BROUGHT TO YOU BY VEATCH OPHTHALMIC INSTRUMENTS

Tips to Streamline Your Optometry Practice

AN EYE FOR EFFICIENCY

An Eye for Efficiency

Tips to Streamline Your Optometry Practice

Introduction ......................................................... 1

Chapter 1: Reduced Pain ..................................... 2

Bursitis .......................................................... 2

How Common Is Pain in Ophthalmics? ....... 3

Automate the Pain Away .............................. 3

Chapter 2: Integration ......................................... 5

Chapter 3: Monetary Value ................................. 7

Chapter 4: Efficiency ........................................... 8

Keeping Your Standards ............................... 8

Training Your Sights..................................... 8

Monthly Reports ............................................ 9

A System of Rewards .................................. 10

Conclusion ......................................................... 11

Sources ............................................................... 12

1

Introduction

In the modern world of medicine, making

sure that you are properly equipped to meet

your patients’ needs not only ensures their

safety, but also improves the internal

operations of your practice. One of the best

things you can do as an ophthalmic

professional is to switch to a fully automated,

digital refraction system, which can seem

daunting, but the switch will benefit your

business and ultimately help you come out

on top.

Let’s take a look at how your ophthalmic

practice can benefit from making the switch

to digital, along with some steps to increase

your practice’s overall efficiency.

2

Chapter 1

Reduced Pain

Being an ophthalmic professional can be

surprisingly painful. The nature of the

profession can often lead to repetitive motion

disorders, a family of conditions that won’t

present visible injury but can cause pain,

swelling, and tingling as well as a loss of

strength and flexibility.

Bursitis

Bursitis is the most common repetitive

motion disorder affecting ophthalmic

professionals. The disorder affects the fluid-

filled pads (bursae) placed between your

bones and joints, causing the cushions to

become inflamed.

Bursitis is characterized by stiff, aching

joints and swelling and redness. Without

treatment, bursitis can lead to a fever and

3

intense, debilitating pain that only gets

worse with movement.

How Common Is Pain in Ophthalmics?

A survey conducted by the University of

South Wales’ School of Optometry and Vision

Science found that work-related physical

discomfort among ophthalmic professionals

is more common than you think. The survey

asked participants if they had experienced

any discomfort in eight different body

regions, the severity of the discomfort, and

possible work factors contributing to the

pain.

The survey found that 82% of the

participants experience regular work-related

discomfort, usually from repetitive tasks and

high numbers of consultations. A majority of

the participants experienced pain in the

back, neck, and shoulders.

Automate the Pain Away

As an ophthalmic professional, one of your

most common procedures is refraction.

Depending on your practice, you may spend

20% to 90% of your day performing

4

refractions, but the procedure involves

awkward postures and movements. After

repeating these motions hundreds of times a

day, it’s easy to see how an ophthalmic

professional might develop bursitis or other

repetitive motion disorders.

Automated refraction systems reduce the

constant awkward positioning, preventing

bursitis and ensuring that you stay

comfortable and healthy.

5

Chapter 2

Integration

Improving efficiency in any practice requires

equipping yourself with the best tools for the

job. Constant advances in ophthalmic

technology have allowed for leaps and

bounds in accuracy, efficiency, and improved

patient care. Modern medical technology has

placed a growing emphasis on fully

integrated, digital, automated machines.

Many ophthalmic professionals rely on

manual diagnostic testing and observation,

but automated equipment has been shown to

improve care and save you money and time

in the process. For example, standard

refraction systems aren’t integrated,

requiring manual input of data from

separate testing machines. An integrated

system automatically collects all pretest data

into your main console.

6

Auto refraction systems are also a big

timesaver. They are so streamlined that

technicians or assistants can take care of eye

exams, allowing

doctors to spend

time reviewing

results and taking

care of more

significant issues.

Furthermore, all

doctors must switch

over to electronic

medical records by

2015. Automated systems send results

directly to your EHR, simplifying the process

and ensuring that you don’t suffer the

penalties for not switching to digital medical

records.

Veatch Digital Refraction System

7

Chapter 3

Monetary Value

Although the upfront cost of an automated

refraction system can seem intimidating, it

will net greater profits for your practice in

the long run. Automated tools have been

shown to increase average revenue up to

$400 a day while also allowing doctors to see

up to 4 to 5 more patients a day.

Investing in an automated system also

allows you to spend more time with your

patients. The extra time gives you the

opportunity to increase patient satisfaction

and the growth of your practice while also

providing better patient education,

counseling, and overall quality of care, all of

which goes into saved costs.

Using a Veatch ROI calculator, you can see

the improved cost-effectiveness of investing

in an automated exam process.

8

Chapter 4

Efficiency

Keeping Your Standards

Automated or manual, standardizing your

ophthalmic equipment is a good way to

maintain efficiency while saving money by

creating a shared foundation of information

among the doctors in your practice.

A digital refraction system allows you to

directly import a patient’s exam results into

your EHR software, standardizing the data

collection process and eliminating human

transposition errors. Furthermore, the

historical data is readily available, allowing

for easy comparisons between old and new

prescriptions.

Training Your Sights

Consider cross-training for your practice as a

whole. Your clinic’s culture and size will

determine which positions would best

9

complement cross-training, but the

receptionist, accounts payable, insurance

clerks, and optical staff could all benefit from

learning new skills. All members of your

staff, including supervisors and managers,

should be trained and encouraged to answer

the phones, especially during peak times.

Monthly Reports

Along with training,

show your staff

monthly reports and

charts displaying your

budget, accounts

receivables, and how

additions, like a digital

refraction system,

have increased efficiency. This keeps your

team informed and can create new ideas that

can be integrated into your existing system.

Provide examples of simulated accounts

receivables along with samples of potential

problems that may spring up. Start a

discussion and brainstorm ideas that could

improve projects and processes.

10

A System of Rewards

Outside of the monthly reports, your staff

has plenty of ideas for improvement. Develop

a system that encourages team members to

provide suggestions and offer rewards for

suggestions that are approved. Rewards can

include time off or cash, but a sincere

compliment or thank-you card can go a long

way. Consult your staff to determine what

rewards they would specifically like to see.

11

Conclusion

Developing an efficient system for your

ophthalmic practice ultimately works in your

favor and allows you to focus your time and

resources on the most important part of your

practice: your patients.

---

To find equipment and solutions to build

your ophthalmic practice’s efficiency, visit

Veatch Ophthalmic Instruments at

www.veatchinstruments.com or call 1-800-

447-7511.

12

Sources

Glasses by Michael Rowe from The Noun

Project

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-

conditions/bursitis/basics/symptoms/con-

20015102

http://www.visioncareeducation.com/articl

e.aspx?article=101217&a=om

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2118

7801

http://www.veatchinstruments.com/Calcul

ating-Real-Revenue-Through-Time-

Savings-with-Veatch-Ophthalmic-

Instruments

http://www.beckersasc.com/news-

analysis/11-ways-to-improve-efficiency-

quality-and-profitability-in-

ophthalmology.html

http://www.ophthalmologymanagement.co

m/articleviewer.aspx?articleID=108991

http://www.healio.com/optometry/technolo

gy/news/print/primary-care-optometry-

news/%7Bf78d1d3b-af85-4800-b8b9-

8c3827a5aea6%7D/autorefraction-

systems-help-ods-increase-efficiency-

improve-patient-care

http://www.beckersasc.com/news-

analysis/11-ways-to-improve-efficiency-

13

quality-and-profitability-in-

ophthalmology.html

http://www.eyeworld.org/article.php?sid=1

637&strict=&morphologic=&query=efficie

ncy