Healthcare professionals across disciplines have found difficulty in getting patients to follow and stick to their recommendations. In the eyecare space, many blame the “sales pitch,” claiming the doctors or staff aren’t comfortable with “selling” or the pitch itself needs work. Others believe that staff turnover and lack of training plays a role. After observing many eyecare practices, Bethany Fishbein, OD, shared what she determined to be a driving force behind patients not following recommendations.

Identifying the Chief Complaint

Often times, eye care professionals tend to assume the reasons that bring patients into an exam. However, Dr. Fishbein noted that one protocol made the difference between high- and low-performing ODs. The protocol: asking patients the main reason for their visit. Seems obvious, right? But truly listening to the response and using it to guide the remainder of the appointment can change a standard annual exam into a specialty contact lens fitting. Very few patients are truly there because “It’s been a year, and I’m due for an exam.”

Another important note: it doesn’t matter if it’s a doctor, a technician, or a front desk staff member who asks this question. It does matter if it’s asked and recorded as “the chief complaint,” so other staff members involved can know how to handle the rest of the appointment. The chief complaint is the “main” reason that brings the patient in for their appointment, and it should be the focus of the exam and any prescription or care recommendations that follow.

Training the Staff

Of course, staff training remains a critical component of a successful patient experience. To implement the new protocol mentioned above, you’ll need to educate your staff on the change and the “why” behind it. It’s a relatively minor update with a major benefit, and that’s the way it should be communicated to your team.

Dr. Fishbein gave an example of how this change could impact an optometric practice. During her observation, she witnessed a tech taking a detailed patient history. On the doctor hand-off, the tech mentioned a few items of note that they assumed the patient would want the doctor to know, including that they were in for a routine exam, they’d tried contacts in the past and didn’t like them, and they suffered from occasional dry eye and migraines.

In hearing these details, the doctor went right into recommending specialty lenses for the patient’s glasses to help with the migraines. However, instead of purchasing these lenses, the patient ended up leaving without any purchase at all. Why? The patient was actually there to get new contact lenses, so he didn’t have to wear glasses for his upcoming wedding and honeymoon.

This patient probably left feeling frustrated, seeing the practice as more focused on what they want to sell than how they can help. However, if their concerns were addressed initially and then the specialty lenses were recommended, the patient may have been more open to the idea of adding on. So now this practice has missed out on the opportunity to fit the patient for contacts and the potential sale of specialty lenses simply because the correct question wasn’t asked.

Asking the Right Questions

So, if a detailed patient history doesn’t get to the necessary answer, what is the right question to ask? Dr. Fishbein explained that open-ended questions tend to lead to the best results in this path to success. Closed-ended questioning can lead to a misunderstanding of the patient’s purpose for being there (e.g. “You’re here for an eye exam?” vs. “What brings you in today?”). She reiterated that practitioners should “make sure you know why your patient is in your chair and what they hope to get from the visit before you even pull the phoropter in front of them.”

You may be thinking, “That doctor could help that patient relieve their migraines; they most definitely should mention that in the exam!” Of course, practitioners should share their recommendations for all the complaints of the patient. That said, it’s important to address the chief complaint first, so the patient knows you’re listening, even if you want to make a recommendation to address something the patient may not be aware of. Dr. Fishbein also recommends confirming that the patient’s complaint has been addressed prior to wrapping up the appointment.

Patient compliance continues to be a hot topic among healthcare providers, but it doesn’t need to be a negative conversation in your practice. By enlisting this technique, you may find you’re your patients are leaving happier and following your recommendations better. Read Tips for Overcoming Non-Compliance In Your Patients for even more support!