Dispensing Frontiers
"Selling" During the Exam
Done correctly, it benefits everyone.

Generally, a doctor hates the idea of being perceived as a salesperson. But practically speaking -- depending how you define "selling" -- much of what you recommend during an exam amounts to some form of selling. The question is: Which kinds of "selling" are truly helpful, and which are not?

DEFINING "SELLING"

One practical way to define selling involves the difference between what's necessary and what's preferable. For example, when it comes to eyewear, prescribing what's necessary means any lens that will maximize the patient's visual acuity. Prescribing what's preferable means taking other factors (such as the patient's comfort) into account.

Basically, any recommendation that goes beyond what's necessary crosses the line into selling. Seen in this light, "selling" isn't such a bad thing. (And remember: Any time you recommend LASIK, you're crossing that same line.)

EDUCATION OR PROMOTION?

Some doctors think that educating the patient about practical options constitutes selling. While the information you provide may indeed cause patients to buy an extra pair of glasses, your patients won't see it as selling; they'll call it "customer service."

The fact is, patients want to know their options. Do they know they don't have to lift their head to use their computer, that non-optical sunglasses diminish clarity, or that you can help them see better at night? From the patient's perspective, explaining available options may be a tremendous favor.

GETTING TOO SPECIFIC

While recommendations can be beneficial, doctors sometimes go overboard by prescribing a specific type of product. If you write a specific product on the prescription, it's illegal (in most states) for your patient to receive anything else. This backfires because it limits the patient's options unnecessarily.

For example, if your patient complains about his existing progressives and you write "FT 35" on the prescription, the optician can't fill that prescription with progressives -- even if he discovers that the problem resulted from an incorrect fit. As a result, the patient (often from then on) may wear a bifocal lens -- and may also become convinced that he can't "get used to" progressives.

I've seen the same problem when a doctor writes "same base curves" on every prescription because he's seen isolated cases of patients not adapting to a change in base curves. Some prescription changes warrant a change in base curve. Or the patient may want high- index lenses to minimize lens thickness.

Your optician has several ways of resolving base curve issues, such as sizing down the frame. If you write "same base curves" on your prescriptions, you're just limiting your optician's ability to help the patient.

PERFORMANCE, NOT PRODUCTS

If you want to be sure that you'll always prescribe the best product for every patient, you'll need to stay educated about everything that's available. Because you probably don't have time for this, leave it to your optician.

Instead of recommending specific products, define the performance that will work best for the patient. For example, instead of writing "FT 35" on the prescription, write "discuss FT 35s." This gives the optician leeway to make his best recommendation. (If your optician isn't knowledgeable about which products perform best under various circumstances, get him some training!)

A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE

"Selling from the chair" -- if it's done right -- can help your patient and make it easier for your optician to do his job. Remember: One man's "selling" is another man's customer service. 

Leona Meditz has 25 years' experience opening, owning and operating optical dispensaries. If you have questions regarding this article, please e-mail her at leona@neta.com.