Last month, we announced the ten honorees of the 2018 Best Practices Program. Over the next several months, we will be taking the time to get to know them better and to share what makes their practices Best Practices. This month, Roxanna Potter, OD, FAAO of Personal Eyecare in Sylvania, Ohio shares what makes her practice tick, and what being a Best Practice means to her.
Q: What professional services do you offer at Personal Eyecare?
A: We provide primary eye care to patients of all ages, from infancy to 100+ years old. I specialize in cornea and contact lenses, including scleral lenses and orthokeratology. We also have a dry eye clinic, and are focused on macular degeneration prevention.
Q: If you could tell someone only one thing about your practice, what would that be?
A: We are true to our name. We offer personal eye care. The most valuable thing I can give patients is my time - listening to their concerns and addressing them. We have advanced technology, but at the end of the day, the level of personal care we provide is what keeps patients coming back.
Q: As a solo practitioner, your staff is particularly important to you. How do you keep them motivated and engaged?
A: I lead by example. You can't expect your staff to be on time if you're not, or expect good attitudes if yours is poor. When I'm excited and engaged, my staff is, too. I educate them on the importance of our eye care services, so they understand why we are doing things. I make a point to micromanage less, and delegate more - putting trust in my staff to do things that I used to do myself. I give them freedom to do what they think is right.
Q: It is overwhelming to see all of the equipment and technology available to today's eye care practices. How do you decide which to implement at Personal Eyecare?
A: I watch optometric trends. For instance, dry eye is becoming increasingly important. I look for equipment that is reasonably priced and will deliver value to our patients and our practice. It's a balance. We have a lot of technology that other practices in our area do not have because I reinvest back into my business. Whether it is advanced equipment for exams or an upgraded phone system, technology is important to continue driving practice growth.
Q: Tell us about something you do in your practice that you consider to be innovative.
A: We are innovative in our approach to pediatric eye care. Every child under the age of 5 receives a copy of The Eye Book by Dr. Seuss with the name of my practice stamped inside. To foster referrals, we regularly go out to talk to pediatricians. And at the end of every pediatric eye exam, I write "prescriptions" for ice cream that can be fulfilled at the ice cream shop next door - on us! It is fun for the kids, and memorable for the whole family.
Q: What does being a Best Practice mean to you?
A: It is entirely, 100% motivating to me. It is acknowledgement that I have been doing things right, but now I feel I will be held accountable so I better continue growing and improving!