Samuel Baron, OD, is a practicing optometrist out of Colorado. A fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, Dr. Baron has special interests in contact lenses, children’s vision, and deaf patients. Continuing post-graduate education every year, he is constantly striving to improve himself and his patient care. We wanted to know what he thinks has helped propel him to the level of success he has found himself on. Save this article for later! Download the PDF version!

Do You Run a Private Practice, Group Practice, or Corporate Practice, and How Do You Make Patient Visits "Count"?

I run a private practice, and we spend quality time reviewing all the information with the patient. We provide fact sheets about all their needs and present videos that are specific to their individual needs while they are waiting.

What’s Your Biggest Challenge as a Business Owner?

Time management!

Top 9 Tips for a Successful Practice

1. Surround yourself with great people, and you will be great.
2. Hire good staff.
3. See good patients.
4. Go for fun and to help people see, not go to work.
5. Have all the toys it takes to do the very best job.
6. Train your staff and patients.
7. Find out what is important in the patient’s life, both personally and professionally.
8. Ask too many questions to find patients' needs and wants.
9. Solve today’s issues, but also help them prevent future issues.

 How Do You Manage Practice Efficiency?

• Spend the time to think it through.
• Work as a team to make it happen.
• As a team, develop online training and protocols.
• Review, Review, Review!
• Hold staff meetings to discuss progress or inefficiencies.

How Do You Handle Stress and Conflict in the Workplace? How Do You Address a Business Practice That Isn’t Working “Correctly”?

• Let the dust settle.
• Think it through.
• Do all you can to see all 3 sides (theirs, ours, and the real side).
• Work for a reasonable compromise, or everyone goes their own way.

How Do You Address Staff Turnover?

That is a challenge with staff or spouses moving, having babies, attending school or other careers. But the TEAM digs in and gets to the other side. We do our best to find great new staff. Timing and need are a challenge, and the first 2 weeks or 90 days reveal what you have; from there, you make your decision quickly.

Do you have a “new staff” onboarding process?

Yes, it includes:

1. Online training.
2. Excel check off lists.
3. Skills evaluation.
4. Find out what they know.
5. Find out what they don’t know.
6. Train, Train, Train!