I enjoy helping doctors develop a training plan for their staff. It seems to be challenge in every single practice, including mine. It seems odd that it would remain a problem with all of the available resources out there. I googled "Optometric Staff Training Programs" and got over 3 million sites. I have studied this problem for many years and now know the root of our training dilemma. Most doctors don't need a new training plan, they need a whole new strategy.

All OD's are obviously influenced about the methods used to educate us. So it makes sense to the doctors that it is better to start training by teaching the basics of optometry before we begin teaching the skills needed to run our systems. But if the systems are good enough, then teaching the "why" is just a confusing and wasted step.

I realize this goes against what most people believe, but think about it from a perspective of a new employee in an office with systems and processes already in place.

View a new twist on staff training strategy (PDF)

Effective training programs need to be coordinated with good systems of operations, a quality hiring process, strong orientation program and good leadership. It can be confusing and can sometimes seem overwhelming.