Patients you don't want

[optilady1]

I just had a "talking to" because a Pt faxed over a letter to our office stating that, because of me, he and his wife will never come to our office. This would trouble me if it held any water- this is one of several threatening letters over the course of nearly 10 years. Pul-eaze, make good on your threat and go annoy someone else.

I'm all about making difficult people happy (I specialize in cranky old coots) but some people are happier when they are being a time suck and/or complaining about how they percieve the world treats them. I don't have time for that attitude at work or in my personal life.

I have a pt who refuses to deal with me, says she is scared of me. Do I look scary? Give me a break. All because when she made a fuss over the price of one Silhouette temple, I simply stated that at least she didn't have to buy and entire new frame.

[BuyGlasses]

How often has your business turned away a patient? We do it quite frequently.

[pseudonym]

How often has your business turned away a patient? We do it quite frequently.

Not often enough, apparently. I'm fairly new to the business and eager to make the sale. There have been times I've been sorry I did.

I'm learning to listen. All the patients want to talk about their previous glasses buying experiences. Most people are reasonable, but there are a certain percentage of miserable malcontents.

I know to look out for people who say they've been plagued by bad glasses by every other place they've been. I swear, when I hear this I can see flashing lights around their head that spell out "BEWARE". Or maybe it's a useful hallucination, but I do see it. Tell me what you look for, please.

[pseudonym]

Every customer is an opportunity (potentially many). Please! Bring your emergencies to me.

You are welcome to them, but first consider this. At least a couple of these people have been persuaded to go price glasses elsewhere BY THEIR OWN DOCTOR. What does that tell you?

[cocoisland58]

How often has your business turned away a patient?.

In private practice we did it a few times but where I am now we take everyone, even those I would bet money on to be a problem.

[pseudonym]

QUOTE=chip anderson;401054] A few months ago I had an artificial eye patient who had ****** his pants, and I was glad to have the work!

Chip[/QUOTE]

This I would not have any problem with. What a situation for the guy- to have to sit in a nice clean optical office with shatted pants. (I'm assuming your place is clean.) And I'll just bet he would be happy with his glasses after you made them.

Remakes and multiple calls to the lab to obtain approval for a remake are what I want to avoid.

[NCspecs]

Remakes and multiple calls to the lab to obtain approval for a remake are what I want to avoid.

Amen! I do not like being a remake Queen. I always tell my patients it's my responsibility to measure twice and cut once. I guess its walking that fine line between doing what you know is best for the patient while convincing them it was their idea in the first place.

[THE MEB]

We rarely give money back, and probably if truth be known make too many remakes. We try our hardest to make the patient feel like family(please, no jokes here), but when an elderly lady started complaining to the receptionist about how bad her glasses were she got here two years ago, ranting and raving, and then I was the one chosen to help her, I was already not in the "giving" mode. So, when she started saying the same speil to me as soon as we sat down to talk about her eyeglass needs, I looked at her directly in the eyes and said "If you got such bad service from us last time you were here, why did you come back to us?" At which time I slowly got up from my chair and walked into the lab, never to be seen by her again. And yes, it felt GREAT! This coming from a person that is regarded as being the most easy going and willing to go to the ends of the world Optician in these parts.

[chip anderson]

Now I have turned away a patient who's mother (an OMD's employee) wanted me to put anesthetic in before teaching her dear sweet delicate child how to put his contact lenses in. I would never put anesthetic in any eye with a CL in it unless the patient was in such pain it was impossible to get him to relax enough to remove it.
Mother said: "I can't believe you would loose a sale over this." The very first thing I was taught in contact lens fitting was: "Never put anesthetic in an eye with a CL!"

Chip

[braheem24]

Why? Its done to every cl wearer during dilation.

[chip anderson]

Because the dumb_____ doctors aren't trained any better. Med schools hire salespeople from CL companies as instructors. And the doctor doesn't want to cause the patient any discomfort. The way some of them fit lenses the patient probably needs something for the pain. If you fit lenses that bad you need to be in another line of work.
I can remember back in the early days another no-no was to dillate soft contact lens wearers or put thier lenses back in until a few hours had passed.] Some idiots even administer Anaesthesia the patient for instructions (those that actually give instructions.) Others are so incompetent, they will send the patient home with drops "for while they are getting used to thier lenses."
The fact that it's done doesn't make it the right thing to do.
But then no one reads any history any more.

Chip

[fjpod]

Now I have turned away a patient who's mother (an OMD's employee) wanted me to put anesthetic in before teaching her dear sweet delicate child how to put his contact lenses in. I would never put anesthetic in any eye with a CL in it unless the patient was in such pain it was impossible to get him to relax enough to remove it.
Mother said: "I can't believe you would loose a sale over this." The very first thing I was taught in contact lens fitting was: "Never put anesthetic in an eye with a CL!"

Chip

Hey chip, I agree with you 100% on this. Wonders will never cease.

[pseudonym]

Is there a such thing as a glasses fetish? Someone who might come in every other day and try on all (ALL) the frames, often leaving strands of hair in the hinges. Someone who might call the store every (EVERY) day asking if any new frames have come in yet. Someone who says she has three Rx's at home and she'll bring them in next time.

NEXT TIME.

Ugh.

[cocoisland58]

Is there a such thing as a glasses fetish?

Yes but people with a glasses fetish generally buy glasses in quantity because they can never have enough. What you are describing is just a classic nutjob I'd say.

[RIMLESS]

You don't look scary to me. Not unless you have 6" fangs when you smile !