Question:
My sister that have just recently graduated from optometry school is
thinking about subleasinf an office next to sam's club in north texas
, but she's not sure if she'll like it since the office is really
small(a front desk, a full lane, and a restroom) and there's pretty
much no room for adding her preferred instruments(humphrey VF,
topography, and camera) to provide other optometric services. can any
optometrist here that have or had office next to sam's club provide
their experience? and please answer the following questions. thanks.
1. is it a good idea to accpet insurance such as vsp? will it bring in
more patients? the current doc isn't taking any insurance.
2. the office is equiped with a full lane, auto refractor, auto
lensometer, and FDT VF. Is that enough to provide quality eye care?
3. what days are the busiest and slowest?
4. should she advertise her practice?
5. how patients should she see per week to live comfortably?
What do you know about Vision Insurance Plan?
Answer:
I find it difficult to imagine that any optometrist would be computer
illiterate.
I happen to practice in North Texas - for nearly 20 years now - in a
non-commercial setting. I am also certified to treat glaucoma. The
problem with this is insurance. Patients - especially with long-term
diseases like glaucoma - will want their provider to be on their
insurance plan. As an O.D. practicing in Texas, she should be very
pleased about the new law which prohibits insurance plans from
discriminating against optometrists. However, people's perceptions
being what they are, I wonder how many would really think of going to
Sam's for glaucoma treatment.
In my opinion, given the state of the economy and the trends, she will
also need to accept some type of third party vision care benefit plan.
In this area, VSP is the big elephant, and will bring new patients.
Unfortunately, the profits are very slim. I calculate that a VSP
patient just about pays the overhead for my practice. I became
successful without accepting insurance for most of my years in private
practice, but the times are changing, and every new OD signs up with
VSP, which increases their penetration. It seems like ODs continue to
graduate with the same sense of optimism, regardless of the realities,
which is good I guess.
I wish her good luck. I cannot help but wonder if there aren't any
better opportunities in some of the more rural areas of Texas?
