Photo courtesy of Dr. Ada Noh, who is seen here with her star employee, Halie. Dr. Noh shares the lessons she learned about creating a differentiating patient experience from the book, Unreasonable Hospitality.
Creating a differentiating patient experience
By Ada Noh, OD
Oct. 1, 2025
I never expected a book about restaurant management to change the way I practice eye care. But that’s exactly what happened when someone recommended Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara to me. At first, I was skeptical. What could a story about a fancy New York City restaurant possibly teach a medical professional? As it turned out, quite a lot.
Rethinking the Patient and Staff Experience
For Guidara, success at Eleven Madison Park was about turning diners into raving fans through thoughtful, unexpected gestures. Reading his stories, I saw obvious parallels between his world and mine. In a medical practice, the stakes are different but the human needs are the same: People want to feel cared for genuinely.
I started making small but meaningful changes—things that aren’t about the medical care itself but the feeling people have at the end of their appointment.
For example, I keep a note in my calendar if a patient mentions a surgery coming up. When that day rolls around, I send a quick text or email, just checking in—even if it’s not eye-related.
One patient, for instance, was facing breast cancer treatment. Staying in touch and showing I remembered what she was going through added a human layer to our relationship. It’s simple, but those gestures stay with people.
Engineering a Welcoming Office
Some things I took straight from the restaurant playbook.
For my staff, it’s not just “check in the next patient.” I expect everyone to know patient names as soon as they walk in. We take coats before getting down to business and always offer water. The environment is relaxed and friendly—more like visiting friends than a typical doctor’s office. Patients tell us often this is their favorite place to visit, and that means the world to me.
But to create that kind of atmosphere, I have to keep my schedule on track so there’s no waiting. When we deliver medication or paperwork, it’s done promptly. I want every visit to feel seamless and respectful of the patient’s time.
Competing by Focusing on Care, Not Volume
Since I opened my practice, the competition around dry eye has grown. More and more offices offer treatments, but most do so as a side gig alongside general care. I focus solely on dry eye, so my patients get all my attention. When they come to me, they aren’t one of a dozen conditions on the docket. It’s as personal as it gets.
That mindset even changes the way I see my own business. When I visit other medical practices or restaurants, I can’t help but notice the details—the good and the bad.
I want to eliminate every pain point for my patients, from the first phone call to the moment they leave. For example, I’m constantly adjusting layout and workflow to make sure patients always know where to put their things and feel comfortable at every step.
Building the Right Team
One lesson from Unreasonable Hospitality is that it’s not just about the people you serve—it’s about the people you work with. I go out of my way to check in with my staff about their ideal schedule or work preferences. Sometimes I can’t make it perfect, but I do as much as I can. Little things go a long way in showing they are valued, which in turn gets passed on to our patients.
I also hire for personality first, skills second. Over the years, I’ve learned it’s easier to train someone on tasks than it is to teach warmth and friendliness.
When hiring my first staff member—a single mom with three kids—her hunger, curiosity and positive energy left a strong impression. She asked questions, wanted to learn and was someone you felt happy to be around. That’s the energy I want for my patients, especially since so many are struggling not just physically but also emotionally.
More Than Medicine: Real Stories of Going the Extra Mile
What does above and beyond look like at our practice? My staff regularly does things I didn’t even realize were possible until I read Guidara’s book. One of my staff members, Halie, has driven to patients’ homes to drop off medication samples when a copay was too high or someone was in need. We once had a patient who couldn’t make it in for a blood draw, so Halie packed up her supplies and went to the assisted living facility herself. That’s the kind of extra effort I never want to lose, even as we grow.
I know most offices are much higher volume. For us, it’s usually eight patients a day—10 if we’re slammed. That means around 45 minutes per appointment. It’s a “slow” model, but it allows the space for relationship-building that sets us apart. And with our mix of cash-pay services and minimal cost of goods, it works for our bottom line, too.
Creating Memorable Care
Ultimately, what I’ve learned is that “great customer service” is just the baseline. The real goal is to make each person feel valued long after they’ve left the office—so much so that years down the line they’re still telling people about their experience with us. That’s what builds a lasting practice, not just loyalty but actual advocacy.
If you want to push your business from good to extraordinary, read Unreasonable Hospitality. It’s not just a restaurant book—it’s a reminder that the little things, the ones no one asks for, can make all the difference.
If you’re interested in bringing more warmth and connection into your practice, I highly recommend putting some of these ideas to the test—and letting your own personality, and your team’s, shine through. You might be surprised how much patients notice and appreciate it.
Read another article by Dr. Noh here.
Ada Noh, OD, is the owner of Noh Eyes, a dry eye specialty practice in Little Rock, Ark. To connect with Dr. Noh on Instagram: @noh_eyes. To contact her: dr.adanoh@gmail.com
