communication ideas for the eyecare office

Communication Ideas for the Eyecare Office Listening/Action

Presentation to Northern Nevada Optometric Group

Kit Carmiencke,OD Integrated Eyecare Bend, Oregon [email protected] [email protected]


• What are the biggest issues facing the eye care practices now and in the near future?

• Not enough patient demando Access issues

• Reduced reimbursements• Patients having to pay more out-of-pocket• Challenge to our optical business • Limited sources for capital• Medicare


Medicare - could there be an opportunity here?

In next 5 years 18 million MORE Medicare patients

Medicare Generally no restriction of providers Although expect lower conversion factorbut refraction not coveredbut two eye codes But we have to inform patients


What do Medicare patients want?Five wants of all patients in the exam process• On-time and timely• Friendly environment• A doctor who listens• Clear explanations • Patient wants to be recognized as an individual


Of course we listen, what's next?

Survey of 300 large companies, managers and customers• 80% of management said they provide superior

service• Consumers of these same companies said they

received superior service 8% of time• Huge gap between management and customers

impressions


Of course we listen, what's next? . . but health care results are different, aren’t they?

Survey of 100 patients randomly selected, asked if there was one piece of advise you could give a new doctor, what would it be?

Overwhelming response was . . . “doctor, listen to your patient”

Communication Ideas for the Eyecare Office Patients - Listening/Action

How do we listen to patients about their impression of our business?Do we ask patients about their experience with your office?Do we ask their input on post-encounter surveys?

Action Just ask Surveys CRM


Just Ask -Reality check from Guy Kawasaki

Your customerso List the top 5 reasons your customers buy from youo Take 5 of your customers to lunch (one at a time) and ask them why they buy

from youo Compare your list with your customers responses

Potential customerso List the top 5 reasons potential customers don't buy from youo Take 5 prospective customers to lunch and ask them why they

don't buy from youo Compare your list and your prospective customers' responses

Communication Ideas for the Eyecare Office Patients - Listening/ActionPost-Encounter Surveys Hand out On-line Google Forms, Survey Monkey, WufooSurvey questions

Minutes you had to wait past your appointment time Courtesy and caring of the staff testing you Courtesy and caring of the doctor treating you Willingness of the doctor to listen to your questions Clear explanation of your results and treatment plan

Which is most important?

If this were your business what is the one thing you would change?


Customer Relationship Management (CRM) How long have they been a patient? Occupation Sport and recreational activities Travel Community activities Family Previous “issues”

Communication Ideas for the Eyecare Office Staff - Listening/Action

Why listen to Staff about our business?Generally patients spend more time with staff than doctorPatients will often share comments (frustrations) with staff

How do we listen to Staff about their impression of our business?Staff meetings, team meetings, one-on-one comments

Action Recognize importance of staff Baldrige staff survey "Communication Center"


Why listen to Staff about our business?

Results of project by Gallup Organization demonstrated correlation between employee engagement and customer engagement at Ritz-Carlton

7% increase in employee engagement resulted in a 14% increase in customer engagement

• Engaged staff leads to more customer engagement• Higher customer engagement higher financial return


How to listen to Staff

Gallup’s Employee Engagement Metric

1- I know what is expected of me at work3 - At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best4 - In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise.6 - Someone at work who encourages my development.11 - In the last six months, someone has talked to me about my progress


Importance of Staff from Danny Meyer

"I love your restaurants and the food is fantastic, but what I really love is how great your people are"

"The human beings in our restaurants have far more impact on whether we succeed than any other other aspect including food"

"Our staff performance reviews weigh both technical job performance (49%) and emotionaljob performance (51%)


Your success is dependent on your people . . . . . . but how do you know if you have the right people

Two key questions:Knowing what you know now, "would you hire this person again if they were applying for a position with your firm?"

If this person came to tell you he or she is leaving, "would you feel terribly disappointed or secretly relieved"?


Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

• Raises awareness about the importance of performance excellence• Provides organizational assessment tools and criteria• Educates leaders in businesses and government about the practices of best-in-class

Leadership Work force focus Customer focus Strategic management Process management Measurement and analysis Results


Results of Bladrige Staff Assessment Tool "Doctors you're not listening"

ACTION - Staff Communication CenterSharing of Information Calender Schedule Notes from staff retreats, team meetings Employee manualOne LocationStaff InvolvedGoogle Sites Private Free Accessible from anywhere

Communication Ideas for the Eyecare Office On-line - Listening/Action

Social Media isn’t growing its exploding Years to reach 50 million users Radio Television Computer Facebook

Social Media is important to your business


Marketing is transitioning from push to engagement 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations Only 14% trust advertisements

Consumers are overwhelmed and have learned how to block push marketing

Purpose of Social Media is engagement


Strategy for Social Media

• know your audience• know your objectives• Play with the tools• Learning by following• Define outcomes• Start measuring


Action follow the leaders

Mayo Clinic Social Media Strategy

Three elements Connect Create Content Engage


How do we learn about Social Media?

Ask our kids and grandkids Cheryl Sandburg

Play with the tools Twitter Facebook Blogs Web-sites Linedin

communication ideas for the eyecare office

Health & Medicine