I would like to comment on the article “Going to the Mall for an Eye Checkup” in the Wall Street Journal on July 12th. The author Suzanne Barlyn, compared her experiences with a variety of optometrists (O.D.’s) who work for retail chains. While she did a great job highlighting the benefits of seeing an O.D., she didn’t include a visit to a private practice O.D. I think it’s important to remember that most private practice O.D.’s offer the same conveniences as retail, extended hours etc. but with the added benefit of personalized long term care.
Unlike O.D.’s who work for chains, private practice O.D.’s have autonomy regarding their patient load. The freedom to set their own schedule means they can give each patient as much time as they need, not as much time as the retail chain’s quotas dictate. Plus, because private-practice doctors are small business owners they move around less. This stability allows them to form long term relationships with their patients and have a deeper knowledge of their eyecare history. Also, many private practices are located in “retail” settings, similar to those compared in the article.
Quality eyecare is imperative for overall health and we feel that the optometrists who are best equipped to provide that care are private practice optometrists. But more important than my opinions are the opinions of consumers, the Jobson 2006 Adult Consumer Eye Exam Experience Research showed that consumers are more satisfied with their eyecare experience if they visit a private practice O.D. rather than a retail chain. Patients who visit a private practice O.D. are also more likely to return to the same doctor for their next exam. Customer Satisfaction with our exclusively private practice doctor network is also one of the reasons that VSP has been ranked " Highest in Member Satisfaction Among National Vision Plans, Three Years in a Row " by J.D. Power and Associates .
I’m interested in your opinion. What do you think about the retail vs. private practice comparison?
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