ECPs share their New Year’s resolutions

As we welcome a new year, now is a great time to look back at what we could have done better in 2016 and set goals for 2017.

We asked eyecare professionals from around the country what their New Year’s resolutions are, both inside and outside of the practice.

Check out what they had to say-maybe you’ll find some inspiration for your own resolutions.

Take a look back at 2016 with Optometry Times year in review

Work on those professional relationships

“To create a cohesive unit between staffs at both locations,” says Jeffry D. Gerson, OD, FAAO, Optometry Times Editorial Advisory Board member, of Shawnee, KS. “Some staffers seem to take an ‘us and them’ mentality. The office is a team, and all players should realize they play for the same team and try to help each other.”

“To develop a relationship with primary-care physicians within three to five miles of my office to improve my referral network,” says Keshav Bhat, OD, of Matthews, NC, via ODWire.

“To reach out to as many colleagues as I can for information sharing and to advance care in ocular surface disease management,” says Katherine Mastrota, OD, FAAO, Optometry Times Editorial Advisory Board member, of New York City.

“As a professional resolution I plan on carrying business cards with me more often,” says Marta Fabrykowski, OD, FAAO, of Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital Faculty Ophthalmology Practice, under Lenox Hill Hospital.

Check out the top stories of 2016

Be an advocate for optometry

“To explain to our patients about what we do well-therefore, there is no need for alternatives like Opternative,” says Rick Katz, OD, of Burke, VA, via ODs on Facebook.

Related: Why patients are choosing eyecare apps over you

Keep the business running smoothly

“To get tougher with accounts receivable,” says Jeff Summers, OD, of Cordova, TN, via ODwire.

“To have a complete review of all office systems with an eye toward streamlining,” says Jeff Kiener, OD, of Columbus, OH, via ODwire.

“To shorten my patients’ wait time,” says Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO, Optometry Times Editorial Advisory Board member, of Germantown, TN.

“To cross-train more staff not only to have them be more effective at their jobs but to keep the bickering among staff to a minimum,” says Tom Stickel, OD, of St. Louis, via ODwire.

“To better train my staff to get more upgrades,” says Barry S. Raines, Far Rockaway, NY, via ODs on Facebook.

“Increase my net,” says Alan Glazier, OD, founder of Shady Grove Eye & Vision Care.

“Increase the practice’s revenue by 10 percent over the previous year,” says Mile Brujic, OD, FAAO, Optometry Times Editorial Advisory Board member.

Related: How to prevent no-shows in your practice

Provide the best solution to your patients’ eyecare needs

“To screen every patient for dry eye disease without waiting for symptoms to present,” says Leslie O’Dell, OD, FAAO, Optometry Times blogger, of York, PA, via ODs on Facebook. “Also to be proactive and preventative in my care and start billing for external photos.”

“To get the best fits on glasses and contact lenses as I possibly can and to sell more double, high-index, and fashion frames,” says Dixon Golden, OD, of Center, TX, via ODs on Facebook.

“To develop a niche of specialty contact lenses and get the office and patients to value the services so we can start charging accordingly-while not beating my head against the wall fitting 50-year-old astigmatic presbyopic engineers,” says Dr. Stickle.

Blog: 6 steps to open a practice

“To talk to every single patient with a smartphone about digital eye strain,” says Mike Karlsrud of Minneapolis via ODs on Facebook.

“To try to remember that being contrite actually works-sometimes,” says Mark Forman of Middletown, CT, via ODs on Facebook.

“I have two things,” says Charles McBride, OD, of Beaverton, OR, via ODwire.

“One, I'd like to have a large, high-resolution screen on the wall on which the patient's spouse can view what I am seeing at the slit lamp with a foot pedal that will still the image on command. Reimbursement would be fine, but I'm really looking at ease of use and education. This was my goal last year, and I failed. Take two.”

“Two, I'd like to learn more about and begin performing nasolacrimal duct probing when necessary,” says Dr. McBride.

Blog: Be present with your patients

“OK, I have three. I'm going to stop billing E/M codes. To quote Dr. Craig Steinberg: ‘Barton McCann, MD, MPH, senior healthcare officer for CMS at the 2007 National Carrier Advisory Committee Meeting, stated from the podium:

I have no explanation why any optometrist or ophthalmologist would ever use an E/M code under any condition.’”

“Focus on what I can control,” says Weslie Hamada, OD. “Which is the actions of myself- not on the actions of others.”

“To better distinguish signal from noise: focus on one patient at a time and find joy in that moment,” says Michael Brown, OD, FAAO, Optometry Times Editorial Advisory Board member.

Enjoy life

“I don’t make New Year’s resolutions,” says Pamela Miller, OD, FAAO, JD, FNAP, Optometry Times Editorial Advisory Board member, of Highland, CA. “Instead, I firmly believe in enjoying your life, treating people kindly, and having fun, even when it seems a bit overwhelming. Most of all: laugh a lot and take care of the people around you-your family, your staff, your patients, and your friends.”

“My resolution is to take a very extended (three to six months) sabbatical from my practice in 2016,” says Angel Adolfo Camblor, OD, of Hilo, HI, via ODwire. “The hard part will be finding the right person to fill in for me while I'm gone.”

“My second grade teacher nailed it for me: ‘Learn to relax and enjoy life,’” says Bill Potter, OD, of Freehold, NJ, via ODs on Facebook. “Not that I don’t, but there’s always room for improvement.”

Blog: How to combat stress in your life

To help avoid burnout, I’ll spend more time with friends and family by reducing the patient load and working a few less number of days each month,” says Joseph Shovlin, OD, FAAO, Optometry Times Editorial Advisory Board member, of Scranton, PA.

“I'm resolving to improve my work-life balance while simultaneously drinking less wine,” said Scott G. Hauswirth, OD, FAAO. “It's going to be a tricky year.”

“As a personal resolution I plan on reading 12 books in the next 12 months,” says Marta Fabrykowski, OD, FAAO.

Blog: 5 steps to creating a budget

“My New Year’s resolution: be more patient in daily life,” says Whitney Hauser, OD, member of the American Optometric Association.

“More. I'm going to read more, write more, fish more, hike more, and spend more time with people that truly matter to me,” says Michael W. Ohlson, OD. “The theme will be: more.”

“I have a few,” says Marc Taub, OD. “To be more patient with those around me, along with getting stronger physically, emotionally, and mentally.”

“I like the real deal resolutions that are measurable and trackable,” says Mile Brujic, OD, FAAO. “Here are mine: workout at least five days a week and play my guitar at least four times per week-minimum 20 minutes.”

“Write more often and read more widely,” says Michael Brown, OD, FAAO. “Be kind-for everyone is fighting a great battle."