Practice Management

Each year brings its own challenges, and 2016 will be no different.

In my consulting work with practices, I have found that most of us don’t know if our practice is doing well or not.

Seven months ago, on Friday, May 8, I walked across the stage wearing a graduation gown and hood to receive my fourth and final (for now) degree. It was nearly six years to the day after my graduation from OD school in 2009.

Purchasing a private practice is a big decision and requires thorough preparation. The practice that you purchase can determine where you live and where your children go to school, and it ultimately shapes the lifestyle you’ve been dreaming about your entire life.

my fellow shared with me that after I left the room, the patient complained about me being a “salesman.” Awestruck, I came away realizing that my best intents and clinical knowledge had been taken the wrong way and that the cost of the best treatment for this patient were overshadowed by the fact that she was going to have an out-of-pocket cost.

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but for ODs, the holidays can get a little hectic both outside and in the office.

There is no shortage of new diagnostic technology at optometry’s disposal. It seems every month a new device is available to enhance our practice and patient care. And with each new device, we will have to ask the same questions: Will it pay for itself? How much does it cost? Can I afford it?

“Typically, (Roellinger) listens to the sound of the bread, not the cash register. It’s because he’s a ferocious advocate for the glory of tiny, individually owned and operated producers. The idea that one should-no, must-keep it small.”

I discovered that an employee had been dispensing glasses to her family without collecting payment for the materials. After studying the relevant charts, I was certain that the activity was deliberately hidden from me.

I think that most of us would agree that new technologies generally mean better patient outcomes. But those outcomes always come with an added cost.

Fred Edmunds, OD, FAAO, says there’s no one right way to provide sports vision services.

As the ICD-10 implementation deadline approached, we asked several practitioners to document their experience leading up to and the days after implementation.

One of the first lessons doctors learn once they actually get into practice is that we are all in business. The business aspect of optometric practice is comprised of multiple layers and elements that are challenging at best.

You want to take some time off from your practice, maybe a day or two here and there, maybe for an extended leave, and you want to hire a temporary worker (also known as a fill-in doctor, relief doctor, or locum tenens). The relationship with a locum can be rewarding or frustrating. You have the power to make it successful, but it does take some preparation and planning.

Disaster struck on a recent Sunday evening. A tree branch fell on some power lines just above the practice, and the live wires fell onto the building, starting the blaze. I arrived on scene as the firefighters were putting out the blaze.

In the digital age, having a website can mean the difference between failure and success, but having a website means little if a practice's target audience doesn't see it

Warby Parker may be optometry’s public enemy number one, but David Friedfeld, owner of ClearVision Optical, says optometrists could learn a lot from the company’s booming success.

Everybody’s talking about millennials. They’re self-obsessed and entitled. They’re useless without their smartphones and social media. They’re debt-laden and broke. They’re lazy. They often have roommates, and they call them “Mom” and “Dad.” Wow, millennials are the worst. So-are you ready to hire one?

Essilor recently announced it had acquired independent optometric service alliance Vision Source, raising questions about the future for thousands of Vision Source members and Essilor customers across the country.

Over the past few years, we have seen rapid change in health care and specifically in eye care. Unfortunately, changes are often slower than the demand or need, and we often have mediocre results at best.

Your patients are conditioned to believe that if they take their Rx and just buy it online, they are going to get the best deal. That may have been a partial truth in the past, but today, you are often times able to offer your patients the best deal.

Having an understanding of cultural norms can help identify and mitigate many of the cultural barriers that negatively impact quality and perpetuate disparities in health and health care, especially among racial and ethnic populations who frequently are at increased risk for certain ocular morbidities like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Developing and fostering positive relationships with colleagues is instrumental to an optometry practice’s success. However, relationship building should extend not only to internal but also to external colleagues.

Running an eyecare practice can be complicated.

A new service wants to bring the staffing and hiring best practices from some of the most successful companies in the world to eye care.

What does it mean to have a premium practice? What does premium customer service deliver? These are common questions posed to medical practices and businesses as they seek out advice on how to thrive in today’s ever-competitive environment.

Several years ago, our office was facing a space crunch. We were out of room for our charts. We’d used every spare inch of available floor space for cabinets, and those cabinets were full.

The decision to own your own optometric practice is likely one of the biggest decisions you have made in your lifetime. And the decisions you will make regarding your exit strategy will most likely be just as challenging and possibly even more difficult.