Frames

8 Actions to Take to Keep Patients from Walking with their Prescription

Mark Hinton showing off eyewear. He says there are simple actions you can take to make it much less likely patients take their prescriptions to be filled elsewhere.

Mark Hinton showing off eyewear. He says there are simple actions you can take to make it much less likely patients take their prescriptions to be filled elsewhere.

Optometry patient retention strategies

By Mark Hinton,
President and CEO
of eYeFacilitate

Jan. 15, 2025

We’re losing patients to internet retailers and big-box stores.

Eyewear has become a commodity. Consumers believe all glasses are the same; all lenses are the same. Consumers want to spend less.

We continue to stub our toes on the same roadblocks, objections and push-back from patients…What’s to be done?

“I just want my prescription!” “I’m going to hold off on that other set of glasses today!” “But I have insurance!” “I want to use my own frame again!” “I just need my PD?!” and other push-backs that we’re never prepared to answer by logic and asking questions to gain understanding.

Most people own one set of eyeglasses, but a closet full of shoes and handbags. We make it ugly and difficult to purchase. And we confuse them every step of the way.

Let’s get clear and include some human nature to consider our opportunities:

Doctors prescribe with why, not recommend.

Opticians are pharmacists, they don’t have anything to sell, they fill and dispense.

Patients want their doctors best advice; they do NOT want to be sold in optical. We know this is true when we sit in optical and “suggest” to them, hearing: “I didn’t hear the doctor say I need that!”

Here’s a plan that improves your capture rate and revenue per exam:

  1. Ask open-ended questions during pre-testing for any glasses you may want to prescribe: “How have your eyes been doing?” elicits: “Fine!” Better: “When you think about it, where are you hoping Dr. Wise will help you see better; far away? Desktop? close up?” Examine all of your pre-testing lifestyle questions and be sure they are open-ended questions.
  2. Doctor: Review the pre-testing patient answers for prescribing opportunities before exam.
  3. Doctor: Prescribe with WHY what you want to prescribe will gain the patient an advantage OR help them avoid a disadvantage; like avoiding the risk of vision loss from “sun damage” (not UV rays)
  4. Doctor: CONFIRM the patient wants it! “Pat, would you like this advantage?” When the patient answers “Yes!” their verbal commitment increases your capture percentage. This is because most people keep an agreement when they make it.
  5. Doctor checks it off on the “Optical Checklist” indicating to optical the doctor/patient decision is to fill it.
  6. Doctor: “Excellent, when you meet with my optical specialist they will fill your prescriptions exactly, so you and I can feel confident they are crafted the way I want them for you. OK?” … This comes from empathy and concern, NOT selling glasses.
  7. Doctor: Make the hand-off flawless, this is where we make it or break it.
  8. Optical: After introduction and what’s next, the optical specialist says: “Pat, I have your exam checklist and I understand the decisions you made with Dr. Wise and I’ll FILL your prescriptions, so you’re confident they are exactly the way Dr. Wise wants them for you. I can already imagine frames from our new collections that would look terrific with your features….”

Boost Efficiency

The approach outlined above is far more efficient and effective, reducing optical chair time by 12 to 20 minutes. There’s a cost of more than $2 per minute before we make a dime. So, imagine 30 minutes with the optician, and when they get to money, the patient says: “I need to think about this,” and walks. That’s roughly $60 cost.

On another note, the words we choose to use with patients reduce opportunity. We call vision plans “insurance,” but they don’t insure the patient for anything; they are discount plans, period!

We also use the word “covered,” which tells the patient they’re free. “Add-on.” Outta-pocket.” “Unfortunately, yours doesn’t “ALLOW”… “Overage” and other non-starters. Change these words to make your communication more attractive and inviting to your patient.

ASK Questions

More often I hear the doctor and team defend, or talk over the patient, when all that’s required to keep the patient engaged is to ask a question: “Pat, I hear you, how did you come to that decision?”

Whatever you want your patient  to do, YOU MUST finish with a closing question: “Pat, do you see this as good idea?” … “Pat, what questions come to mind?” “Would this help you, Pat?”

Using the patient’s preferred name or nickname is very important. People like to hear their name. In our office we use the patient’s preferred name or nickname whenever they ask us a question or make a statement that requires an answer: “Pat, I’m so glad you asked, the reason… Helpful?”

Social Proof: The wisdom of the crowd. People want to make the best decisions; help them: “Pat, our happiest patients wouldn’t be without this… Does this help you?”

When pricing eyewear there are always three numbers: Comparative Value, meaning what is the price before SAVINGS; what is the patient “portion”; and last, what did they save? And make a big deal out of the savings.

Would they prefer to “purchase” with credit card? Check? Or “six months easy pay”? Money is tight, rent is up, food is up and consumer goods cost more.

According to financial institutions, the average household has less than $500 available money, so, it makes a lot of sense to offer interest-free pay solutions. IF you want to build your multiple pairs of glasses, you should absolutely actively help patients with your easy-pay solutions. Where they can’t see spending the money upfront, they’ll more often walk.

Offer “Affordable Choices”

You are in control of your cost-of-goods, so make sure you have “Affordable Choices,” NOT “Packages starting at $….!”

Mystery shop big-box stores and be prepared to have single-vision and multifocal glasses at affordable pricing; you can also use your “Affordable Choices” to develop your own in-house vision club, and even use them when patients balk about their vision plan glasses costs, which, after discounts are often still higher than your Affordables. There’s NO reason to lose patients who will spend in your office IF you have glasses in “a range of cost” that suits their needs and wants.

Practice Your Conversations with Patients

Weekly meetings get stuff done! We take time out every week to practice and get better. Your favorite sport team practices between games, reviews game videos for opportunities and improvement.

How could you reach the Super Bowl of your profession without weekly team interaction and practice? You can’t, you’ll simply be putting out the same fire each time it pops up. That, my friends, is Einstein’s definition of insanity.

Mark HintonMark Hinton is Chief Executive Officer and President of eYeFacilitate, an advisory firm based in Bristol, Va. To contact him: mark@eyefacilitate.com 

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