All Posts
The Best Ancillary Testing Options to Boost Productivity in Your Office
Practice Models
October 20
8 min read
Patients trust their optometrists and ophthalmologists with one of their most valued senses. They deserve high-quality care and treatment, but eye care practices do not need all of the biggest and most high-tech testing gadgets on the market. Finding the right machines that suit the needs of patients can be invaluable for their health and practice record keeping alike.
At a time when it seems like insurers are demanding more from providers for l (...)
Read more
Leadership Soft Skills for a Successful Vision Care Practice
Practice Management
November 11
8 min read
Leadership, especially in healthcare, is not for the faint of heart. It requires a multitude of different skills and attributes, many of which are not formally taught in any textbook or continuing education class. These soft skills -- work ethic, communication, and critical thinking, to name a few -- are what differentiate "good" bosses from the "bad" in the eyes of subordinates and superiors alike. Possessing these attributes can help strengthen (...)
Read more
Interdisciplinary Eye Care: Increase Patient Satisfaction and Boost Revenue
Practice Management
November 17
8 min read
Eyes are unimaginably complex. Within one small organ, numerous fine layers are performing various functions in harmony with one another to form the images that are sent to our brains for us to see. Optometrists and general ophthalmologists see the bulk of eye care patients but when someone with a specialized disease or injury comes into the office, they are often referred out to a subspecialist. Although it would be a substantial change, partner (...)
Read more
How Cross-Training Can Supercharge Your Practice's Talent Pool
Practice Management
November 20
8 min read
The cost of hiring a new employee is high. Employers can spend thousands of dollars bringing in new clerical staff, opticians, and technicians. It’s an investment to take on the process of online recruiting, interviewing, background checks, onboarding, and training. In fact, one study in particular estimates that each new hire can cost a practice over a month of work and $4,000 from the budget -- and that’s before taking any employee (...)
Read more
Implement a Staffing Strategy to Hire More Effectively
Human Resources
December 18
8 min read
Heterogeneity is a key component in the success of an organization. Those of different backgrounds contribute new ideas and ways of thinking to what might otherwise be a homogenous group. In some instances, tossing a net to as many job applicants to fill your open position might be the best decision. Still, for other, more specific tasks, it may be best for management to put in the time to thoroughly research and scout candidates. Striking a bala (...)
Read more
Training and Development in Your Eyecare Practice
Practice Management
January 18
8 min read
Training and development are essential to any organization. In eyecare, a well-trained staff is needed to run an office efficiently. Assistants and opticians are the backbones of the office, and their roles often stretch beyond aiding physicians in patient care. Triaging, patient callbacks, working the reception desk, and billing are parts of the job. Management and support staff may need to learn multiple roles to help the office to run more eff (...)
Read more
The Perils of Improper Training in Eye Care
Human Resources
March 26
8 min read
Optometric and ophthalmic assistants and technicians are an essential part of any eye care office, but eye care is one of the few fields in healthcare in which they are not legally required to hold any certification or degree. Because of the lack of national standards or uniform training protocols, eye exams can differ from one exam room to the next. Improperly trained staff can cause substantial damage, both physically to patients and financiall (...)
Read more
Employee Growth: Creating a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Human Resources
April 19
8 min read
It's a question that is asked at virtually every job interview: "Where do you see yourself in the next five years?" Nobody dreams of remaining stagnant in one position; rather, more people hope to climb up the rungs of the inner office ladder, landing promotions and gaining various accolades. So much can change in five year's time, but employees have to be proactive to be sure that significant changes are being made within that span.
Whether a t (...)
Read more
Measuring Up Against Online Retailers: Using Patient Education to Win Back the Optical Sale
Practice Management
July 01
8 min read
Since its inception, online glasses retailers have been the biggest threat to independent and regional practices since the boom of national retail chains. However, smaller businesses have been able to put their differences with the corporate giants aside in this fight against online services. The demand for online opticianry was already growing following the social distancing restrictions the country experienced throughout the pandemic, but now o (...)
Read more
Opticians: Hiring Plans for Higher Sales
Human Resources
July 14
8 min read
Optical sales are the bread and butter of any eye care practice. While the primary focus of an optometric or ophthalmic group may be to care for and refract patients, insurance payouts have made it more and more difficult to keep afloat in today's modern medical field. Often, to stay alive in the business, eye care practices need to ensure their patients leave the office with glasses ordered and that their eyewear sales numbers are high.
If capt (...)
Read more