Sponsored by VSP
By Deborah Kotob, ABOM
Employee retention is currently one of the major shared pain points in the optical industry. The 2022 Workplace Learning & Development Trends | Research Report shows employees who actively engage in professional growth and development have higher levels of productivity, team collaboration and overall job satisfaction. Recognizing this need, VSP Vision™ created VSP Premier Edge™ Training and Education to intentionally provide industry-vetted comprehensive training to help you build your business, train and retain optical staff, and ultimately differentiate and compete in today’s competitive environment.
Premier Edge Training and Education offers learning opportunities at no cost to you or your staff and through a variety of modalities. You’ll find online on-demand resources, including videos and webinars, and opportunities to attend in-person workshops presented by industry experts. These education offerings are designed to enhance and elevate your optical staff skills and help increase your practice visibility with current and potential patients.
The latest Staff360 Employee Onboarding and Development series fosters growth and development for the individual employee, contributing to the success of the entire practice and helping create a consistent experience where patients return year after year. Staff360 is comprised of three components:
- Onboarding Optometry New Hires eLearning Course: This on-demand course is designed to provide hiring managers with a foundational onboarding program to build employee retention and start them on a career-focused path, including a comprehensive step-by-step guide.
- VSP Visionary Pro: This suite of eLearning courses provides practice employees with additional knowledge of VSP products and programs so the ECP can effectively maximize VSP in the practice for the best patient experience. Once an employee completes the courses, they receive an individual certificate of completion, and the practice attains the Premier Edge Training and Education Badge.
- Certified Paraoptometric (CPO) Exam Prep: In recognition of the vital role of Paraoptometrics in the optical field, this suite of eLearning courses provides optical staff with step-by-step preparation for the American Optometric Association (AOA) CPO exam, increasing their knowledge and understanding of concepts used in optometric care. Read the full article at 2020mag.com/article/why-is-paraoptometric-professional-development-vital-for-the-ecp-sponsored.
VSP Premier Edge Training and Education is committed to providing high-level optical employee training and resources to bring added value to its ECPs. Thriving independent optical practices succeed by having a strong team from the front office to the dispensary, to the doctor, where every team member is engaged and able to provide excellent care. Offering resources like Staff360 aids the ECP in developing knowledgeable staff who understand products and have the clinical proficiencies to help the practice best serve the patient. Taking it one step further, the Staff360 Employee Onboarding and Development Series includes training in successful claims submission, paving the way for a seamless and positive patient experience while ensuring proper practice reimbursement. Read the full article at 2020mag.com/article/training-and-professional-development-the-key-to-attracting-and-retaining-optical-staff.
Engaging and learning through Premier Edge Training and Education further provides practices the ability to differentiate. The badging program, launched in 2020, further supports practices by increasing patient visibility to their practices through two educational badges: the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Badge and the Premier Edge Training and Education Badge. The badges are displayed on the VSP ® Find a Doctor Directory listing on vsp.com. With hundreds of thousands of visitors monthly to the VSP Find a Doctor Directory, achievement of the badge helps provide visibility and attract patients—practices that display both badges receive twice as many scheduled appointment clicks compared to practices with no badges. Premier Edge Training and Education has refreshed their badge and will showcase an updated look at Vision Expo West. If you’re in Las Vegas, be sure to stop by to learn what this badge can do for you. Read the full article at 2020mag.com/article/connecting-the-patient-and-practice.
Doctors of Optometry have a critical role in creating a positive impact on the early detection, intervention and prevention of diabetic eye disease and vision loss. Recognizing this importance to the patient, Premier Edge Training and Education offers all VSP network practices the opportunity to attain the ADA Badge to show their focus on diabetes education to their patients. The badge highlights the practice’s commitment to connecting vision to overall health and wellness of its patients, especially those living with or at risk for diabetes. The ADA and VSP’s Premier Edge Training and Education provides diabetes education for both VSP network doctors and staff, including on-demand eLearning courses and live webinars that offer attendees COPE-accredited CE credit.
VSP Premier Edge is constantly evolving to support doctors in realizing their vision for long-term practice success. A singular goal for VSP is to support the profession of optometry and help private practice thrive. Offering resources like Premier Edge Training and Education aids the ECP in developing knowledgeable staff who understand products and have the clinical proficiencies to help the practice best serve the patient. To learn more, visit mypremieredgetraining.com.
