{"id":892,"date":"2012-02-01T21:16:23","date_gmt":"2012-02-01T21:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/reviewob.dev\/2012\/02\/01\/my-optometric-practice-the-second-time-around\/"},"modified":"2012-02-01T21:16:23","modified_gmt":"2012-02-01T21:16:23","slug":"my-optometric-practice-the-second-time-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reviewob.com\/my-optometric-practice-the-second-time-around\/","title":{"rendered":"My Optometric Practice–the Second Time Around"},"content":{"rendered":"
As far as my age, here are a few hints. I fit contact lenses before the disposable lens era. I remember when an optometry conference was the only place you could go where lines for women\u2019s restrooms were non-existent, while men had to wait. I was a warrior in DPA\/TPA battles.<\/p>\n
So it stands to reason that at this point of my life, I would be looking to slow down and maybe even retire. Instead I am opening a new practice, cold, about 20 miles (and an eternity of heavy traffic) away from my previous private practice.<\/p>\n
Why would I do such a thing? And what have I learned from the past? I will address various aspects of these questions in this post and in my next few blog posts.<\/p>\n
In 2010 I left a very successful multi-doctor practice. My husband\u2019s job situation had changed and we wanted the freedom to move to a beach\/golf community for a year or two. I had become interested in web and social media and optometry practice consulting. To supplement, I decided that instead of being a practice owner, I would become an employed optometrist.<\/p>\n
Within just a few months of living in my new community, I realized how much I missed the social interactions that had been a seamless part of my patient interactions. My friends were my patients and many patients had become friends. I had been part of the fabric of the community, and I missed that. Sitting in front of a computer developing articles, podcasts and other optometry resources began to feel too isolated.<\/p>\n
Over the past two years I have filled in at both private practices and corporate-affiliated practices. What surprised me was how the practice of optometry varied from doctor to doctor and office to office. I realized that unless I set up my own practice, it was unlikely I would find a practice owner who shared my practice philosophy, needed an associate, and was located in an area I was interested in moving to.<\/p>\n
I learned from my experience as a fill-in optometrist how much I disliked lengthy drive times. If the practice was in a suburban or urban area, traffic was an issue. In rural areas, I did not care for driving long distances on dark empty roads, especially since many practices are open after 6 pm. I realized that it was important to me to live and work in the same community.<\/p>\n
My stint as a fill-in optometrist also made me realize how important equipment and ergonomics are, especially as you get older. Younger employed doctors may be able to ignore this. But I was at a point in my life where I valued equipment choices that were healthy for my neck, back and shoulders.<\/p>\n
My scheduling preference is three- or four-hour shifts, with an ample break in between shifts so that I can exercise or take a healthy lunch break. My new practice is just steps away from a sports and health center\u2014and that was an important part of my location decision. I even have a great view of the mountains while on the treadmill.<\/h3>\n
Being able to practice in a community that I would become a part of, and being able to control equipment and scheduling were just a few of the reasons I came back to private practice. In my next blog I will discuss some of the other reasons I decided to launch a second practice and some of the challenges (and rewards) I am experiencing along the way.<\/p>\n
Have any of you sold a practice only to launch a new one a few years later? Any tips out there from other second timers? <\/strong><\/p>\n Ally Stoeger, OD,<\/strong> is founder of www.RealPracticeToday.com and president of Consulting With Vision LLC, an optometry practice consulting firm. She was a founding and managing partner of a multi-doctor practice and is now in the process of opening a new practice in Virginia. Contact: ally@realpracticetoday.com<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n By Ally Stoeger, OD<\/p>\n Coming out of retirement to start a second optometric practice has its rewards\u2014and its challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[77,1],"tags":[51],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n
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