A TEAM MINDSET CAN GROW BOTH SIDES OF THE BUSINESS

WHILE A motivated optical staff is a critical piece to the puzzle of any successful optometry practice, corporate O.D.s, uniquely, must work with the optical staff, who are not employees of the O.D., to meet the needs of patients.

Here, I discuss how to navigate the regulations that dictate how opticians and O.D.s work together and how to enhance this relationship, so each entity can provide patients with the best care, and, in turn, reap the financial rewards of doing so.

NAVIGATE REGULATIONS

The regulations that govern the corporate O.D. and optical vary, depending on the state and the corporate entity. Be aware of what they are for your state.

For example, some O.D.s’ offices are adjacent to the optical, as is the case in Pennsylvania and Illinois, and others have separate entrances, as is the case in Texas and Rhode Island. Also, some state laws do not permit cross branding of either entity. Further, some optical companies educate their optical staff on the importance of the O.D./optical relationship, and train them on how to recommend the doctor services (via communication to the patient or handing out O.D. business cards in the optical), while others do not.

BUILD A RELATIONSHIP

Following the rules established by the state and corporation, hold weekly meetings with optical staff. I bring coffee to a sit down between myself and the optical manager.

At these weekly meetings, you will discuss how you can work together to provide patients with the best care. As the optometrist, for example, you could make a point of discussing the benefits of AR coating to the patient who wears high-index lenses or reports difficulty with night driving. On the optician’s part, he or she can be sure to inform a walk-in who has an outdated prescription that an optometrist is on hand to perform a comprehensive eye exam.

Great relationships and teamwork are built on trust and mutual respect that take years to build. Some offices experience high turnover, whether it is the optical staff or the O.D. looking for other opportunities. This can present an obstacle in the optical-O.D. relationship. When interacting with a hesitant optician, it may be necessary to involve the territory director — or another supervisor — to emphasize the importance of the O.D. –optician relationship.

WORK AS A TEAM

Remember mutual staff respect between the O.D. and optical staff will create a pleasant, successful working environment for all. OM

DR. SAMPALIS, is the owner of Sampalis Eyecare in Warwick R.I. and affiliated with Sears Optical. Dr. Sampalis is a practice management consultant, the founder of Corporate Optometry on Facebook and founder of corporateoptometrycareers.com and corporateoptometry.com . She can be reached at msampalis@hotmail.com. To comment, visit tinyurl.com/OMComment .