Practice Metrics

What Is Most Important to Your Patients in Communication About Eyewear?

Patients most value courtesy, a thorough review of their options and help understanding out-of-pocket expenses when in the dispensary, according to Jobson Optical Research’s and focalCenter’s Key Drivers of the Patient Experience report. In addition, patients value a highly knowledgeable optical staff that understands and can help patients work through cost concerns.

Let’s take this research and turn it into something that we can use in the office.

First, and most important, is your staff courteous to your patients? Do they always take the high road or sometimes do they get into arguments with patients? Do they always address older patients with respect (e.g: “Good morning, Mrs. Jones”) until the patient gives them permission to respond differently (e.g.: “Just call me Connie”)? Do you and your staff make an effort to keep track of common questions patients ask so that you can answer them before they are asked by the next patient? Does your staff say “please” and “thank you?” Has every staff member been trained to make eye contact and address every patient within five steps?

The second point is to remember that patients want a thorough review of their options. Does your staff do this? Does every patient understand that your office has the ability to handle any price point or do patients leave your practice thinking you are too expensive? Since a lot of the review of options is repetitive, do you utilize technology or even paper or signage to help communicate options to patients? Does every staff member give the same high quality review to every patient?

The third point is to help patients understand their out of pocket expenses. Don’t fall into the trap of itemizing and talking about each item (e.g.: the cost of your glare free is $, and the cost of your thinner lens is $), instead talk about the global fee. A good script would be “Isn’t it great that you have insurance? It covers everything except $124.” Have you trained your staff how to answer questions about reducing the out-of-pocket expenses? This is key to making sure patients get the care you prescribed in the exam room. They must understand why you prescribed it and the value of getting it. Do you have a doctor-patient-optician communication system in place that handles this with clarity and ease?

The fourth point in the Jobson/focalCenter report is to make sure you have a highly knowledgeable optical staff that understands and can help patients work through cost concerns. In simple terms, make it easy for the patient to pay. Make sure you have options like CareCredit and PayPal. Make sure your staff is trained on how to use these payment tools to help patients work through cost concerns. The penalty for not addressing this point is either staff takes the patient to the lowest cost possible or the patient walks with the prescription. Neither of those options are good. What’s the best way to handle this if it is a problem in your office? Fix it, don’t live with it.

Now it’s time for forward movement. Here is our action plan for this week.

1. Create and implement a plan to raise the level of courtesy of your entire office.
2. Create and implement a plan to make sure every patient has a thorough review of their options.
3. Role play with staff about the best ways to help patients understand their out-of-pocket expenses and how to best handle their objections.
4. Role play with staff to create the best ways to help patients work through cost concerns.

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