CLINICAL

  NUTRITION

STOCK SUPPLEMENTS

BE CONFIDENT PATIENTS ARE TAKING THE “RIGHT” NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS

LAURIE CAPOGNA, O.D.

SEVERAL STUDIES reveal the benefits of nutritional supplements on eye health, and this is why we, as optometrists, prescribe them. But if patients leave your office without the supplements you prescribe, how can you be confident that they’re taking the “right” ones? Retailing supplements provides patients with convenience, which increases their likelihood of patient compliance. In addition, doing so benefits practices by creating a new revenue stream.

Here, I explain how to retail supplements in your practice.

CHOOSE THE SUPPLEMENTS

To start, create an inventory list comprised of the supplements you currently prescribe. This list should include the following types of supplements because they cover a wide array of eye health issues and will be among the most common supplements you will prescribe.

• High-quality omega-3 fatty acids

• Prevention vitamins that include macular carotenoids

• Supplements for the management of AMD

• Supplements to support the health of retinal blood vessels in diabetic patients.

Once you have established these categories, choose the products you will offer based on their quality and effectiveness. (Keep in mind that you may need to choose two or more brands to provide a comprehensive offering.) Specifically, ask vendor sales representatives to provide scientific research on their products, and ask for details on the manufacturer’s quality assurance policies. Stay up to date on the latest research on ocular nutrition using resources, such as PubMed, and joining organizations, such as the Ocular Nutrition Society. Further, ask a manufacturer where the supplements are made, or in the case of omega-3s, where the fish is sourced, to ensure that the ingredients in the products are low in contaminants. Also, seek companies that offer educational support for your practice and team.

Display a few bundles of each of the supplements you offer.

SET A RETAIL PRICE

Create a competitive retail price for supplements that is comparative with local pharmacies and department stores. Follow these steps to determine your retail price:

• Assign a team member to gather prices for similar products from local pharmacies and department stores.

• Ask the sales representatives of the supplements for their suggested retail prices.

• Bundle vitamins in six-month to one-year supplies. This will increase your patient compliance and also grow the overall supplement sales in the practice, as patients may often discontinue taking their supplements when they run out of their supply.

• Create a “Nutrition Loyalty” card to reward your patients for multiple purchases. At my nutrition-focused practice, Eye Wellness, we provide stamps for every $30 spent on nutrition products. Once the card is filled, the patient receives $30 off his or her next in-store purchase.

CREATE A RETAIL DISPLAY

To create an attractive and, therefore, effective nutritional supplement retail display, use photos of healthy foods and people enjoying healthy lifestyles to grab patients’ attention and help to increase their awareness about ocular nutrition. Also, use ideas you like from cosmetic retailers and spas to develop a store-like environment that encourages browsing. One or two shelves in your optical are all that is needed to display a few bundles of each of the supplements you offer, along with interesting items, such as recipe cards and cookbooks, that include eye healthy recipes and “catchy” educational pieces.

Further, consider creating a “Wellness Wall” that includes related products, such as sleep masks, water bottles and tea infusers, to show your interest and expertise in wellness. You may even want to take it up a notch by becoming a vendor of juicer or blender brands. Finally, why not add your company branding to these “Wellness Wall” products, and use them for gifts and promotions, in addition to selling them, to promote your practice?

DELIVER THE PATIENT

At the exam’s end, walk the patient to the supplement retail display area of your optical, and introduce him or her to the optician, who should be well-versed in eye care supplementation. Advise this person, in front of the patient, what supplements you’ve prescribed, as well as the dosage and frequency. Doing so shows the patient the importance of the prescription. The optician will then review your recommendations with the patient, providing personalized care.

OTHER BENEFITS

Since stocking supplements, along with related products in my practice, I’ve found that, in addition to instilling compliance and garnering revenue from their sale, my patients are now more inclined to make additional purchases, such as glasses and contact lenses because they spend more time in the optical. OM

DR.CAPOGNA is the founder of Eye Wellness where she focuses on preventative eye care and nutrition education. In addition, she is a member of the Ocular Nutrition Society and co-author of “Eyefoods: A Food Plan for Healthy Eyes” and “Eyefoods for Kids: A Tasty Guide to Nutrition and Eye Health.” E-mail lcap ogna@co geco.ca, or send comments to tinyutl.com/OMcomment.