In changing times, some lessons you learned during the shutdown are worth retaining.

As physicians and owners of ophthalmology practices, you have faced many challenges this past year and a half. The pandemic forced your team to flex their resourcefulness muscles in nearly every aspect of your business model. As you continue to settle into your “new normal,” the ability to make the most of the resources available will still be increasingly critical to sustaining a successful organization.

Fortunately, ophthalmology is a specialty focused on opportunity, growth and innovation — qualities that aid your ability to effectively optimize available resources in times of change. With a focused effort, you can implement various tactics to remain nimble in uncertain times.

TELEMEDICINE

During the height of the COVID pandemic, practices explored new technologies and processes to deliver patient care, including telemedicine. As more patients are coming back into the office, it may be easy to abandon these innovations, returning to more traditional processes. However, resuming standard protocols and previous patient volumes may also bring back issues related to long patient wait times.

If your practice is struggling to keep up with patient volume, consider continuing some of the innovations you incorporated at the beginning of the pandemic. Can you keep a hybrid model of telemedicine that reduces patient wait times? For example, some practices have created a tech visit for glaucoma 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. In those visits, a technician completes testing (IOP check, visual field or OCT), and the doctor later calls the patient with diagnostic results, changes in medications or further instructions. This type of visit benefits patients by reducing their time in the office if their glaucoma remains stable.

Other practices have offered remote surgical counseling and patient education through video conferences. During these video consults, patients (and their family members from around the country) learn, for example, about IOL offerings that enable less dependence on glasses. Several BSM clients who implemented video conferencing reported seeing an increase in premium technology adoption, as patients were better informed about their lens options. This telemedicine option benefited the patient, their families and, ultimately, the practice.

While some physicians are more open to telemedicine than others, there are many reasons to continue offering these visits. A flexible practice consistently meets patient needs and protects the business from future disruptions — telemedicine delivers on both counts. Though better suited to some subspecialties than to others, telemedicine should remain a part of the conversation to leverage resources.

TECHNOLOGY

Telemedicine isn’t the only technology-based delivery system that helps practices do more with less. Consider optimizing your front desk through automation. Ask yourself:

• Are patient confirmations automatic through text, email or phone, and does the team follow up to ensure all patients are confirmed?
• Can your patients schedule an appointment or check-in online?
• Does your recall system effectively re-activate patients, provided they planned their next exam?
• Can your new patients complete their paperwork through a portal that automatically transfers their medical history or medications into electronic health records?
• Does your practice management system perform batch insurance eligibility to verify benefits?

All these areas can be effectively managed through technology, giving you the confidence to improve operations, enhance the patient experience and give back staff some of their valuable time.

STAFF

According to the National Federation of Independent Business, 46% of small businesses in June reported having open jobs available that they cannot fill. If your practice has struggled to find new employees, you are not alone.

As some practices experience increased turnover and difficulty filling open positions, consider new staffing models and hiring strategies. For example, a four-day work week or a more flexible work schedule around childcare can be appealing to workers looking for a job.

Consider additional ways to implement work-from-home opportunities by leveraging technology. Setting up a VPN to allow billers or call center employees to work remotely can not only help your employees meet their personal obligations but open your candidate pool to recruit more qualified individuals. When offering this type of flexibility, your managers will likely need additional training and support to lead remote workers effectively.

Attracting and retaining employees will also require some effort in the coming years. To become an employer of choice in your area, start by creating a dynamic organization tied to your vision, mission and core values. Employees need to have a solid connection to your work and how they help you improve patient lives.

You may also need to perform “stay interviews,” which can help you identify what keeps employees working for the practice and areas of opportunity to enhance retention. Finally, to retain well-trained staff, you may also need to review wage scales, ensuring that you appropriately compensate your team.

PROVIDERS AND SERVICE LINES

In addition to staffing, consider ways to flex yourself and any employed providers on your team. A dynamic physician group is just as essential as your employees. If an employed optometrist is still working part time, can you adjust your schedule and allow the OD to see more patients? Could you improve patient care with dry eye disease treatments or medical aesthetic options, using a new or existing provider to champion these services? Conducting a strategic planning session can often help you answer these questions with thoughtful analysis, helping you decide how to best optimize your organization.

REMAIN NIMBLE

Flexibility has many benefits and will be crucial for practices in changing times. Eye care can best deal with change by remaining flexible in telemedicine, front desk automation, staffing and service lines. As a result, your practice will be better poised to address crises or challenges in the coming years. OM

Elizabeth Monroe, COE, CPSS, PHR is a principal and senior consultant for BSM Consulting in Phoenix, Ariz. Prior to joining BSM, she served as the chief operations officer for a large multispecialty ophthalmic practice in Florida.