Staff Management

OD & Staff: Project a Unified Practice Message

By Carmela Abraham, OD


April 1, 2015

SYNOPSIS

Establishing protocols for communication and appearance provides your patients with a clear sense of the medical services and optical solutions you offer.

ACTION POINTS

UNIFORMS DEFINE YOUR MISSION. Having employees wear scrubs sends a medical eyecare message.

PROVIDE SCRIPTS. Have staff memorize how you like your testing, services and products described, so you know patients are properly informed.

MODEL YOUR OPTICAL PRODUCTS. Staff can displaythe latest optical productsyou offer, while expressing their individuality.

Your employees, like all people, have unique personalities. Many of your staff like to express those personalities while on the job. A good management balance allows employees to be themselves while offering patients a consistent, professional experience in your office. Create a unified message among staff to make it easy for patients to understand your products and services.

Provide Employees with Scripts

Our staff is provided with detailed scripts that they must commit to memory during their initial training. These include the correct descriptions of testing performed and the services and products we provide. It is very important that staff promote the practice in a consistent manner and create an environment in which patients understand the services provided and the quality of the products delivered.

Uniforms Emphasize Medical Eyecare

We are a large practice with an emphasis on medical eyecare. We require staff to wear scrubs. This uniform identifies us as providers of primary eyecare. We educate our patients on the fact that eye examinations are a part of their primary healthcare. The testing we provide may uncover pathology of the visual system or systemic illnesses that may be overlooked if patients are not keeping up with their regular health check-ups. “A focus on eye health, wellness, fashion, and the latest technology,” is our brand, which we advertise on our practice web site homepage, and which our scrub uniforms help us reinforce.

A page on thepractice web site introduces staff to patients. Here, office manager Jill Abdoowears scrubs, as do all staff, to project a medical eyecare message.

Avoid Generic Descriptions of Instrumentation

We avoid generic terms. For example, we use “instruments” instead of “machines” to further educate the patient that they are having a medical test done. Another word we avoid is “picture” to represent the scans or images that are acquired during testing, to once again distinguish the testing from the low-tech feeling that comes with the word “picture.” These are just a couple of examples of ways we differentiate our practice as a leader in vision, health and wellness.

Maintain In-House Rules at Special Events

At special events, we usually keep the “in house rules” for attire and demeanor. It is important as representatives of the practice that we always promote the spirit of the practice. However, staff members who have been part of the team for years (most have been with us 10+ years) are comfortable in their knowledge, and may present themselves with individuality and flair.

Make the Most of Personality Strengths

With all the ways we try to unify the presentation of the practice, we also try to position staff in areas that allow their strengths shine. For instance, the person who is outgoing, trendy and enthusiastic will naturally be good in frame selection, while someone who is more technologically talented is better with testing or computer-related tasks. When interviewing for a certain position, we have learned that it is easier to train staff in a position when their personality matches the essence of the task, and thus, reduces staff turn over.

Have Staff Pick Out Products–To Wear Themselves

Our staff is encouraged to wear the products we promote. Not only does this teach them first hand about products, but they end up becoming great spokespersons by sharing their positive and enthusiastic experiences with the products. This works especially well for high-end lens treatments and lens designs which do not have a visual presentation to demonstrate to patients. We offer these products at no or reduced cost to staff to give them an incentive to try the products themselves.

The practice Facebook page projects a medical message, interspersed with candid patient comments that reinforce the high quality of care the practice provides.

Personalize Work Stations Out of Public View

By nature of the position, some staff have very public work places, and others, much more private. Our practice’s manager/ insurance expert has her own enclosed office and may personalize it to match her needs and tastes within reason. With our office layout, the front desk staff is visually accessible from 360 degrees, so their desks must remain professional and neat at all times.

Control, Monitor & Educate Employee Expression on Social Media

We maintain a practice Facebook page, which only the doctors may post to. We are relatively new to this medium and want to keep complete control over what gets posted since it can be viewed by so many followers in a short period of time. We do encourage staff to submit photos that they take of our patients in their new eyewear, or of themselves when they are taking part in community service activities. We acquire a signed release from patients allowing us to post their picture, and we never post their names.

Carmela Abraham, OD, is an associate with The Salem Eyecare Center, Inc., in Salem, Ohio. To contact her: cabr44446@yahoo.com.

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