Another Week of 25-Minute Clinics, Walk-Ins, and '1 or 2' on Repeat?

Let’s be honest - ‘1 or 2?’ is more a reflex for us, than part of a conversation.

After 60-70 patients a week, it’s easy to feel like we’re just going through the motions for time to pass by until we can go home. For us, it can be mundane and routine. But for the patient? It’s a moment of trust and connection waiting to happen..

We must have a way to re-frame this in our minds. If not, sooner or later we will fall out of love with this profession and go to work because we ‘have to’, not because we ‘want to’.

Every time we say ‘1 or 2?’ or ‘is it just as good with, or better without?’, we are inviting the patient into the journey of improving their sight. Ironic but we probably don’t appreciate the massive impact these questions have on our patient’s quality of life. Every response leads to us making a decision for them and that very act will impact their vision for the foreseeable future. It’s not our fault - we’re asked to say the same thing day in, day out for 40 years. So it’s easy for it to lose it’s meaning. However, let’s try put ourselves in our patient’s shoes as much as possible and remember how crucial everything we do is.

So how do we make the patient feel heard and taken care of?

Try tiny shifts in how we ask. Our tone of voice or short pauses could help. These create moments of intrigue within the exam. The patient can feel something really cooking and it keeps them engaged for much longer, giving us more accurate subjective responses too. It’s our responsibility to ensure the patient is getting the best version of ourselves and their examination is not lacking effort and interest from our side. After all they trust us with their vision and comfort, so a certain level of engagement is required.

Communication plays a critical role in how the patient perceives us and their experience within the practice, but more on that in another edition!

When we have back to back patient’s and the clinic is running at full speed, just stop and remember that they’ve waited all week for this appointment. Their last examination was probably 2 years ago so this slot really means a lot to them. If someone puts that much importance for our time, we need to appreciate it and reciprocate by giving each patient the best examination to our capabilities, both mentally and physically.

Remember, you’re not just doing a refraction. You’re giving another human an experience they deserve and moreover, you’re enhancing their sight and therefore have the responsibility to give them a higher quality of life through their vision.

P.S. What's your favourite way to keep things human when the clinic schedule is non-stop? Hit reply — I’d love to know and perhaps use them myself!

Keep testing eyes and touching hearts,

Hasnain Mamdani - Founder & editor
Optometrist
The Optics Room