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Resolve to improve your practice and the care you provide your patients
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It’s the time of year during which many of us become a bit introspective. A time to reflect on yet another year. A time to reflect on past decisions — good and bad — personal and vocational. And while our thoughts are often somewhat melancholy, they can be inspirational, a source of hope and vigor. Indeed, it’s that time in which we resolve to change our ways and to improve every aspect of our life.
As optometrists, the beginning of each year provides an opportunity to take stock in our practices. To reflect upon last year’s successes and failures, implement change and hope for a better year to come. For many of us this may mean dropping one health care plan while accepting another. Or retiring older instrumentation in favor of a new technology. It may even involve rethinking a disease process and reprioritizing treatment strategies — all in the name of improving our practices and providing better care for the patients we serve.
While change is often reinvigorating and well intended, it can also be fraught with pitfalls. Such as when this year’s resolutions become next year’s regrets. As optometrists we are all too familiar with this scenario, as we occasionally embrace trends only to find that they are not all they were promised to be. For this reason, we must always remain true to our core mission … and the needs of our patients.
For instance, we must be careful not to neglect our contact lens practices in an effort to become better glaucoma clinicians. That we don’t trivialize our optical dispensary in the name of expanded refractive surgery services. And that we don’t lose the personal touch so important to our patients in the name of high-tech efficiencies. Simply put, as primary eye care providers we must be vigilant in our efforts to provide the full scope care our patients have come to expect from us.
At Primary Care Optometry News we live this mission every day. Since our inception 6 years ago our charter has remained the same: to provide primary care optometrists with the clinical, political and industry news so important to their professional existence. Even though the new year has brought about some reflection, we remain committed to being our readers’ source for accurate, timely and relevant news.
Thanks for your readership and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2002!