Posts – FirstSight Vision Services

Doctor Testimonials Read our doctor testimonials to see why you should consider a FirstSight Sublease.

Charles Kim, O.D.

From my heart, I am delighted to recommend Firstsight Vision Services as your next optometric practice. I have been practicing optometry for 33 years and my scope of practice include military optometry, private office, employee position, and medical group with ophthalmologists. Out of all the different optometric modalities, my years with Firstsight stand out as very fulfilling and headache/hassle free, making my life easy. I tribute such experience due to fantastic support from the District Manager and Firstsight corporate leaders. If you decide to work as Firstsight OD, I guarantee you have made the right decision and will not have any regrets. The office will bear your name, and you are in charge from day one. I have had 15+ satisfying years with Firstsight and I firmly believe you will too. I wish you the best. Dr Kim, OD

Connie Choi, OD

Subleasing with FirstSight has provided me a platform to do what I love: Connecting with people and helping to improve their quality of life through eye exam service. I appreciate the freedom to set my own pace so that I can control how much time I want to spend with each patient depending on their individual needs. I am grateful for the mentorship and partnership with my district manager at FirstSight because I can receive support and help in running my optometry clinic. There is a sense of ownership that comes with being a sublease optometrist at FirstSight. The fact that it is my business and FirstSight is there to support, There is also a sense of community with other optometrists at FirstSight. Knowing that there are other doctors who can relate to my daily experiences and growth gives me an added sense of comfort and confidence.

Connie Choi, OD - Union City

Kathy Ng, OD

Subleasing my practice with FirstSight has given me the opportunity to balance motherhood and my career. The flexibility allows me to open my practice three days each week and still be fully engaged with my two young boys. FirstSight leadership has always been extremely supportive of my practice and this has been exemplified even more during this pandemic.

Kathy Ng, OD - Fremont

Jeffrey W. Gregg, OD

I appreciate the FirstSight business model because it allows me to concentrate more on primary care optometry and less on practice management. This setting allows me to experience a wide range of patient populations and I have the independence to practice the scope of optometry necessary to meet their needs.

Jeffrey W. Gregg, OD - La Mesa

Randolph Galang, OD

First Sight Vision Services is a great company to work with. I have been with First Sight Vision Services for more than 10 years. They gave me a great opportunity as a New Grad and they have also allowed me to grow with them and as my optometry career moved forward. First Sight Vision has allowed me to schedule patients in a timely matter, so my patients never feel rushed. They have allowed me to control my own staff and payroll options. They have also given me the means to run a successful practice with very low overhead. The best part of working with First Sight Vision Services is that you never feel alone. You can always count on your District Manager and First Sight Vision staff if you have any questions. Moreover, you also have a great community of optometrists who are only one phone call away. Even though we are all independent; we are all here to help each other.

Randolph Galang, OD - Elk Grove

SPRING: FORWARD/INTO ACTION/CLEANING

Theresa Ayers March 1, 2023 FSVS Partner no responses

So many things associated with the start of this coming season. And all of it is so important.

Spring forward. Just a reminder of the time change that will occur and time is moved forward one hour. Note your calendars for March 12 for this event.

Spring into action. It is something that we mention a lot here and it is just so important that you don’t get too complacent. Don’t ever take the busy days for granted. And try to help prepare yourself for any slower days. Get information from your patients on possible family members that may need an exam in the near future. Find out who their employer is and send a letter to that company letting them know that you are local and are taking new patients.

And the dreaded Spring cleaning. Hopefully you keep up on cleaning your office daily and this task should not be too overwhelming. Keep in mind, your practice is a clinical setting and cleanliness is expected to be at a higher standard.

Spring is a time of refresh and renew. Embrace the season and bring some of the positive vibes into your business. A happy business is a thriving business.

PASSIONATE – ABOUT WORK

Theresa Ayers January 30, 2023 Personal Development no responses

February is the month normally where we acknowledge our love of others. But we should not forget about our love of our jobs. And when you love what you do, it really doesn’t feel like work.

All of our doctors trained for the job because of the passion you felt for caring for others and providing a service to help and improve the quality of life for people. And in a sublease you not only get to provide this extraordinary service but you also have the added benefit of running your own practice. With that responsibility you do have to factor in some actual work that needs to be done. In order to grow a practice there are often tasks that you need to improve on, maintain or implement.

While we are still at the beginning of the year, why not take a moment to review and revise your annual business plan and set specific goals that you want to achieve and how you will work towards completing them. The more specific the better and include a time frame for completing each item. Not every goal has to be a major change, but it should be actionable and measurable. And don’t be afraid to set a major goal but break it down to smaller tasks so it is achievable.

Make every month one to be passionate about what you do every day!

~ From Theresa’s Corner ~ In the Blink of an Eye

Nicole Gonzales January 3, 2023 Practice Management no responses

Happy 2023 Everyone!

As Optometrists you all know what literally happens in the blink of an eye, but as business owners, we all use that phrase a little differently.

I hear and see almost every day the struggles that we are all facing with the changes in the world. I know that all forms of business are in a different position today than they were almost 3 years ago. One of the things that we become comfortable with is the consistency of business but don’t lose sight of the fact that it really takes work and effort to build that up.

I was sitting in a meeting recently and overheard one doctor telling another that they really appreciate our sublease design as they can practice at the scope of their comfort level and they control the flow and can actually take time to “connect” with their patient. This got me thinking. As a patient, I appreciate doctors who take the time to explain my situation and needs, but to connect with that person, it takes a little bit extra. One of the things that the speaker of the meeting had done was an “ice breaker” which kind of made us all look at each other as individuals. Maybe this can be a simple first step you might want to try in your practice. When you seat your patient in the chair, connect with them with an ice breaker question (what is their favorite movie, food, music…). Make it a question that really doesn’t pertain to the exam process at all. Maybe you have a common interest. Now that is the doctor who I will remember and feel like they valued me as a person and not just a refraction. All done in the blink of an eye.

SEASON’S GREETINGS

Theresa Ayers December 3, 2022 Practice Management no responses

Well, here we are again. Quickly approaching the end of 2022 and getting ready to ring in 2023. We can all agree that 2022 had it’s share of challenges and who knows what 2023 will bring. The message though is we are still together and we are all trying to rebuild and we are confident that the hard work and dedication that everyone puts forth every day of the year will bring more growth and success as time goes on. We touch on this every month, life is in constant change and being willing to see what is going on around you and around the world can sometimes make those changes so much easier to navigate.

The new year will be exactly what you want it to be and what you make of it. So let’s start now with positive outlooks and know that of course things will be tossed in that will challenge you, but be at your best so that you can maneuver and take everything in stride. You are a truly amazing group of people to work with and the inspiration that we get is so often from you.

Best Holiday/Season wishes to each and every one of you and to your friends and family. And Cheers to the coming 2023!

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

Theresa Ayers November 4, 2022 Personal Development no responses

Take a moment to reflect on what has happened in your life this year. Yes, the end of the year is right around the corner. We always find it so easy to remember the challenges or obstacles we had to get through, but I want you to identify the good things that happened this year.

Big events are easy to identify (congratulations to those of you who have new homes, got married and who added new babies into your lives!). But for some of us, it may seem like nothing special happened which is just not true. The simple things that brought joy to you even if for just a moment should be recognized. Think about that new recipe you tried out and everyone loved it, or maybe you got a jump start on holiday shopping this year or did you finally tackle that closet and get it organized? Don’t dismiss the little things that contribute to the overall big picture.

Try doing this exercise for your practice as well. If you have staff, get their input on the successes you had this year. Just take the month to be thankful for everything that you have and do and focus on the positives in your life!

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?

Theresa Ayers September 29, 2022 Practice Management no responses

Boy, if we really could predict and know what was going to happen wouldn’t that be great. The thing is though, we never know what is about to happen. But we can tune in to what is going on around us now and get ideas of the direction to go.

Technology is emerging in so many areas including the field of Optometry. An immediate example that comes to mind is how documenting your exams can now be done electronically. Paper is still used in a lot of cases, but you can also scan copies to reduce the amount that you actually keep in the office.

What about telehealth? Is this area exclusive to medical practitioners? Remote examinations are happening all around us now. Does it mean that in person care is no longer in demand? Absolutely not. The need for Optometrists is always going to be here but just like other things that we have allowed into our lives and practices, it could be something in the future as a tool to add more services to your patients.

Your Patients Need You

Theresa Ayers August 26, 2022 Practice Management no responses

It’s at that time of year again. And if you thought “back to school” was over, think again.

This year may be an important one as most schools are totally in person now so those kids that haven’t been in a classroom for a few years may have neglected (or not even noticed) that their vision is not as sharp as it should be. Extend your back to school marketing for at least another month this year.

Another thing that you should start focusing on is the “use it or lose it” for insurance benefits. Before you know it, the end of the year will be here why not get an early start on marketing for this campaign.

Also try to capture the families that are getting the California Relief Payments. Maybe some of these folks have put off some of their health care needs and the added stimulus can be utilized to get the exam that they have been putting off.

Keep your doors open, take those walk-in patients and post flyers about these things on your door. Vacations will be over soon and your care is needed, but sometimes you have to remind people of the importance of routine annual eye exams.

KEEPING THE COURSE WITH CHANGE

Theresa Ayers July 26, 2022 Uncategorized no responses

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

Now that is a deep thought. We live in a world of constant change. Sometimes the change is slow progressing, and we don’t realize how different things are, and other times change sneaks up on us and demands immediate action.

Many people have heard of the 5 stages of grief:

denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

Did you know that you go through these same stages when it comes to change? How quickly someone gets to the acceptance of change is individual and so many factors come into play. You can do things to help adapt though.

Talk about problems more than feelings.

Don’t stress out about stressing out.

Focus on your values instead of your fears.

Accept the past, but fight for the future.

Put people first.

Empower employees through communication.

Make change compelling and exciting.

Pay attention to high and low points in momentum.

We all prefer stability, but it is important to know that no matter what, everything changes and you can be prepared for this just by knowing that the only constant in our lives is change.

What Not To Do In Your Business

Theresa Ayers June 23, 2022 Practice Management no responses

We often find ourselves making sure to pay attention to the “what can I do (better)” side of business. Don’t ever stop doing this. But, sometimes you should take a step back and evaluate your belief of the “what NOT to do” things.
A partial list of what not to do could be:
Don’t assume that your patients aren’t willing to accept some of the modern concepts that are always emerging in the world. I often hear the statement of “my patients don’t do that” when it comes to electronic forms of communication or keeping current on social media. What are your patients doing while in your waiting area? Really take a look at this because you should not be surprised to see that an extremely high percentage are looking at their cell phones.
Don’t spend time when business is slow doing tasks that don’t relate to your business. Take the opportunity to update (or create) a website. Use the time to call patients that were in the office earlier that week to make sure that they are happy with their new contact lenses. Clean and organize. Go visit your Vision Center Manager and make sure that they are aware of any open time slots in your schedule. By re-investing that “down” time into the practice, you are building stronger relationships with your patients and with the Vision Center which is a win/win for everyone.
Don’t ignore the power of recalling patients for annual examinations. So many practices focus on today but stop short of thinking ahead of the game for what is needed for the future. Unfortunately so many patients put off annual examinations until something happens that brings them back in. The process of recalling patients will inform them that an examination is so much more than checking their prescription.
Think of the things that you put off or avoid doing and put a positive spin on it so that you can at least try it out. Taking a positive approach to all of the negative things could have significant rewarding benefits in building your practice.

How Do You Connect With Your Patients?

Theresa Ayers June 1, 2022 Practice Management no responses

As everything returns to “normal” we can clearly see that normal has a new definition. Over the past 2 years the general population really has adapted to more electronic forms of communication. As a matter of fact, this is probably now the preferred method for a high percentage of people.

This does not mean that you must stop doing some of the tried-and-true ways of communicating, but rather expand on that. For example, don’t stop doing recalls for your patients, but incorporate more of the email/text message features that many systems offer. If you aren’t already, take the time to collect email addresses from your patients.

Many doctors are reporting more interactions with patients when they have an online scheduling system. If you have an EHR system, you may already have this. If you aren’t using one, consider looking into some of the scheduling systems that are available. These systems allow the flexibility to patients and you for filling time slots when you may not be in the office to take a call.

Have you considered doing newsletters to your patients (sending via email). This can be something that you do on a quarterly basis and make it something fun for them to read. In addition to maybe an easy-to-read article about eye health, maybe add some pictures of events that you have attended or are local to your community.

Keep your website up to date. If you can, link your scheduling system to your website. Post your website address on your door and add it to your business cards. And if you don’t have a website, take a little bit of time to start creating one.

If you have any ideas that you would like to share with other doctors, please let us know. We are always looking for tips we can share from you, the true professionals.