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    The "Hand-Off"

    In your experience, how important is the "hand-off" of the patient from the doctor to the optician who will be talking to them about glasses? And, how is it done at your practice?

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    The term "hand-off" is, IMHO, obsolete. New phrase: "Managing the transition from Clinical to Optical."

    FWIW

    B

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    Quote Originally Posted by SailorEd View Post
    In your experience, how important is the "hand-off" of the patient from the doctor to the optician who will be talking to them about glasses? And, how is it done at your practice?
    I think the "hand-off" is probably one of THE MOST important and talked-about parts of an optical establishment. It's what, for the most part, defines the concept of "capture rate" (for glasses... And, just as important for contact lens customers--making sure they stay with the same office and not going to 1-800-Contacts).

    If you can manage and be successful with the "hand-off", then your optical is heading in a lucrative direction.

    The "hand-off" shouldn't be that hard to master with a healthy dose of 110% consistency--The patient, for the most part, doesn't want to go anywhere else for materials--They don't wish to spend gas money and precious time shopping elsewhere-- But, most of the time they do because the optical staff doesn't keep that "110% consistency" of making sure that all feet that walk through that door knows the value and reason of WHY THEY SHOULD STAY and NOT go anywhere else. And, expensive glasses shouldn't be an excuse of why you think your patients are walking out. If you're going to have a high-end optical, then you better have a high-end and "red carpet" attitude being exuberated at all times-- that means bubbly attitudes and white pearly smiles from 8am - 5pm. That also means you are literally willing to go to Hell and back to make sure every person who walks into your shop is beyond satisfied.

    I guess that applies to all business in free-market America. That passion and desire to exceed all customers expectations will help any business grow. To all people who have worked in retail-optical (Visionworks, Lux, Wal-Mart etc.)-- Doesn't all of this sound familiar? "exceeding expectations"? "positive attitudes"? -- You know why? It's because IT ACTUALLY WORKS! That's why those big guys are the big guys! Multi-Million dollar companies who started by cultivating Million dollar attitudes!

    It's part of the doctor's responsibility too. "Doctor Power" is a huge component.
    Last edited by spex911; 07-24-2014 at 10:31 AM. Reason: typo

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    I used to work in the optical area of an OD's practice and he would typically come out front and cheerfully introduce me to the patient and give me a "cliffs notes" version of the patient's needs while handing me their chart, then he would look directly at the patient and shake their hand, thank them for entrusting our office with their vision needs and tell them that we were only a phone call away if they (the patient) needed us. As I'm typing it out, it sounds kind of hokey...but it was very well done, seemed more like friendly, welcoming conversation, very light-hearted and up-beat. We did that with each "hand-off" even when I took the patient up to the front desk, there was always an introduction of the person the patient was about to see and a sincere thank you for coming to see us. The only draw-back was the inconsistency, one doctor or staff member being more enthusiastic while another was more like "here's the chart, here's what you owe us, let us know if you have any questions."
    ___________________________________________

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    The term "hand-off" is, IMHO, obsolete. New phrase: "Managing the transition from Clinical to Optical."

    FWIW

    B
    Ok, Barry. I just want to say that I have learned a tremendous amount from your posts and I have also completed ABO courses you authored. I value your opinion. So, what exactly do you think of the importance of "Managing the transition from Clinical to Optical". And how do you do it in your optical?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Now I See View Post
    I used to work in the optical area of an OD's practice and he would typically come out front and cheerfully introduce me to the patient and give me a "cliffs notes" version of the patient's needs while handing me their chart, then he would look directly at the patient and shake their hand, thank them for entrusting our office with their vision needs and tell them that we were only a phone call away if they (the patient) needed us. As I'm typing it out, it sounds kind of hokey...but it was very well done, seemed more like friendly, welcoming conversation, very light-hearted and up-beat. We did that with each "hand-off" even when I took the patient up to the front desk, there was always an introduction of the person the patient was about to see and a sincere thank you for coming to see us. The only draw-back was the inconsistency, one doctor or staff member being more enthusiastic while another was more like "here's the chart, here's what you owe us, let us know if you have any questions."
    True... Half the battle is: JUST DOING THE HAND-OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by spex911 View Post
    I think the "hand-off" is probably one of THE MOST important and talked-about parts of an optical establishment. It's what, for the most part, defines the concept of "capture rate" (for glasses... And, just as important for contact lens customers--making sure they stay with the same office and not going to 1-800-Contacts).

    If you can manage and be successful with the "hand-off", then your optical is heading in a lucrative direction.



    The "hand-off" shouldn't be that hard to master with a healthy dose of 110% consistency--The patient, for the most part, doesn't want to go anywhere else for materials--They don't wish to spend gas money and precious time shopping elsewhere-- But, most of the time they do because the optical staff doesn't keep that "110% consistency" of making sure that all feet that walk through that door knows the value and reason of WHY THEY SHOULD STAY and NOT go anywhere else. And, expensive glasses shouldn't be an excuse of why you think your patients are walking out. If you're going to have a high-end optical, then you better have a high-end and "red carpet" attitude being exuberated at all times-- that means bubbly attitudes and white pearly smiles from 8am - 5pm. That also means you are literally willing to go to Hell and back to make sure every person who walks into your shop is beyond satisfied.

    I guess that applies to all business in free-market America. That passion and desire to exceed all customers expectations will help any business grow. To all people who have worked in retail-optical (Visionworks, Lux, Wal-Mart etc.)-- Doesn't all of this sound familiar? "exceeding expectations"? "positive attitudes"? -- You know why? It's because IT ACTUALLY WORKS! That's why those big guys are the big guys! Multi-Million dollar companies who started by cultivating Million dollar attitudes!

    It's part of the doctor's responsibility too. "Doctor Power" is a huge component.
    Thanks. I agree. Especially with the last sentence.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Now I See View Post
    I used to work in the optical area of an OD's practice and he would typically come out front and cheerfully introduce me to the patient and give me a "cliffs notes" version of the patient's needs while handing me their chart, then he would look directly at the patient and shake their hand, thank them for entrusting our office with their vision needs and tell them that we were only a phone call away if they (the patient) needed us. As I'm typing it out, it sounds kind of hokey...but it was very well done, seemed more like friendly, welcoming conversation, very light-hearted and up-beat. We did that with each "hand-off" even when I took the patient up to the front desk, there was always an introduction of the person the patient was about to see and a sincere thank you for coming to see us. The only draw-back was the inconsistency, one doctor or staff member being more enthusiastic while another was more like "here's the chart, here's what you owe us, let us know if you have any questions."
    Thanks. We cater to a "high middle end" patient and I know that a good transition from exam room to dispensing floor is so very important.

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    IMO, the hand-over or whatever phrase you'd like to use starts inside the testing room. Consistency is key, the optometrist (I'm in the UK) needs to be able to explain to the patient what is about to happen, and the dispenser should be able to seamlessly carry on from there.

    It helps to be prepared - this can be harder with a new patient to the practice, but questions about spectacle wear should be asked before the examination is started. You can learn a lot from a patient - what they hate about their current pair, what they are looking for, etc. A two minute conversation before anyone has even looked at their eyes can be of great help later on. It gives both you and patient context. If you learn anything, make sure this information is given to the 'doctor' before the test. If they're good, they can use this to help the hand-over later on.

    Well, that was waffley, sorry.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SailorEd View Post
    Ok, Barry. I just want to say that I have learned a tremendous amount from your posts and I have also completed ABO courses you authored. I value your opinion. So, what exactly do you think of the importance of "Managing the transition from Clinical to Optical". And how do you do it in your optical?
    First of all, we copy the original Rx, and retain the copy while giving the original BACK to the patient right away. They then pay for the exam/refraction. Then, the doctor speaks with us about all that lies behind the Rx, and what recommendations he made. We then ask the client if they'd like to consult with us further about eyewear. If so, we begin that process...just like everyone else.

    B

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    OptiBoardaholic vcom's Avatar
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    All of these are good ideas. We have tried many different variations of the Hand Off, with varying success. It does bring up some questions, one of which is, What happens when all Opticians are currently helping other patients?
    Patient, ".. Doctor says I have a subscription for stigmata.. Can you fill that?"
    Me, "..Um.. "

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    Quote Originally Posted by vcom View Post
    All of these are good ideas. We have tried many different variations of the Hand Off, with varying success. It does bring up some questions, one of which is, What happens when all Opticians are currently helping other patients?
    That is most likely a sign of the manager not staffing properly at busy times. Same concept applies to all businesses. If you're busy, then you need more staff. If you're not busy, then you need to send people home for the day.

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    Quote Originally Posted by vcom View Post
    All of these are good ideas. We have tried many different variations of the Hand Off, with varying success. It does bring up some questions, one of which is, What happens when all Opticians are currently helping other patients?
    Everyone/anyone in our office can check the chart, inform the patient about any/all insurance benefits and steer them to appropriate frame boards to browse.

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    Or it could be done as the FTC recommends in Eyeglass I. The doc finishes the eye exam, and the patient can go anywhere they choose to have it filled........like an independent Optician!

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    Quote Originally Posted by vcom View Post
    It does bring up some questions, one of which is, What happens when all Opticians are currently helping other patients?
    Quote Originally Posted by opty4062 View Post
    Everyone/anyone in our office can check the chart, inform the patient about any/all insurance benefits and steer them to appropriate frame boards to browse.
    That's certainly better than letting them hang without direction, but that's not the "hand off" that produces results. It's the doctor communicating results and prescribed products directly to the optician, *in front of the patient*, that transfers authority from doctor to optician. This makes opticians clinicians in charge of maintaining continuity of clinical care from the doctor. Without that the clinical visit ends with the doctor and thereafter patients are just consumers shopping for glasses, and opticians are just salespeople. The hand off avoids this disconnect.

    As was said, if your opticians are all busy and no one is available to receive the patient from the doctor, your office has a workflow problem. If you want to provide the service and care that the hand off involves, you need more opticians or better management to ensure the process works every time.

    In our office the hand off occurs in the exam room. Our doctors page optical when they are wrapping up the exam and we come to the room. It is our opticians' responsibility to be aware of when a page is imminent and to make themselves available. If that means a walk-in adjustment/repair/dispense/selection or whatever needs to wait, better them than the scheduled patient already in your exam room. Explaining to an unscheduled walk-in that opticians are currently with scheduled patients and will be with them shortly is more reasonable than trying to explain the opposite: telling an exam patient that an optician isn't available despite the scheduled and predictable conclusion of the exam. Plus then whomever eventually helps them is obviously just the first person who happened to free up and grabbed their chart, and the patient is merely "next". When our opticians are paged into the exam room, we are the planned clinician scheduled to assist that patient. From start to finish through the office visit we try to never let a patient out of our hands.

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    Quote Originally Posted by spex911 View Post
    That is most likely a sign of the manager not staffing properly at busy times. Same concept applies to all businesses. If you're busy, then you need more staff. If you're not busy, then you need to send people home for the day.
    Meh. The best schedule in the world doesn't matter when you get that random rush of pick-ups, emergency repairs, and walk-ins all at the same time. Sometimes it's just busy because it's busy. And often, as soon as you send someone home early, a random rush of pick-ups, emergency repairs, and walk-ins immediately transpires.
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    Quote Originally Posted by AngeHamm View Post
    Meh. The best schedule in the world doesn't matter when you get that random rush of pick-ups, emergency repairs, and walk-ins all at the same time. Sometimes it's just busy because it's busy. And often, as soon as you send someone home early, a random rush of pick-ups, emergency repairs, and walk-ins immediately transpires.
    Once again, it takes good management to know customer/patient flow for your establishment. It's not just a random number of patients that come in everyday, although it might seem like it for someone who doesn't care or keep track.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DanLiv View Post

    As was said, if your opticians are all busy and no one is available to receive the patient from the doctor, your office has a workflow problem. If you want to provide the service and care that the hand off involves, you need more opticians or better management to ensure the process works every time.

    In our office the hand off occurs in the exam room. Our doctors page optical when they are wrapping up the exam and we come to the room. It is our opticians' responsibility to be aware of when a page is imminent and to make themselves available. If that means a walk-in adjustment/repair/dispense/selection or whatever needs to wait, better them than the scheduled patient already in your exam room. Explaining to an unscheduled walk-in that opticians are currently with scheduled patients and will be with them shortly is more reasonable than trying to explain the opposite: telling an exam patient that an optician isn't available despite the scheduled and predictable conclusion of the exam. Plus then whomever eventually helps them is obviously just the first person who happened to free up and grabbed their chart, and the patient is merely "next". When our opticians are paged into the exam room, we are the planned clinician scheduled to assist that patient. From start to finish through the office visit we try to never let a patient out of our hands.
    This is an excellent practice and one which we strive for at our own office. However, there are times that the opticians are not finished with a patient before the next one is ready for their attention. That is what I was referring to, the importance of having everyone knowledgeable enough to step in and help so that patients are not waiting idly or leaving.

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    Quote Originally Posted by spex911 View Post
    Once again, it takes good management to know customer/patient flow for your establishment. It's not just a random number of patients that come in everyday, although it might seem like it for someone who doesn't care or keep track.
    I believe we all are aware that there is patient flow that is within our control and there is patient flow that is not. It is/should be a given that we all do our best to plan for both. And disrespectful, I believe, to imply that the occasional rush is the result of someone not caring or keeping track.

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    Quote Originally Posted by opty4062 View Post
    I believe we all are aware that there is patient flow that is within our control and there is patient flow that is not. It is/should be a given that we all do our best to plan for both. And disrespectful, I believe, to imply that the occasional rush is the result of someone not caring or keeping track.
    Yeah, but the way it was implied was that it was some sort of capricious phenomenon that no one can ever prepare for. And yes, a rush can be overwhelming for people that do not care to prepare for it, in fact, that's how most opticals run-- unsuccessful with opticians running around not knowing what to do-- And once again, it's also how a lot of other businesses (not just optical) are failing-- People who just don't have passion for growth... Any more excuses for not having million-dollar passion?

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    Quote Originally Posted by vcom View Post
    All of these are good ideas. We have tried many different variations of the Hand Off, with varying success. It does bring up some questions, one of which is, What happens when all Opticians are currently helping other patients?
    Usually we had a smooth flow an there were 2 optical staff, me (I was the ofc mgr, but focused on the optical area), plus the front desk person was able to help, and the 3 of us optical staff could check in and out when needed. So on the occasion that we got backed up, when the doctor came out with the patient, one of us was usually to a point with our patient that we could excuse ourselves, meet the new patient, get them settled in and go back to the first patient. If the first patient was ready before we were, one of the others would pick up on that and finish up. Honestly a lot of the hand off was about being completely aware of the environment. And, as silly as it may sound...watching body language. If you are attentive to body language cues, you'll know quickly who you need to spend extra time with and who would rather look around with little guidance. If you have times when your office gets busy, do you have another staff member that can step up and help during those times? If not, maybe your office manager would allow someone in the office the opportunity to train with you?
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    What about the hand-off from the front staff/optical to the Doctor?
    In our place, often folks will come in and browse frames BEFORE the exam, often the front staff have a solid idea of what the client's have in mind. Communicating this to the OD BEFORE the exam in a tactful and effective way can sometimes prevent unfortunate misunderstandings.....Ummm like this client isn't sure if they want to renew their acuvue prescription which they buy online or purchase this Oliver Peoples frame with progressives which we are holding aside for them...
    Basically everyone needs to be in tune with what is happening from the kitchen staff and cook to the maitre d and the waiters. Details details.

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    Quote Originally Posted by spex911 View Post
    Yeah, but the way it was implied was that it was some sort of capricious phenomenon that no one can ever prepare for. And yes, a rush can be overwhelming for people that do not care to prepare for it, in fact, that's how most opticals run-- unsuccessful with opticians running around not knowing what to do-- And once again, it's also how a lot of other businesses (not just optical) are failing-- People who just don't have passion for growth... Any more excuses for not having million-dollar passion?
    Pretty much every single person on this forum can attest that, no matter the preparation, no matter the scheduling, no matter the attention to traffic patterns, occasionally it is, in fact, a capricious phenomenon that no one can ever prepare for.
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    Also, thanks for implying that the occasional storm of unpredictable walk-in patients are a result of my incompetence. Stay classy, man.
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    Quote Originally Posted by spex911 View Post
    That is most likely a sign of the manager not staffing properly at busy times. Same concept applies to all businesses. If you're busy, then you need more staff. If you're not busy, then you need to send people home for the day.
    this is not necessarily true. the only way you can base your staffing is using your daily schedule for your doctor and making sure that the proper amount of staff will be there. You can't predict walk ins, which my office i know gets alot of, and it seems like they send memos out to eachother to all come in at the same time but they don't let me in the loop. We have had days where we've had 30 eye exams, and zero purchases. likewise we've had days with 10 eye exams and 20 purchases. Retail is a beautiful monster like that, you truly never know.

    its a little offensive to assume that because an office gets overwhelmed once in awhile that the manager has NO idea what they're doing.
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