Practice Metrics

How Many Patients Choose Independent Eyecare for Exams?

Sixty-eight percent of consumers responding to The Vision Council’s Consumer Barometer for the twelve months ending June 12, 2012 said they went to an independent eyecare practitioner for their last eye exam. Thirty-two percent chose to have their exam at locations such as conventional chain optical stores, mass merchandisers or optical centers in department stores. The percentage who chose independents has stayed almost the same for this period on the calendar over the last few years–from 67 percent in 2010 to 66.9 percent in 2011 to the current 68 percent.

The good news is that independents are not losing ground, however, this data creates incentive to review the patient experience in your office. How is a visit to your office different than a visit to a chain, mass merchandiser or department store optical? Take the following steps:

1. Write down your vision of the patient experience in your office.
2. Compare your vision to what actually happens in your office.
3. Create a plan to fix any differences.
4. Implement the plan.
5. Compare quality control results of patients before and after the changes.

If the patient quality control results are better after the changes, keep the changes. If not, re-evaluate the patient experience and repeat the steps above.

Improving the patient experience in your office so patients value your practice creates more than a happy patient–it creates a loyal patient.

To Top
Subscribe Today for Free...
And join more than 35,000 optometric colleagues who have made Review of Optometric Business their daily business advisor.