly looking to measurably improve their practice. So often, proactively, they will come to work with OSI.  Of course, financial metrics are critical to the diagnosis of practice health, so higher than normal staff turnover and patient drop outs may also be indicators that something needs to be addressed. These may point to a team that is uninspired, doesn’t feel that the practice is interesting to work for, or perhaps is experiencing internal conflict.

A powerful driver nowadays is poor online reviews. Seeing a negative impression spread over the internet is a really hard hit in the gut for practice owners.

CECBR: Once recognizing the need for support, typically what are the first steps in the process?

Michelle: When we listen to various elite leaders, we’re inspired by what they have to say because they have an extraordinary clarity of purpose.  I encourage our business owners to think that way.  Why did you go into private practice?  What do you want to do for patients?  How is your practice going to look in five years and what do you want to do to get there?  Clarity of purpose is a grand, big plan. The idea is to dream big for your practice and then connect the dots to go from where you are to that goal.

Collaboration and communication with the team to make sure that that goal is well understood is essential. The team can bring ideas and creativity to implement or even enhance the goal.

When other people see what you’re trying to achieve and it’s clear to them who you are and what you’re about, and it is easy for staff and patients to become your ambassadors. Clarity of purpose is something that you do every day and that you are actually living and not just a Mission Statement on a pretty piece of paper on the wall.

CECBR:  So once a practice recognizes the need for improvement and defines and communicates Clarity of Purpose, how is it brought into reality?

Michelle:  You can draw a parallel between a patient treatment plan and a practice treatment plan. A patient plan has three elements: diagnosis, prescribed therapy and expected outcomes.  The practice growth plan is no different. In our approach, technology and training are the twin tracks to successful outcomes.

CECBR:  Let’s start with technology. What are the important technology aspects that need to be addressed in the practice treatment plan?

Michelle:  Technology is, of course, the foundation of patient health evaluation. But it’s always changing and growing.  If a clinic looks at their clarity of purpose and says, “I am looking to provide my patients the very best eye care possible,” technology is going to have to be part of that aspiration.  That may mean expanding the amount of special testing that’s done, or the amount of evaluation that can be done before the patient is referred.  So, it starts often with optometrists.

CECBR:  But what about technology outside of direct patient care? Is that part of the equation?

Michelle: Doctors often get very excited about the technology to deliver medical care, but then they have really insufficient clinic management software that doesn’t facilitate an outstanding patient experience. It just sits in the corner and collects data.  We’d like to see clinics consider that the software they use should do more than store patient information.

It should help them drive patient attraction and loyalty. This can be through online appointment booking, easy insurance billing, or the ability to browse clinic frame selection online. Over time, even portals where patients can access their own medical information will be possible. All of that is part of a technology that we believe becomes the backbone of the clinic and the Optosys software has been developed to achieve that goal. 

If an optometrist wants to be perceived as medically superior by their patients, it’s not just the quality of their eye exam that a patient evaluates. It’s their whole visit. So, the definition of technology also reaches into the eyewear gallery.

Independent practices don’t have to take a back seat to large corporate retailers. Independents have the advantage of being faster to make changes.  We can bring practices a technology ecosystem that includes digital eyeglass measuring devices, and, of course, a world class clinic management system that brings all technology, including medical tech, practice management and patient communication together.

CECBR: Earlier you said the tech and training go hand in hand. Can you please elaborate on the training side of this equation?

Michelle: Both of my parents were teachers.  I’ve had inspiring mentors in my life.  And one of the things that they have really shown me is that the best way to deliver excellent patient care is to constantly be finding out what the new version of excellence looks like.

Training includes absorbing new ideas, evolving how we take care of patients, maybe correcting some mistakes.  As a trainer, I ask two questions, “What do you feel you’re doing right and what would you like to do better?” These questions open the training discussion.

I enjoy teaching.  I think a lot of people in this profession do.  We’re blessed to have a lot of people in our industry who are willing to take their personal time to teach others, imparting knowledge and new ways of thinking.  So to me, training should be done on a regular basis.  If it isn’t, it may be an indication that the clinic is getting stale.

If training is left organically to the staff to do on their own, there may be a lack of clarity of purpose that the patients will experience.  Some have advanced their skills.  Some people haven’t.  This alters the consistency of patient care.  To me, training is a way to keep the whole team powering your clarity of purpose. That’s the reason OSI offers training programs and conferences that benefit clinics.  It’s a way to keep everybody on the same track to give responsible information to patients and find new ways to take care of them.

CECBR:  What specific best practices do you observe for effective training within the clinic?

Michelle: Having the practice owner prioritizing training as part of the routine is important.  We find that clinics that are really great at keeping their team educated invite OSI certified trainers to present on topics related to their clarity of purpose three to five times a year. This helps the team update their knowledge, keep their style consistent and ultimately deliver care that’s reflective of that practice.

We also encourage practices to leverage industry partnerships. Many suppliers have entire teams dedicated to coming in and developing the practice’s ability to promote their service or product.  The power of partners can help the practice team understand how to sell a product or how to claim a service.

I often hear, “We hired somebody because they have 10 years of experience”.  But the interesting thing is that person has 10 years of experience with somebody else’s clinic’s goals and dreams.  Ideally, training is a way to help craft a team which reflects the doctors’ goals and dreams.

CECBR: It sounds as though the OSI team, through you, are offering comprehensive Practice Consulting services.

Michelle: Yes, OSI practice management advisors are the conduit to help doctors find what they need and to access our specialty services.  For most doctors we can fulfil all of their needs internally through OSI. We have incredible internal capability in most disciplines; including marketing, web services, clinic management software and financing for equipment to name a few. When we have something that is more specialized we can refer them to a trusted partner.

I must say I’m lucky to work with extraordinary people.  The amount of care shown to patients is an extraordinary thing to watch.  Often for me, it’s taking all that same level of care that they put on patients and asking them to put it on themselves and their business.

Article sponsored by Optometric Services Inc.

 

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Is Tele-optometry Coming to an Optical Near You?

Practice, Technology, The Patient Journey

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Existing technologies configured in a new way sometimes creates new and potentially disruptive services. That’s what DigitalOptometrics, a New York based start up, is aiming for with the launch of its remote “full eye exam” tele-optometry service.

Using the combination of high definition teleconferencing, remote operated equipment and proprietary software, Digital Optometrics is providing full service eye examinations and eyewear prescriptions, all within regulatory boundaries according to company spokesperson Matthew Ruskin.

How does it work? After taking a kiosk-based medical history, a remotely located ophthalmic technician performs the subjective refraction while engaging the patient using a real-time remote video conference unit. A licensed optometrist checks the exam findings, discusses them via live video conferencing and delivers the patients optical RX within minutes. 

The NY-based company demonstrated the remote eye exam on willing “patients” at Vision Expo recently.  A NY licensed OD residing in Oregon, with the help of an onsite assistant, performed the eye health examination, including the use of a remote slit-lamp and a refraction.

What’s the business model?
Digital Optometrics provides a turnkey solution complete with the remote OD services and charges $45 US for a regular Eye Exam and $60 for a CL Examination. The company is focusing on refracting lanes in Optical outlets that are vacant for many hours of the week.  The tele-optometry solution allows the optician to fill their examination lane and, of course, generate an eyewear prescription which can be filled in the adjacent eye wear gallery.

The ECP is responsible for purchase and installation of the requisite equipment. Digital Optometrics provides a list of requirements, which includes a Riechert Remote Phoropter, video slit lamp camera, and a fundus camera. Digital Optometrics works closely to bring offers from all ophthalmic equipment manufacturers and their distributors, including their promotions and sales specials to assist in the set up.

The hardware and software installation includes comprehensive practice training which focuses on equipment software systems, forms and programs. Owner/Operator and onsite tech training includes interactive dialogue with the listed available Digital Optometrics ODs.

While this business opportunity appears to align with the general acceptance of telehealth technology and the changing demographics of the eye health providers, the guidelines from the American and Canadian associations of optometry reflect a cautionary attitude.

Dr. Trevor Miranda, who is actively involved with Care 1 telemedicine network, believes that the sharing economy where you can maximise unused resources, whether it’s taxis or optometric services, may find its place especially for start-up optometrists through opticals.  He adds however, “It’s really hard to replicate a very good anterior segment examination right now. When you look at the corneas, are you going to push on the gland?  Who’s doing that?” Miranda’s colleague Dr. Mike Kim adds, “I seriously doubt it will be a huge significant proportion of the overall patient care. The doctor-patient relationship can’t  be even closely replicated via technology from a screen.”

For now, Digital Optometrics is focused in the Tri-State region surrounding New York City, but does have international ambitions, including in Canada and Latin America.

 

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