There are many things that can make your job as an eye care professional easier and Gulden sells some of them, of course. Still, you have to be judicious with your practice’s funds. Especially when it comes to items that are tech focused. After all, what’s high tech today is obsolete tomorrow. (Remember Palm Pilots, camcorders and film cameras? Smart phones replaced all of those things.) So, how do you take advantage of technology while not being overwhelmed by it all? Here are some tips that can help.
Look before you purchase
Research the item before buying. Read online reviews. Ask other eye doctors about the item. Visit other practices to see the item in action. Learn as much as you can about the product so that you will get the item that best fits the needs of your practice.
Consider getting an operating lease
When you find yourself in need of a very expensive item (greater than $10k), leasing can help you get the equipment you need without having to deal with something that will be obsolete in a few years. This is especially useful for equipment utilizing lasers, since they go through upgrades every year. At the end of the lease, the company takes the equipment away.
Where will you put it?
Space is at a premium at more optometric/ophthalmic practices, and while most tech items are no bigger than a PC computer, it still is something that will take up space somewhere your office. Consider reconfiguring your office so that there won’t be any bottlenecks during high volume times.
Provide options
This works well with patient messaging. Alert patients that they have the option to get messages via email or text message. Not only is this a time saver for staff, since it allows them to concentrate more on customer service and less on tasks like drafting reminder postcards and making phone calls. Having patients opt in for electronic messaging reduces the number of no-shows, which, in turn, increases revenue.
While there always something that promises to make life easier, eye care professionals need to take their time when it comes to tech devices. You need to know what you are buying and how it fits in the practice, so that both the staff and patients can benefit from the item.
Sources
http://www.optometricmanagement.com/articleviewer.aspx?articleID=113153
http://www.optometricmanagement.com/articleviewer.aspx?articleID=113152
http://www.optometricmanagement.com/articleviewer.aspx?articleID=113172
http://www.ophthalmicprofessional.com/articleviewer.aspx?articleID=108195