Several years ago we began implementing one of the greatest practice builders ever in our 25 years of practice in a small logging community. We began prebooking appointments three months, six months or one year out, per the doctor's directive, as patients finished exams.

Katherine A. Carroll

Our patients were quite reluctant at first; they weren't accustomed to keeping a schedule a year out. We had to train them, and assured that they would receive a phone call one month prior to their scheduled appointment to remind them of the date, which alleviated some of their discomfort. Inhouse, we set a pre-appointment label in our computer software to identify patients who required a reminder call.  We print this list monthly and tend to calls when the doctor is out or in between patients.

Other steps we've taken in proactive booking include:

Initiating eyecare for the whole family. We help each family member get an eye exam and make them aware of hardware benefits and co-payment amounts.

Remind patients to maximize eyecare benefits.  We train them to understand the "use it or lose it" principle of insurance benefits.

Obtain authorization for whole family's eyecare benefits when contacting on behalf of one patient.  After receiving approval from eyecare provider, we advise the patient of the details in writing or by phone.

Customers who can't be reached by phone receive a mailed reminder card. For those who do not call to confirm we double-book their time slot.

Routine eye exams are scheduled according to patients' insurance guidelines. In a one-or two-year timeframe; all medical patients are followed in three-to six-month rotating time frames with their refraction scheduled annually.

These simple steps have increased our patients' perception that we pay attention to details and are looking out for their best interests.

Additional phone contact has created friendly relations that have crossed over from "strictly business."

Patients relocating or changing phone numbers notwithstanding, our pre-booking success rate has increased from about 80 percent in the first year to 95 percent today.

Proactive booking has led to greater patient care and greater patient satisfaction, and the loyalty that springs from that.

We've increased our patient base and revenue despite a declining economy, the 9-11 disaster and the impact it had on business, and the uncertainty of the recent presidential election.

Our frame representatives tell us that the other offices they've visited are slow, but we have forged ahead quite steadily with few slowdowns.


Katherine A. Carroll, CPO, CNT, is a nutritional therapist in practice with her husband, Donald Carroll, OD, at Medical Vision Center in Morton, Wash.