Five Tips to Effectively and Compassionately Communicate Serious Diagnoses

Practice, Resources, Specialty Practice

|

0
(0)

As more ODs embrace the medical model, we are tasked with the tough role of bearer of bad news. Advances in instrumentation increase our diagnostic reach. But we need to handle this new responsibility well, judiciously, compassionately and wisely. In addition to an ethical, and caring service issue, this is also a business issue, which can greatly affect your practice.

Any optometric physician with a medical eyecare practice knows how hard it can be–sometimes on both patient and doctor–to communicate the sad news that the patient has a sight-threatening condition. Patients are unnerved, and an OD can sometimes struggle to strike a balance between remaining compassionate and communicating the seriousness of the condition and the need for ongoing care.

I find glaucoma and macular degeneration to be the hardest diseases to tell patients they have. They are difficult diagnoses to give because they are potentially blinding, and, in the case of glaucoma, asymptomatic. Both, in the initial phases, may not be creating a noticeable threat to vision, so it is difficult for patients to accept the diagnosis and begin a treatment plan, and accept the need for more frequent eyecare.

BALANCE HONESTY & COMPASSION

I focus on the patient, turning toward them, looking into their eyes, holding their hand (if it seems necessary) and not looking at my EHR. I want to really be certain they understand the diagnosis, and I want to provide them with resources to further understand and cope with their “new normal.”

PATIENTLY EXPLAIN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT PLAN

I verbally explain the treatment plan and reinforce the verbal patient education with written patient education. I ask if there are questions after I give the diagnosis, and after I discuss the treatment plan. I also invite them to contact me with any questions that arise after they go home.

For example: “Mrs. Smith, let’s take a look at your retinal photographs from this year versus last year. As you can see, there are some small dot and blot hemorrhages in the mid-periphery of the retina. This is an indication that your blood sugar control needs improvement, and, if left unchecked, diabetes and your consistently elevated blood sugar places you at risk for permanent vision loss.”

MAKE SURE THE PATIENT UNDERSTANDS

I ask the patient to repeat to me what I just told them regarding their ocular condition. I ask them if they understand the circumstances that brought about the change in their ocular health. We discuss a treatment plan (medical intervention and nutrition). I explain that we want to “use our food as medicine.”

We discuss nutrition at length, both in the form of ideal daily diets and nutraceuticals. I prescribe Macuhealth nutraceuticals to all patients with drusen and/or a positive family history with a first-degree relative with wet or dry AMD. And I prescribe Macuhealth for patients with a history of smoking.

ANTICIPATE TOUGH QUESTIONS

The most difficult question to answer is: “why did I develop this condition?” In the case of glaucoma and AMD, there is a genetic risk, and not every patient is knowledgeable about their ocular and systemic family history. I find that many patients confuse cataracts and glaucoma. When the diagnosis is dry AMD, I like to empower patients with the fact that AMD has modifiable risk factors, and if they stop smoking, exercise, and be sure to eat more foods rich in carotenoids, they can minimize their risk of significant vision loss.

Another hard question is whether the patient will be able to continue driving. Driving is a task so critical for a person’s independence, and any loss of their central acuity can rob patients of their independence for driving and for many activities of daily living. In response to that question I might say: “We are going to closely monitor your eyes and vision, and follow the treatment plan I have prescribed, and hopefully, together, we can keep you driving safely for years to come. I can’t make any promises, but we’ll try our best.”

COMMUNICATE DIAGNOSES CAREFULLY TO ELDERLY & CAREGIVERS

Generally, the caregiver prefers not to be in the exam room, and if they are, they do not offer any information regarding the patient’s medications or medical history. I prefer to communicate with adult children of the patient and the primary care physician. Recently, a 91-year-old couple called my office because their adult children live in Arizona and California. They have no family here, and they could not start their car. We need to have a person to contact in the event of an emergency. This is so important today, when many families are not living near one another.

How do you communicate serious diagnoses in your practice? What lessons have you learned over the years about doing this in a way that ensures compassionate care, while protecting your practice?

MARY E. BONAME, OD, MS, FAAO

Mary E. Boname, OD, MS, FAAO, is the owner of Montgomery Eye Care, P.A., in Skillman, NJ. To contact her: mboname@mecnj.com.

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

Insight with Dr. Melanie Sherk

Insights

|

0
(0)

Melanie was honored in 2005 by being named one of the 50 most influential women in eye care. 

Aside from starting one of the largest multi doctor clinics in BC, Melanie is also

one of the founding members of Eye Recommend. 

 

Dr. Melanie Sherk

Doctor of Optometry

White Rock Optometry Clinic

University of Waterloo 1979

White Rock, BC

 

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

I’m a big believer in benchmarking and have managed my practice since the 1980’s with metrics.  Tracking full exams, new patients, contact lens exams, prescriptions filled, capture rate, frames sold and revenues of each area give me baselines from which to set goals for growth.  Revenue per patient as well as net revenues for each area of the office, clinic, optical, contact lens,  allows me to identify which area of the office may need more attention at any given time.  Other items like redo rates and revenue per staff hour are also monitored and used to make staffing or training decisions.  I have always felt that management decisions should have facts to back them up and that’s what tracking metrics gives is facts.

What business books would you recommend other ECPs read?

Reading books from other industries and applying them to your own business can be very beneficial because it gets you thinking beyond optometry and expands your thinking to more general concepts.  Books on customer service, management styles, habits of successful people etc can all be of benefit in setting your path to a successful business.

What advice would you give a new grad today?

One of the things that is exciting about our profession is that we can have both the clinical as well as the retail business together. Learn to devote time to both and find the opportunities that will allow you to engage in both aspects. Develop a balance in your professional life by taking an interest in clinical learning as well as practice management learning and devoting time to both by scheduling patient care time and practice care time. Don’t devote so much to clinical time that your practice suffers from lack of attention. Maintain balance between your work life and your personal life by devoting adequate time to your family, friends and interests. You will be happier and consequently more successful.

What is your favorite food?

Salad… who am I kidding… The trifecta of chocolate, caramel and nuts.

Something few people know about me.

I loved the show Corner Gas, so for one of my birthdays my husband surprised me by taking me to Rouleau Saskatchewan to see ‘Dog River’ I thought it was awesome but no one else seems to get it.

My perfect day.

Waking up without an alarm.  Spending my morning hiking in the mountains or cycling, afternoon playing cards with family and friends, evening watching reality TV like Survivor or the Voice or watching the best movie ever – Deadpool.

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

Roadmap to Success: Starting Your Independent Practice

Finance|Wealth, Practice, Resources

|

5
(1)

Editor’s Note:

 

This article is the first in a series to explore the process of buying an optometric practice. Along the way, we will introduce you to various subject matter experts, but we also want to hear from you, based on your own experiences. Whether you are in acquisition mode, exit mode or somewhere in between and have valuable advice to share with Jane and Steven, we’d like to hear form you.

Scroll down to the end of the article to view and add your comments.

Life is all about the milestones. Whether it involves physical or emotional growth, professional or personal endeavors, each of us are defined by the achievements, decisions and experiences that have led us to the present moment. Individual milestones will always vary, but for those of us in the eye care industry, there are a few standard benchmarks we can use to help us track our career progression and personal development throughout our lifetime as specialized health professionals.

Here’s a case study to help us visualize the career path a little better: Jane and Steven Buchan are a married couple and are both licensed optometrists. They graduated together with doctor of optometry (OD) degrees back in 2012, and have spent the last 4 years working as associates for a number of different practices, making a joint gross income of $190,000 per year. They also have a total outstanding debt of $120,000 from student loans which they hope to have paid off completely within the next 5 years.

Both of them have decided that they are ready to take the next step forward in their careers by purchasing an independent eye care practice which they can co-manage as partners. They have no children or other dependents, so it’s the perfect time to take a little professional risk – especially one like this with large potential pay-offs for career advancement and profitability. After several months of scouring through neighbourhoods, ads and websites across the province, Jane and Steven find what they believe is the door to their next chapter. What do they do next? Here are five important pre-purchase activities that they need to devote themselves to before taking the plunge:

Pick Your Experts

Jane and Steven have little to no experience evaluating, purchasing and establishing an eyecare practice from the ground up. It is important for them to find experienced and well-informed professionals who can help them through the process and make sure that all the nitty gritty details are accounted for and incorporated into their business plan and decisions along the way. They will need a lawyer and an accountant, preferably with direct experience in optometric practices. The accountant should be able to help them value the target practice, help forecast current and future expenses, and build a solid yet flexible financing plan that will also help pay for a little peace of mind. The lawyer can similarly help appraise the practice, and offer an additional take on the administrative and legal obligations that come into play when purchasing such an asset. Of course, the final Purchase Agreement, is a legal document that requires a full review. They may also come across a licensed business broker representing prospective sellers. As the Buchans progress further along their pre-purchase checklist, they will look to these allies to help answer some of their toughest questions and decisions moving forward.

Plan for the Business

Jane and Steven’s goal – like every other specialist who decides to establish an independent clinic – is to develop a stable, rewarding and profitable practice. That goal, however, needs to be translated into quantifiable metrics that they will be able to monitor and adjust over the course of the next few years as they improve their business acumen, adapt to suit their clients’ needs, and satisfy their own work-life balance and earning requirements. The business plan will also touch upon many aspects of the remaining four preparatory steps, and it is best used as a detailed game plan that re-calibrates and synchronizes itself with the future successes and failures of your new business.

Do the Math

The biggest chunk of the Buchan business plan should be dedicated to crunching the numbers and figuring out how much they can invest in their business, while still meeting other financial goals and maintaining a suitable quality of life. This is the step that gives them the a clearer yes/no picture on the purchase and it also lets them know how much wiggle room they have to make it better before it has even begun. Comprehensive and accurate financial forecasting will give them much of the direction they need for all the big decisions that are yet to come: What other fees need to be paid for before this transaction can be finalized? What should be paid off first? How much staff can they afford to hire? Should they upgrade the space or the equipment? It’s at this stage that they must ask themselves what price they are willing to pay to get what they want.

Raise the Funds

Once the Buchans have a solid idea of how much capital is needed to set the business up and how much extra they will need at regular intervals to keep it running, the next task will be to go out and find creative ways to raise that money. Many big banks offer special funding and financing options for professionals in the eye care industry, and other funding options can certainly be found through third-party lending agencies and even through the property seller. Additional funding options for equipment will also be explored, and we will tune in as they weigh the pros and cons of leasing versus buying equipment, keeping in mind that many pieces of technology can become significantly outdated and even obsolete in as little as three years.

Acquire the Talent

With many of the fixed business expenses accounted for in the previous stages, Jane and Steven would also need to find good people to assist them in the daily operation of the clinic and work with them as they continue to build this new practice. The biggest consideration for hiring, whether they are accepting applications for new staff, or taking on the existing manpower from the clinic’s previous owner, is the budget that they have set aside during the accounting phase for their human resources needs. This includes the obvious salary, benefits and possible employee discounts, but it should also make considerations for employment laws and tax obligations. In order to get the best possible picture of the legal and financial implications of their staffing needs, they should consult their legal counsel. Stay tuned for future articles as we accompany the Buchans on their insightful journey towards envisioning and building the practice of their dreams.

Here is information about the practice that have Jane and Steven excited. They made a few inquiries and attained a summary Income statement from a broker representing the seller (after signing a non-disclosure agreement). Click to view: Doctor EyeCare Optometry Income Statement
We’d like to hear from you:

 

 

  1. What advice do you have for the Buchans?
  2. What more information should they ask about?
  3. Is this a good practice for them to consider?
  4. What do you recommend they do next ?

Post your advice in the “Leave a Reply” box below.

LYANNE AUGUILAR

Lyanne Aguilar is a Toronto-based writer who specializes in finance and healthcare-related content, both in English and French

Share:
Rate:

5 / 5. 1

When Patients Search for Eyewear Online, What Are They Looking At?

Digital Marketing, Marketing, Practice, The Patient Journey

|

0
(0)

When using the internet to search for eyewear, most people are usually window shopping online, according to The Vision Council VisionWatch Internet Influence Report. In other words, they are conducting research and activities that are utilized to help them purchase eyewear in-person at a future date. People most often compare prices of eyewear. They also look to the internet to examine possible brands, and to examine possible retail locations where they might eventually make a purchase in-person. People are somewhat less likely to use the internet to select the exact brand of eyewear they will buy, or to select the exact retail location where they will make a purchase. Finally, a small number of consumers are using the internet to review customer ratings/satisfaction relating to eyewear or eyewear retailers.

The doctor-patient relationship has changed. The internet has driven that change. Information now is just fingertips away. Now patients come to doctors after going on the internet to do a little research. This can be both good and bad.

The good news is the more educated a patient is about the problems they are facing, the easier it is to get them to follow your treatment plan.

The bad side occurs because the internet is filled with both accurate information and inaccurate information, but there are no flags telling patients they are reading inaccurate information.

In our youth, one of the first of the medical television shows (Marcus Welby, M.D.) was popular. It was the story of two physicians treating patients. Each week had a new disease that was the center of the show. The problem was, the day after the show doctors’ offices across the country would be inundated with people calling to schedule appointments believing they had the disease that they had seen the night before on the show. That problem has not gone away. We’ve all seen patients who’ve spent time on the internet coming into the practice convinced they have a problem they’ve read about after using the Symptom Checker on WebMD.

Patients also research glasses and contact lenses online. The problem is they do not know that there are significant differences between glasses or contact lenses design, material, or manufacturing process. Patients have a fundamental misunderstanding that just because my new glasses or contact lenses have my doctor’s prescription in them, it doesn’t matter where I buy them. The reality is that it does matter. Design, material, and manufacturing process matters.

For both spectacle lenses and contact lenses, the design of the lenses matters. Just consider for a moment how many different designs of progressive addition lenses exist. Selecting the best design for the patient matters. Every contact lens company has a different design for astigmatism lenses. Design matters. If the patient does not have the best prescription design in the lenses for the patient, the patient may not have the best vision.

Material matters. Material directly impacts abberations, weight and thickness of the lenses. If the patient does not have the best material in the lenses made for the patient, the patient may not have the best vision.  The same thing is true for contact lenses. Some lenses are better for patients with dry eyes, and some lenses are worse. Some material gives patients comfort all day, while with other materials, patient comfort degrades as the day progresses. Material does matter.

Manufacturing process matters. We now have the ability–by using advanced manufacturing processes–to have patients see clearly edge-to-edge with their spectacle lenses. With older manufacturing process, there was only one place on the spectacle lens with the patient’s exact prescription. Manufacturing process matters with contact lenses as well. Edges, thickness, lens smoothness all matter.

Our job is to recognize that patients do go on the internet for information. One way to address this fact is to help patients with accurate information. Here are two important ways you can positively impact patient care.

1)     Make sure you are telling patient about more than just the change in their prescription. “Mrs. Jones, there has been a small change in your prescription and I’m going to prescribe this for you so that you can see clearer. But I’m also prescribing the material, the design of the prescription in your lenses, and the manufacturing process so that you will see the best. It’s more than just your prescription, you need to have all of these other things exactly as I’m prescribing them to see your best.”

2)    Take this week to examine your web site. Do you have information on your web site you can easily “push” to patients? We used to give patients brochures and paper handouts. In today’s digital world, you and your staff should be directing patients to your web site for information. “Mr. Smith, you have primary open angle glaucoma. I’m sending you a link to information on my web site about primary open angle glaucoma that I want you to read. I’m also updating the information on your digital medical record. My staff is going to show you how to access that information through our secure portal.”

Embrace the fact that patients are going to use the internet. Find ways to use this information positively by guiding patients in their online experience.

MARK WRIGHT, OD, FCOVD

Dr. Wright is the founding partner of a nine-partner, three-location full-scope optometric practice. As CEO of Pathways to Success, an internet-based practice management firm, he works with practices of all sizes. He is faculty coordinator for Ohio State’s leading practice management program.

CAROLE BURNS, OD, FCOVD

Dr. Burns is the senior partner of a nine-doctor full-scope optometric practice that she built with her husband, Dr. Wright. She is also the COO of a state-wide nursing care optometry practice. Dr. Burns lectures nationally on practice management and staffing issues. Dr. Burns authored the Specialty Practice section of the textbook, Business Aspects of Optometry.

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

Insight with Dr. Wes McCann

Insights

|

0
(0)

This dynamic go-getter is a mere 5 years out of school and already owns 3 practices, speaks on practice

management and sits on the board of the Ontario Association of Optometrists.

Dr. Wes McCann

Doctor of Optometry

Upper Richmond Optometry • Central Optometry • Advanced Medical Group Vision Centre

Nova Southeastern University 2012

London, ON

 

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

Business success is determined by setting targets and goals. We find it important to track year over year growth in regards to spectacles, contact lens and total sales. Setting growth targets that are linked to incentives for staff help our clinic to be successful.
Another helpful metric, albeit difficult to interpret, is capture rate. This can be determined as the number of dispenses divided by the number of dispensable patients (PTs for whom you are recommending a new Rx). Capture rate can also be calculated as a % of all visits. I find it is more accurate to measure capture rate as the former, especially if you have a more
medically focused practice.

What advice would you give a new grad today?

Work hard as an associate and show your worth to the practice owner. What can you offer the practice that the practice doesn’t already have?
Secondly, don’t forget that dispensing glasses and contact lenses are an important part of Optometry. A well dispensing practice not only helps the associate’s bottom line, but also allows the practice to invest in updated equipment to further the medical aspect of our profession. You really cannot have one without the other in the current climate of our healthcare system.

How do you hire new staff? What is the process and who does the hiring in your
office?

There’s isn’t one tried and true resource to find good employees. The best methods I have used in the past are free: word of mouth recommendations, Kijiji, and even hiring a server from a restaurant, to name a few. I collect and rank all resumes then conduct interviews on the top scoring submissions. Usually after a first round of interviews by phone I can narrow down a short list for second and in person interviews. In the past, I have offered a position on the spot. For staff, I hire solely on personality and competence. I don’t care what they know about the industry – I can train them in house and pay for them to take the Optometric Assistant Course. Skills can be learned, personality and competence cannot.

What is your favorite TV show / Netflix series?

Schitt’s Creek – great Canadian comedy!

What would you do if you won 10 million dollars? What would you do with your
practice?

Invest and work part time – I enjoy being a practice owner and my passion is helping my patients. I am certainly not yet ready to retire.

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

To Capture Millennials, Create a Millennial-Friendly Office

Differentiation | Business Strategy, Marketing, Merchandising, Practice, Resources

|

0
(0)

My office, a four-doctor practice in Cary, N.C., is dominated by Millennial patients, those born between 1982 and 2002. That means we’ve had to put thought into creating the kind of office that appeals to these young patients. 

We’ve had to understand what makes the Millennial patient different from patients of older generations, and the type of office environment they are likely to appreciate, return to for care and refer others to experience.

I’m a Millennial myself, and my staff is almost entirely Millennials, age 25-37, so we know from first-hand experience the kind of office environment that is likely to appeal to people our age.

Equip Exam Rooms with Large Screens for Patient Education
I have used iPad technology for charting in my exam room before, but have found having large desktop monitors to be better technology for Millennial patient education. We use multiple large screens to pull up high-quality images of retinal scans and meiboiman gland imaging for patient education, and it lets me review their prescriptions easily with them.

Millennials are invested in their personal care; they want to know what you changed and what you are writing in their chart. There is no diagnosis or concept that they feel is too complicated for them to understand, and they expect complete transparency. Large screens that they can easily see from the exam chair give them that feeling of being surrounded by state-of-the-art technology that they are actively a part of; not just me typing into a chart they can’t see.

Offer Free Wi-Fi in Office
We have free WiFi, but to protect patient records, we have two separate accounts. We have a public WiFi access that patients can utilize, and a separate private WiFi account for staff and doctors that is password-protected. This protects us from the threats of viruses or potential identity theft issues, while still letting our patients enjoy a wireless internet connection, and have the experience they expect in a high-technology office.

Tell Patients Why They Should Buy from You: Technology & Value
Millennials are not shy to tell you they are buying online and they need you to supply the PD. There is no sense of shame in purchasing from outside your office, and they expect you to give them everything they need to do so. Instead of bashing Warby Parker, or other online stores, I explain how what I offer in my office differs from what an online retailer is able to offer.

I let them know that online stores don’t usually offer the kind of doctor-patient exchange that leads to pinpointing and prescribing the kind of technology we just discussed during their exam: the anti-fatigue lenses to combat their tired eyes, the blue-blocker glare coatings and tinted lenses to reduce their light sensitivity and frequent headaches, the low prism I showed them to relax their eye muscles. I usually say something like, “I understand having an inexpensive back-up pair that you don’t mind throwing around in a suitcase, or scratching up, but for the glasses you wear to work every day, you need much better technology if you want to your eyes seeing and feeling their best.”

Talking about all these new lens technologies in the exam takes a lot of chair time, but if I’m not offering them state of the art lens technology, then why would I expect them to think there is a difference between my glasses and Warby Parker’s? You have to prescribe and educate the difference for them to understand your glasses aren’t the same.
Dr. Lyerly says the type of “capsule” marketing shown in the above picture is more effective at marketing to Millennials than a traditional frame board display.

Go from Frame Board to “Capsule”
We continually update the appearance of our optical to provide an attractive shopping experience. A clinical feel with racks of frame boards? Not what Millennials are looking for. You can tell by the clothing stores, restaurants and craft breweries (the epitome of how Millennials spend more for products they think are better quality), they spend money for the aesthetic that best captures and engages their interest.

We are working to turn traditional frame boards into capsules of brand stories where patients can get an idea of each frame line’s identity – what makes them different, where they are made and what social message they have. We want to present high-quality frames with a high-quality aesthetic, so right away when you enter the optical you can tell what’s inside is much nicer than what they can expect from discount stores or online warehouses.

The message is quality, performance, craftsmanship and technology right when you walk in, and before you even try on a frame!

Be Selfie-Friendly
We also want to make an environment where people want to take pictures and selfies. Bright lighting, clean lines, a coffee station, a bar height optical table – this is how we create a visual environment that a patient wants to share on their social media accounts. Nothing is better advertising than when a patient tags us in a post that they want to share with their friends, bragging about the frames or the experience they just had in our office.

JENNIFER LYERLY, OD

Jennifer Lyerly, OD, is an associate at Triangle Visions Optometry in Cary, N.C. To contact her: jelyerly@gmail.com

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

7 Trunk Show Essentials for Increased Sales and Customer Loyalty

Advertising & Promotion, Marketing, Resources

|

0
(0)

Some do it often, and others, sadly not at all. Some do it very well, and others, less so. We are of course talking about optical trunk shows.

VuePoint’s research shows that slightly more than half of ECPs in Canada are trunk show fans, with the others having less than stellar results and or not bothering to try.

A well-planned and well-executed trunk show can be a tremendous success in building short-term revenue and longer-term customer loyalty.

We’ve canvased the experts and offer these seven key tips for making your next, or first, trunk show a success.

1. Get Everyone Involved. Make it a team effort right from the planning stage to the final post-event debrief and follow up. Your staff will have a stronger sense of ownership if it’s made clear that this is everyone’s event, while also ensuring delegated authority and task responsibility are clear. You might even discover some hidden talents within your staff by doing so.
2. Don’t call it a Trunk Show. “Trunk show” is industry jargon that doesn’t speak to your customers. Create a theme. It’s an Open House, a Celebration, an Anniversary… anything but a “Trunk Show.” A great opportunity to engage your staff in a brainstorming session.
3. Plan Ahead. Start your planning well in advance, at least 3-4 months for event details. If you are doing an annual budget and marketing plan, build the trunk show into your numbers to ensure the resources are available and you have specific goals. If you are not doing an annual plan… you should!
4. Get a Good Rep Partner (or two). Talk to your best reps and identify those with experience that are willing to work with you. Press them for special pricing and tap into their expertise. They have been involved in many more trunk shows than you, and have great insights as to what makes them successful.

Leverage the experience of your best reps for help well before the planned event.

Don’t limit it only to frame reps. Many ophthalmic lens reps are also licensed opticians and can lighten the load for you on the big day.
5. Find the Sweet Spot. Don’t start promoting too soon or you’ll give customers a reason to postpone a purchase. Too late and you’ll have trouble generating traffic. 3-4 weeks out is the time to start event promotion.
6. Sweat the Details. Make sure all the little things are covered. This is not a normal day in the practice. A successful event requires a lot of details to come together. Again, involving the staff will identify many small tasks that you may not have even thought about.
7. Do a Debrief. Have the team recap all aspects of the day, including sales results and expense versus the plan. Ask yourself: What did we do well? How can we do better? Make sure that you record the debrief. It will be an asset for making next event you plan even more successful.

 

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

Rectifying a Rotten Review

Digital Marketing, Marketing, Resources

|

0
(0)

The reality is bad reviews happen. Today’s high-tech world guarantees a seamless outlet for clients to provide their feedback and not every one is going to agree with your approach. That is life. Experts suggest the best thing you can do when faced with the dreaded one-star review is to avoid turning a blind eye, address the complaint and harness the opportunity to make improvements to your business process.

Some may slough off a poor online review and not give it much merit. However, it is a serious matter and can certainly be a risk to any business, even more so in the healthcare industry. We all rely on our peers for advice and, no matter what advertising strategy may be in place, word-of-mouth still reigns.

Take a Deep Breath

And, while the thought of one poor online review tarnishing your well-developed professional reputation may be gut-wrenching, the best thing you can do is put your best foot forward.

But what does that mean exactly? This can be a touchy subject, especially if you are not comfortable online to begin with. Here are a few tips from the experts to guide you through what may be uncharted waters:

Take a moment to digest. What has the customer really said to you? Poor reviews can often feel very personal and the last thing you want to do is rush to reply and respond with emotion. Do your best to understand the situation from the customer’s perspective.

Evaluate the validity of the complaint. Has this issue ever come up before? Could the situation have been avoided? And, is there any action the practice could take to prevent this from reoccurring?

Don’t be defensive. The last thing an unhappy client wants to here are all the reasons why they had they experience they did. Do not try to justify anything.

Be sure to follow through. Whether you pursue connecting with the author of the review privately or respond in an open forum, be sure to follow through with any action items you may suggest.

Focus on addressing the issue. In many cases the customer just wants to feel heard. So, focus on acknowledging what has been said and try to rectify the situation with fairness.

A negative review can certainly be downer but experts say it’s not all bad news. These situations can also provide an immense opportunity to demonstrate your practice’s commitment to client engagement and offer a chance to make business improvements that are directly impacting your clients.

“An important thing to remember when dealing with negative reviews is to be proactive. This is your opportunity to demonstrate that your business is properly run and deals with problems quickly and fairly,” said Matt Earle, president of Reputation.ca, a Toronto-based digital public relations company geared towards helping people and businesses improve their online reputation. “Always respond in a highly empathetic way that addresses the substance of the complaint and shows a fair and generous response to their complaint.”

Seize the Opportunity

If you have never had to deal with a negative online review, you should still consider how to best position yourself before it happens. In this scenario, the old adage, ‘the best defense is a good offense,’ rings true.

A good starting point is to gather a few spots clients may be posting about your practice that you can monitor regularly. A simple Google search of your name or company name can pull up local discussion boards or mentions on sites such as healthgrades.com, vitals.com, or ratemd.com. Facebook, the Yellow Pages and Google itself also provide the opportunity for user to leave a review about your business.

“We do have a couple of staff members that monitor this at our practice,” said Dr. Ian Beaumont, practicing optometrist at FYidoctors in Brandon, Manitoba. “We just want to be aware of any major deficiencies that people may be posting about us. I don’t mind the online review system. It obviously has limitations just like any system, but it can be used as a self evaluation tool to better yourself.”

Aim to hold an active presence online, whether it may be with a company website, blog or social media posts. Then take it a step further and encourage all of your customers towards providing their feedback online. More often than not, patient reviews are going to be exceedingly positive, but of course the negative ones always seem more prominent. Think about balancing that equation and painting a more accurate picture of your practice by motivating clients to comment, like or provide a review.

Don’t forget, thank everyone who takes the time to provide feedback, no matter the intention. These reviews provide valuable insight from the patients’ point-of-view about what areas of your business are working well and where improvements can be made. All feedback, including that rotten review, has the capacity of improving your practice if handled correctly.

 

JENNIFER PAIGE GOLLETZ

Jennifer Paige Golletz is a freelance writer and journalist based in Toronto, Ontario. She graduated with honours from the print journalism program at Lethbridge College in Alberta and has been actively writing for a number of publications for the past five years.

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

5 Key Patient Touch Points That Built a $1 Million Practice

Practice, The Patient Journey

|

0
(0)

Focusing on five key patient touch points improves care and revenue. Here’s how we used them to deliver outstanding care and build a $1 million practice.

Each year we focus on a BIG goal. Last year, our goal was $1 million in revenue–and in December we reached it. This year’s goal is to build on that achievement by meeting five key touch points with every patient visit.

Use Online Forms
We ask all patients on our web site and over the phone to go online and submit to us through our web site their patient forms. This allows us to make sure (before they come in) that their demographics and insurance information are correct. It also allows our technician to verify medications prior to talking to the patient. This has enabled us to identify diabetics and pre-verify their insurance for photos or any other testing that Dr. Thomas calls for.  This is a time-saver and the patient has no “surprise” charges at check-out, which creates good will and a great relationship between the patient and our practice.

One of our 2017 budget expansions is web site enhancements that will make it easier for patients to find the forms on our homepage, and then easier to fill out and submit to us.

Better forms means better information about patients, which means better patient care and revenue-generation opportunities. For example, being able to identify certain ocular conditions through medications on patient forms can result in additional testing. This, in turn, will have greater impact on per-patient revenue.

Discuss Daily Disposable Contact Lenses
We have challenged our technicians to discuss the option of wearing daily disposable contact lenses with each patient here for an exam who wears glasses. Educating a patient that they can wear contact lenses on an occasional basis will result in additional examination and fitting fees. And not only will this add to per-patient revenue, it will also benefit patients who have not thought about wearing contacts to a formal event such as a wedding or the big playoff football game! Enhancing lifestyle options is a win-win! Patients appreciate the lifestyle choice, it boosts per-patient revenue, as well as referrals to their peers!

Perfect Optical Hand-Off
The doctor’s EXAM is the most important touch point BUT the hand-off to the optical gallery staff is crucial. We are learning to advise the patient that “hasn’t had much change” that this is the year to add that desktop pair of glasses or that polarized sun pair! That partnering in communication with the doctor makes identification of patient needs more likely, which then results in more second-pair sales, and more sales of eyewear with AR and light adaptive lenses (Transitions or Sunsync).

First, the doctor walks the patient to the optical gallery and introduces the staff member who will be helping the patient: “Mrs. Jones, this is Dawn [one of our opticians]. She will be assisting you today.”

Second, he hands Dawn any demographic information (i.e. paperwork), and then goes over Mrs. Jones’ visual needs: “Mrs. Jones plays harp for her church, and needs a specific pair of glasses with a 36-inch correction to read music. She also needs a pair of every day glasses, as well as polarized sunglasses.” By that point, all three of Mrs. Jones’ prescriptions would already have been sent through our EHR, and would be ready for the optician to discuss.

Enhance Optical Service
We are filling the prescriptions from the doctor. But the patient has also now become the consumer/customer, and we have to respect that need just as much. It is our responsibility to not only feel the weight of delivering a medical device (or multiple medical devices), but to do so in a highly competitive consumer arena, delivering customer service that is second to none.

Our opticians are trained to serve both as style consultants, as well as experts on the the fit and making of the eyewear. We take time to continue the conversation started in the exam room by the doctor on the patient’s lifestyle, and the kinds of eyewear that will enhance their life. We also patiently advise them on matching eyewear to their personal style.

Our opticians add hand-written thank-you notes to each patient’s check-out bag that invite the patient to “Stay in Touch” – the flip side of the card asks them to “like” us on Facebook, and to follow us on Twitter and Instagram. This increases our reach through marketing, and keeps us top of mind, and easy to reach.

In addition, we are incentivizing opticians to provide improved service and to generate greater sales. We have created a monthly “Jingle Jar.” Every month we select a women’s line and a men’s line to have a small bonus on based on which optician generates the greatest sales. We have a $1,000 club.  When you have a patient who spends more than $1000 in the office, you get $20 in your jar

Enable Smoother Check Out
The patient experience has to be smooth as silk at this touch point. They say that you don’t have a second chance to make a first impression. I am here to tell you that when that patient came in, the first touch point was the first domino, then the tech was the second domino and so on…. If you have a negative experience at check-out, those dominos that you so carefully set up start crashing ! The last impression is what the patient carries out of the office as they go throughout the rest of their day.

We ensure the reception desk is always staffed, so that the patient is never left there waiting for an employee to return before they can leave the office. Our optical staff is cross-trained to assist front desk with check out, as well. Everywhere else in the office we have given our time and talents to the patient. This patient has selected our practice over 23 others that they could have chosen, and we truly feel honored.

This final touch point of check-out is when the patient “gives” to us. It must be a stellar experience that allows the patient to leave with the motivation to review us positively on our social media and refer us to friends and family.

  Stuart J. Thomas, OD, is the owner of Thomas Eye Center in Athens, Ga.Contact: StuTh2@vsp.com

 

 

   Ellen Byrum-Goad, LDO, is practice manager. To contact: Ellen.Goad@thomaseyecenter.com

 

 

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0

Insight with Bryan Rossi

Insights

|

0
(0)

Bryan Rossi is the General Manager of Carl Zeiss Vision Canada since July 2017.

A 15+ year industry veteran in the United States.

Bryan shares what is exciting him in the eye care industry,

and what he likes to do to unwind.

 

Bryan Rossi

General Manager Carl Zeiss Vision Canada

BSBA Finance, Ohio State University 1996

 

How did you get into the Eye Care business?

I was moving up in my career but becoming complacent within the financial industry. I vividly remember looking at Monster.com, sorting through 250 jobs and found one that sounded very interesting at Sola (now ZEISS). I received a call a few weeks later and the process began. About three months later I was hired as the first Regional Manger selling directly to the ECP. The people that hired me are still with the company today. We all have advanced our careers and continue to work on projects together from time to time.

What is currently the most exciting thing in your field that’s helping practitioners and patients?

The advancement of the optical lens and coatings. Backside freeform delivers better optics for the patients and creates an ease of use for the ECPs. We can deliver exceptional vision across a wide range of materials, which was more difficult with traditional atoric surfacing. The coatings have become extremely durable over the entire life of the lens and now have Blue Light protection as an option. These advancements are delivering better visual acuity and contributing to the overall health of the eye.

What business books would you recommend ECPs read?

Two books that are staples in my library are Good to Great by James C. Collins and Blue Ocean Strategy by Renee Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim. Both books have some solid principles and concepts on creating a productive work environment and using out of the box thinking. The business case on Yellow Tail® in Blue Ocean Strategy is quite a read.

Favourite pastime/hobby?

I enjoy many things, but golf is probably my favourite these days. It allows you to be outside enjoying the weather and can really tell you a lot about your patience. I’m looking forward to playing some of the great courses here in Canada.

Favourite Food?

I’m a little bit of a foodie and try to experience the local cuisine when I travel. I must admit, I haven’t had poutine yet. Every time I ask about it, people tell me it’s late-night food. I’m sure I’ll try it soon.

 

Share:
Rate:

0 / 5. 0