CLINICAL

  diversify your portfolio

Offer Low Vision Services

The down low on why you should provide this specialty

JEFFRY D. GERSON, O.D., F.A.A.O.

Although many of us did not realize the potential and usefulness of low vision (LV) when “forced” to learn about it in optometry school, it is obvious now, given the aging of the population. In fact, LV is a service that will continue to increase in need, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get into this specialty and set your practice apart from others.

Here are four other reasons you should offer LV services.

1 It fills slots

If you’re interested in filling open slots in your schedule, LV is a great way to do it. Specifically, it is not difficult to set aside a few hours a week, or even every few weeks, for these patients. Doing so enables you to improve these patients’ quality of life, while ensuring you remain busy.

2 It allows for staff projects

LV evaluations can be time intensive for the doctor and not necessarily for the staff, so these appointments are an ideal time for staff to work on practice areas you’d like to see improvements. An example: Having staff make phone calls for patient recalls.

3 It adds to practice income

Often times, people who have LV evaluations end up needing to purchase specific devices. Some of these devices can cost in excess of $1,000, but they may be life altering for the patient in that they enable him or her to read or function in a way the patient was not previously able. Such purchases, in addition to LV services, can add to a practice’s income.

4 It creates new patients

Providing LV services introduces patients to your practice who may not have otherwise presented. In addition, once other healthcare providers, including other O.D.s, in your area become aware you offer this service, you will likely get referrals from them.

For example, LV creates a great two-way street for referrals with a retina specialist. Every good retina specialist needs a good LV provider. Retina specialists realize that anatomic success is not the same as good vision, and that many of their patients need help with activities of daily living, beyond what injections and glasses can provide. Of course, caution must be taken to not “steal” these patients from referral sources. (One way to prevent “stealing” is to make sure your staff knows about the importance of the relationship with other doctors, while you, yourself, let patients know they are seeing you for their LV alone.) That said, these patients may refer friends or others who need the same service.

The ground floor

Despite often being given a “bad rap,” LV can help to diversify and improve a practice and enhance the satisfaction of its patients. Some may choose to offer a wide array of LV services, such as the implementation of traditional as well as digital devices, while others may decide to provide basic services, such as implementing hand and stand magnifiers. Either way, patients and other providers will thank you (and your practice will, too). For “how” to offer LV services, see “Your Opportunity to Care for a Growing Population,” http://bit.ly/1zPtsdz. OM

DR. GERSON PRACTICES AT GRIN EYECARE IN OLATHE, KAN., A FULL-SCOPE COMBINED O.D./M.D. PRACTICE. E-MAIL HIM AT JGERSON@HOTMAIL.COM OR VISIT TINYURL.COM/OMCOMMENT TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE.