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Ten Ways to Grow an Optometry Practice

Optometry Growth

Number 5 in the Hanks Monograph series has proven suggestions for growing an optometry practice in any country.

Written by an experienced optometrist, the advice is practical for easy implementation with practice staff.

There are different areas to grow – for example . . .  New and Existing Patients;  Retail Pricing and Community Groups;  Auditing the Standard Procedures;  Local Doctors, Traditional Media and Social Media;  and improving the Ability to Handle Low Cost Competition.

TIP: Take the suggestions one at a time as a project and discuss them at a staff meeting. By involving your staff the tasks become more achievable and there will be a positive feeling of “ownership”.

Click here to go to the page.

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One Percent Improvements for Optometrists

Optometry Practice Management

Number 4 in the Hanks Monograph series by instant-download is a Project of 1 Percent Improvements for Optometrists.

For an established business it is very difficult to achieve one single big improvement, but making multiple 1% improvements is much more achievable.

These ideas can be used to engage your practice staff on this project. By engaging them the results will be easier and there will be a positive feeling of “ownership”.

TIP: Take the suggestions one at a time as a project – discuss it at a staff meeting; circulate a copy to each staff member for implementation; then follow up to monitor progress and reinforcement.

Click here to go to the page.

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Attracting New Optometry Patients

Attracting New Optometry Patients

Number 2 in the Hanks Monograph series is a Plan for Attracting New Patients.

The biggest challenge for most new practices is having enough patients. This is a practical plan that can be implemented to address this problem.

This plan covers the following areas: • Standard Patient Letters • Ongoing Patient Contact • Advertising • Spectacle Deliveries • Printed Materials • Samples for Local Businesses • Local Doctors as Referral Sources • Community Involvement • Talks About Eyecare.

Importantly, this monograph includes a complete example to show how the Plan for Attracting New Patients is actually used in a practical sense.

TIP: The plan format is easy to follow and work your way through. Then involve practice staff to achieve engagement and share the tasks that need to be completed.

Click here to go to the page.

 

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Library of Forms for Optometrists

This resource is getting a great response from optometrists in many countries – it’s a library of forms that are ready for use in their practices.

There are over 200 pages in the collection and they are indexed into 14 areas:  For Use In-Practice;  Schools;  Staff Meetings;  Calculators;  For Clinical Use;  Dispensing;  Contact Lenses;  Practice Management;  For Use by Others (like referral sources);  Patient Education;  Employment;  Community Talks;  Press Releases;  Reference tables;  In Practice Signs.

TIP: Print your choice of forms and make photocopies for use in your practice, or copy them onto your letterhead where appropriate.  This is an outstanding resource.

Click here to go to the page.

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Click here to view the ‘Table of Contents’.

 

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Form for Apaptation Problems with New Spectacles

 

This new shared resource is a form for dispensing staff to use when reviewing patient problems adapting to a new pair of spectacles.

There are a lot of potential causes for people who have difficulty with a new prescription – lens design, centering, power problems, base curves, etc. This form allows for a detailed comparison to what was ordered; as well as a side by side comparison with the habitual correction that the patient has been wearing .

TIP: Print this form for use by the optical dispensers in your practice. Use it to keep a record of the details confirmed and the actions taken.

Click here to go to the page: Then scroll to >Dispensing Aids.

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Optometrist abbreviations

Every trade or profession has a popular list of standard abbreviations. If you use abbreviations it is important that you use them consistently. Of course, they must also be understood by other staff and colleagues.

The website linked here has a list of common abbreviations that you could use in your eye-care practice. The list is also useful for staff training.

TIP: Print this list for staff reference and use it as a topic for a staff meeting in your eye-care practice.

​Click here to go to the page: Then scroll to >Clinical Aids.

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How to track staff meeting items for follow up

While staff meetings are a good idea, the real value will not be achieved unless issues are followed up and results are implemented effectively. This form is used for making notes during staff meetings. As topics are discussed the issues that need to be followed up are identified and assigned to different staff members. In this way they are accountable and actions are encouraged.

TIP: Print a small supply of these forms for use at staff meetings. Then review each assigned issue at the commencement of the next staff meeting.

​Click here to go to the page: Then scroll to >Forms & Misc.

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Avoid conflicts in optometry practices

It seems obvious that arguments with patients are not good for business, yet sometimes they happen. A common example is when something goes wrong and the patient’s expectations simply cannot be met. How this is handled will be the difference between conflict and understanding.

The way to avoid these situations is by using ‘positive communication’. As an example the website linked below has a case study about completed new spectacles that have not arrived as expected. Most patients will be disappointed, but is there a proven way of handling this situation and avoid conflict?

TIP: Print the download and use the discussion paper for individual staff training, or as a group topic at a staff meeting.

​Click here to go to the page: Then scroll to >Staff Training.

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Make improvements by small steps

Almost everyone strives to improve their business, but it is almost impossible to achieve a single improvement of 20%. However it is a lot more achievable if we try to obtain 20 different small improvements, each of 1%.

The website in this link contains examples of small improvements that could each achieve results of between 1% and 3%. These are therefore manageable to implement, as well as being encouraging to complete.

TIP: Print the suggestions in the download and discuss these with your staff so that there is support for the plans. Then implement them and reinforce each project at your regular staff meetings.

Click here to go to the page: Then scroll to >Staff Training.

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What are suitable topics for optometry staff meetings

Most optometrists tell us that staff meetings are a good idea, but many of them they have trouble finding suitable topics.

One of the best areas is Staff Training, so that the skills for better patient care are improved.  The website in the link below has several different handouts for topics related to optometry staff training. These include: Understanding Visual Acuity; Frequent Questions; Delivering New Spectacles; Types of Contact Lenses; Common Eye Diseases; Positive Communication; Using Demonstrations; etc.

TIP:  Print one of these handouts and ask a staff member to lead a discussion on the topic at your next staff meeting. This staff member will feel confident because the discussion material is already prepared.

​Click here to go to the page:  Then scroll down to  >Staff Training.