How Often Should ODs Recall Patients In Good Eye Health?
Dr. Hayes,
Do you think it makes financial sense for a practice to recommend annual eye exams for “all” their patients?
When I see healthy patients on a yearly basis, the percentage of patients who choose to purchase new eyewear is much lower than a longer recall interval such as 18 months or 2 years.
And, of course, the chair costs to see them is the same whether they buy glasses or not.
We see patients with medical eye conditions according to their need, contact lens wearers yearly, kids yearly and healthy spectacle lens wearers under age 65 every two years.
Am I missing the boat? Or, should I be seeing all non-medical patients yearly even though only about 20% purchase eyewear compared to 60%+ with patients seen every two years?
I look forward to your advice.
David Daly, OD
From Jerry Hayes, OD
I look forward to hearing from my readers on this one.
“How often should one recall patients presumed to be in good eye health?” is guaranteed to draw a variety of responses.
I would answer the question in two parts:
1. What frequency best fits the patient’s needs in terms of eyecare?
I think that decision is the responsibility of their primary eyecare provider. In other words, YOU need to make that call.
2. What frequency best fits their wants in terms of eyewear?
In my opinion, that should be a shared decision between you and the patient.
You have a professional obligation to inform patients what their eyewear options are. As consumers, they can decide what fits their budget and lifestyle preferences.
For more thoughts on this topic, I passed your question on to noted consultant Gary Gerber, OD. Here is what he had to say on the subject.
From Gary Gerber, OD Of The Power Practice Consultants
True, the longer a patient waits between appointments, the more likely they are to purchase new eyewear. But, is waiting longer really in their best interest?
The number of financially able patients who can easily afford the purchase of multiple eyeglasses they would truly enjoy is woefully small in the typical practice.
For that reason alone, I think it makes good sense to see most patients yearly.
Consider the new patient you see today who would benefit from and enjoy 3 pairs of glasses, but tells you they can only afford one pair today.
I think your response should be something like, “That’s fine! We’ll remind you in a few months about the other two pairs, and if you’re ready, you can get them then.”
Many patients will say NO. But, at least, they have been made aware of the advantages of multiple pairs. By having the conversation, you have set the stage for next year’s examination.
The same goes for contact lens wearers. Don’t be shy to tell patients what you think they need in terms of eyewear. Then, let them make the decision.
For a description of Dr. Gerber’s consulting services, readers may go to www.powerpractice.com
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Disclaimer: The information and opinions contained on this site are for discussion purposes only and are NOT intended to serve as legal, accounting or investment advice. ©2009 Jerry Hayes, OD. Not to be reproduced without written permission of the author.Back To Top
I believe that optometry
I believe that optometry needs to have a single unified message which is; yearly eye exams for everyone. Optometry must follow dentistry's lead and have everyone, from the doctors to the contact lens and solution manufacturers, preaching the same message to the public. There are too many "guidelines" out there, which only confuse the public.
My professional opinion is
My professional opinion is that patients should be recalled annually. I feel strongly about this and yes, less retail will occur, but doing the right thing for the patient everytime dictates annual exams. It proves to your patients you care about them and also proves to them you are NOT all about profits and selling them something every visit. It lets you make 'tuneups' on their glasses and address all of their ocular needs. This shows patients your professionalism. Many times a change occurs and the patient gets to appreciate that improvement sooner. If a practice is so busy, they cannot find time to see all these annual exam patients, Great! Hire an associate, expand, increase efficiency, or all the above. Be and grow the best practice you can be and it is a great feeling and accomplishment. Thanks for your blog, Jerry.
I agree with my friend Gary
I agree with my friend Gary on this one. As an optometrist I feel like I am in the treatment AND wellness business. I want to see each of my patients at least once a year. They know up front from me that there may not be a change in their RX yearly . I want to see them to ensure that their eyes are well and free from undiagnosed disease. Preventative medicine and wellness are going to be some of the mainstays of modern eyecare. The greater the number of "touches" your practices achieves with the patient, the greater the opportunity for multiple eyewear sales
I too am looking forward to
I too am looking forward to hearing the responses from the masses. I have been associated with LensCrafters for more than a decade and I have seen them become more and more corporate. Most of us ultimately want the best for our patients AND our practices, but I feel if we truly take care of our patients first and be honest without trying to oversell, the business will take care of itself.
On the outside, LensCrafters is trying to do what the toothpaste companies did for dentists (get preventive care every six months) by recommending yearly eye exams and pre-appointing. I am not so sure I aggree for healthy spectacle wearers. Heck, even the AOA recommends every two years for these patients.
I feel their motivation is stricly to sell as many glasses as possible.
Another consideration should
Another consideration should be the recommendations of the AOA's Optometric Clinical Practice Guidelines. For asymptomatic/risk-free patients, the Guidelines recommend exams every two years from ages 6 months to 60 years, annually thereafter. That said, determining who is "at risk" and thus recommended for more frequent examination is somewhat at the discretion of the doctor. See http://www.aoa.org/x5502.xml for additional details. Thanks! Jeff