The "Passing of Authority" from Doctor to Optician

     We've heard it before: when the physician recommends eyewear to patients and personally places each patient in the optician's care, sales-and patient satisfaction-increase dramatically. So, why don't more doctors take this step?

     For many, it is a matter of focus. As physicians we were well trained to address patients' medical needs, but little of our training was directed toward the spectacle correction of visual needs. It is not unusual, however, for a patient with a symptomatic glaucoma to be as worried about his visual acuity as about his disease. Seeing well is the bottom line for patients.

     When the physician does not give equal emphasis to patients' optical needs, he or she does them a disservice. The practice that is successful in dispensing is one that adopts the patient's own attitude and places visual needs on a par with medical needs. This attitude must permeate the practice. Staff should not only ask, "Are you taking your drops regularly?" but also, "Are you having any trouble with your glasses?" The physician should assess patient complaints and lifestyle needs and recommend appropriate solutions.

     It is vital that the power of the physician's recommendation be passed directly to the optician. The passing of authority from doctor to optician, in the presence of the patient, is the backbone of successful dispensing. To make the process effective and time efficient for all involved, my practice uses a combined Patient Lifestyle Questionnaire and Doctor's Lens Recommendations Menu.