The benefits of cleaning out your practice

The views expressed here belong to the author. They do not necessarily represent the views of Optometry Times or UBM Medica.

Today, I donated the suit that I got married in. Yep, I took it to the secondhand store and walked away.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice suit. It still looks nice, but it is dated. It shows what was in style years ago.

Although it holds great memories of me getting married and several wedding receptions I attended, the pictures can bring me back to these moments more than the suit itself.

It has been years since I actually wore the suit, and it was taking up room in my closet.

So, how can ridding myself of an old suit apply to your practice?

Previously from Dr. Spear: 10 tips to surviving an insurance audit

Out with the old, in with the new

As a healthcare professional who does a lot of consulting, I have had the pleasure of frequently walking through eyecare practitioners’ offices. I am able to see what is important to practitioners now-and what was important to them 10 years ago.

Just like I forgot about my wedding suit, it seems we tend to forget about things at our practices when we have had them in our office for five or more years-even if we haven’t used them.

Two examples of this are contact lens trials and frame boards.

Old contact lens trials

Some contact lens trial rooms are trophy rooms to providers.

They are memories of years past when that one contact lens brand came out. Although all the contact lenses in the room are expired, the doctors just don’t have the stimulus to throw away the fitting set.

“I might use it someday,” is the classic excuse.

Is there any negative to having these sets sitting around? Things that take up space occupy your mind and attention.

Having that one lens around for years after you have stopped using it, means that you are not always thinking about the best and newest innovations for every patient.

Additionally, most of us could use less clutter and more free space. It creates an openness for new products in our practices and brings about a level of vitality that has not been seen-or imagined in years.

Related: 5 zones of your practice that need TLC

Old frame boards

Frame boards get old.

Quick, run out to your optical and ask your optician for 10 frames that have been sitting on the board for more than two years. I guarantee it will take your optician less than two minutes to bring you at least 10 examples.

These frames are costing you money. Not only are they not selling, they are taking the place of newer frames that could be.

It’s time to liquidate, donate, and get a tax write-off for these outdated frames.

Whether it is an old wedding suit, contact lens trial kits, or some old frames-it is time to renew and refresh.

By cleaning out your practice, it may be the start of a new mentality.  

Read more from Dr. Spear here