The San Diego View

Inside this Issue:

• President’s Message
• Retina Corner
• Eye See
• CE Corner
• How to Build a Localized Online Community to Grow Your Practice
• 6 Steps for Improving Communication with Patients
• Classifieds
• Volunteer Corner
• SDCOS Announcements

President’s Message September 2020

Dr. Wendy Gross

The San Diego County Optometric Society is one of the largest and most active societies in the state of California, although we’ve had to keep our activity mostly virtual this year. Our activities include supporting the political interests of optometrists at the state and local level, providing quality continuing education to our doctors, and giving back to our community with fundraisers, vision screenings, and volunteer eye services at several locations including the Lion’s Optometric Vision Clinic and the VSP Mobile Clinic.

We are able to successfully run these programs largely due to the support of our generous sponsors. We are one of the few local optometric societies to have a healthy network of sponsors who not only provide financial support to our society, but also extend discounts to members for using their products and provide resources to help with building practices and optometric careers. Our sponsors are also instrumental in funding our public awareness projects, advocacy efforts, our website, social media, and other SDCOS social events.

We are lucky to have an extensive variety of sponsors and I would like to take a moment to recognize them. Our highest level of sponsorship is the platinum level. The amazing companies who have committed to this level of sponsorship include Empire Optical, Inc. and Essilor Labs, California Retina Associates, Eyecarepro, and NVISION Eye Centers. Our wonderful sustaining sponsors include ABB Optical Group, Bausch & Lomb, Healthy Eyes Advantage, CooperVision, La Jolla LASIK, Alcon, Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute, Nordic Naturals, NuSight Medical, Shamir, Vistakon, Sun Ophthalmics, VSP Global, Wells Fargo, Optovue, Visionary, and Westpac Wealth Partners.

I want to offer a warm thank you to all of our sponsors! I encourage our members to show their appreciation as well by taking the time to hear their ideas of how to work even better with our society and discuss with them ways in which they can personally assist you. It is important to support the sponsors who are so passionate about helping our society and our profession. The SDCOS board and I are committed to seeing the relationships between our sponsors and members continue to grow and thrive in the future. Thanks to their generous support, SDCOS has become one of the strongest optometric societies in the state and will continue to be a positive force in the lives of our doctors and the lives of the public we serve.

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Retina Corner Stay tuned for next month

 

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Eye See written by Dr. Byron Y. Newman AGING IN CALIFORNIA

In California there are about 6.6 million people 65 or over, and included in that number are 10,800 who’ve reached 100 or over.

Although we may think of these older retired folks with retirement money from their years of work, along with social security, as being happy and able to travel, we find a large contingent unable to live up to that. Fifty percent, they say, will expect to spend some time in a nursing home before death.

In California, at least 80% of impaired elderly care giving is performed by family. Five percent live in institutions, and about 21% have one or more chronic disabilities. Fifteen percent cannot perform one or more basic activities of daily living (eating, bathing and toileting.)

Nineteen percent don’t drive anymore, 8% are homebound and can’t afford a telephone. About 40% are at the poverty level in income, and yet, 70% of Medi-cal funds are expended in nursing homes.

It’s never too early to plan for your old age. Life expectancy is said to be 85 in CA, but plan for longer and join the centenarians.

Check out Dr. Newman’s website, www.thehumorfactory.com!!!

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How to Build a Localized Online Community to Grow Your Practice

Eye care practices, like any local business, thrive when they develop strong community ties. As most communication takes place online—especially in these turbulent times of social distancing—building and engaging with an online community is a crucial aspect of your practice’s brand awareness (letting people know that you exist) and paves the way for new and returning patient appointments—what’s not to love?

But how do you use social media to become an engaged community member?

Rome Wasn’t Built in A Day…

To be an engaged community member, you’ll need a local online community first. You want to be following businesses and organizations in your industry and local community that are already active on social media.

Examples include other medical practices, small businesses, and non-profit organizations and groups that work to keep your community safe and healthy.

It’s important to routinely follow businesses and groups that are in your industry, in your neighborhood and that consist of your potential patients. As you continue to grow your following, you will be building a strong, diverse online community. Once you’ve found the people, it’s time to talk to ‘em!

Engage Like You Care…Cause you DO Care

Engagement occurs in the following ways:

1. Posting your own engaging, relevant content
2. Responding to those who engage with your content
3. Reaching out to engage with others content

1. Post Your Own Content

To initiate engagement, post your own content. Share what’s going on in your practice and behind the scenes, and talk about your staff and your patients (with their permission, of course!) For higher engagement, make sure to mention them when you post about them. Try to use video and relevant hashtags to boost engagement.

2. Be Responsive

If someone engages with you, respond immediately. Treat your social platforms like you treat your live practice; be sociable, gracious, courteous, and engaging. Learn more about engaging properly in this blog post.

3. Go the extra mile

Select a few groups or businesses every day and engage with their content. This helps you to be a friendly neighbor and increases overall goodwill in your community. Even if people don’t respond, engaging with other people’s content ensures that you get great exposure to their followers.

Think Local, #SupportLocal

Show your support for local businesses by using the #supportlocalbusiness hashtag, your location hashtags, and tagging local businesses using the @mention feature. Engaging on local business pages and groups gives your practice exposure to more local followers. By sharing and commenting, you’re more likely to have your content posted and shared in turn.

Keep following people and engaging with others by liking, sharing, commenting and collaborating. You will increase your brand awareness as your name pops up on your followers feeds.

As your brand awareness rises, your engagement with others will increase and lead to more patient appointments. In the process, you will be building a strong, tight-knit community comprised of connected members who will support each other no matter what happens next.

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6 Steps for Improving Communication with Patients

 

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CE Corner We are committed to helping you fulfill your CE requirements through our local meeting with the support of our sponsors!

Featured Annual Sponsors

This webinar qualifies as “live” CE for CA licensing requirements
Speakers: Richard Mangan, OD
Topics: Crosslinking Today, Autologous Serum – From the Inside Out
Date: September 17, 2020
Webinar ID: 835 3970 2847
Passcode: 2805328

Free for SDCOS members
$35 for COA/AOA Members
$130 for Non-members
Free for Students
Free for Sponsors

To Join the Webinar
Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device:
Please click this URL to join.

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Participants must be signed into the virtual meeting for the full presentation time to receive a certificate. If this is your first time using Zoom and you are having difficulty with log-in, please feel to contact our administrative director, Nancy-Jo, at sdcos@sdcos.org  for assistance.

See 2020 CE schedule

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Classifieds

PRACTICE FOR SALE: North County “Carlsbad” upscale high-end practice. Owner at the same location over 30 years, boasts a strong net with easy hours. Great visibility location within high traffic Vons Center, theatres, library, great restaurants, great tenant mix. Office current remodeled with glass showcases, LED lighting, granite countertops, designer wallpaper, light wood floors. Updated equipment in the exam and pretest room with blue tooth transfer. Great opportunity to own a modern practice and be independent with much room for continued practice growth. Call Howard Levy, OD 760-310-8492 or email bluesdoch@yahoo.com “PRICED TOO SELL! (09/20)

Dr. John Fitzpatrick, the Society Optometrist Relations Liaison, offers a unique service to the San Diego Optometric community. Several lists are kept on file for doctors seeking the following, or any combination: • full-time work • part-time work • fill-in work • purchase a practice • sell a practice • partner in a practice. There is no charge for this service. To put your name on the list, please contact Dr. John Fitzpatrick at jpfod@aol.com

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Volunteer Corner

Monarch School Screening

Contact Dr. Bob Meisel for more information at rmeisel47@gmail.com ; www.monarchschools.org

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Lion’s Optometric Vision Clinic

ALL DOCTORS WILL RECEIVE A FREE 5 HOUR CE FOR EVERY SHIFT FOR WHICH THEY VOLUNTEER

VOLUNTEER DOCTORS needed for flexible shifts throughout the year. 9-1:00 pm. Monday -Friday 1805 Upas St San Diego, CA 92103.  Can’t volunteer at the clinic? See patients in your office. Call 619-298-5273.

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DONATE GLASSES
Please bring to a CE meeting or contact the society office at 619-663-8439 for arrangements to pick up.

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SDCOS keeps a list of all doctors willing to speak in front of groups about various topics, do home visits for patients, and assist in student mentoring. ODs interested in the Speakers Bureau, Home Visits, Student mentoring, and Low Vision OD’s, please contact the society office at 619-663-8439 or email sdcos@sdcos.org

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SDCOS Announcements

SDCOS was on NBC 7! click here to see the clip

• Click here for most recent SDCOS Board Meeting Minutes
• Click here for the 2020 CE schedule!
• Click here for COA membership benefits!

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Please update your information on www.eyehelp.org