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BLOG: Repositioning to the core of ophthalmology, part 2
It’s time for getting back to the basics. For a moment, think of your practice as a composite of many smaller companies. You have the “LASIK Company,” the “Cataract Company” and the “Glaucoma Company.” And perhaps even the “Dry Eye Company.” The list is — and should be — rather long. Each of these practice segments is clamoring for attention, for resources.
They demand capital for specialized equipment. They demand your time to stay current and to orient staff. Each demands your focus, by which I mean you should be conducting every patient encounter with all of your services in mind. Ask yourself, without being overly predatory, “Did I provide every patient I saw this past week with the full array of services they need and that we’re in a position to provide? Or was I so focused on finding my next LASIK candidate that I walked right past several opportunities to better serve the patients I do have in abundance?” Your honest answer to this question will not only make you a better physician, but a better business owner.
Getting back to a greater focus on the general and geriatric eye care sector obviously takes more than just having your head back in the game. It takes specific, focused and sometimes costly action. One core action is going to be shifting your marketing and advertising budget. Most active LASIK surgeons have already gotten comfortable with relatively high media budgets; all they need to do is shift audience. In repositioning your practice, you can quickly pass your more timid general competitors.
In the next installment of this series, we’ll cover some specific actions to reconnect with the senior patient base, which lies at the heart of ophthalmology.
John B. Pinto is president of J. Pinto & Associates Inc., an ophthalmic practice management consulting firm established in 1979. John is the country’s most-published author on ophthalmology management topics. He is the author of John Pinto’s Little Green Book of Ophthalmology, Turnaround: 21 Weeks to Ophthalmic Practice Survival and Permanent Improvement, Cashflow: The Practical Art of Earning More From Your Ophthalmology Practice, The Efficient Ophthalmologist, The Women of Ophthalmology, Legal Issues in Ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Leadership: A Practical Guide for Physicians, Administrators and Teams and a new book, Simple: The Inner Game of Ophthalmic Practice Success. He can be reached at pintoinc@aol.com; website: www.pintoinc.com.