From the front desk to the exam lane and beyond, having a well-trained and happy staff is key to patient care and practice success. However, with the ongoing high demand for qualified ophthalmic technicians projected to grow by nearly 15% between 2020 and 2030,1 finding and retaining strong employees can be a challenge, leaving many ophthalmologists without the staff needed to run their practices efficiently.
We spoke to 3 practice administrators about the obstacles to retaining key employees, the factors contributing to a shortage of ophthalmic technicians, and what can be done about both.
A Sense of Community
Carrie Jacobs, COE, CPSS, OCS, is executive vice president of operations for the Chu Vision Institute and part of the governing body of the Chu Surgery Center, both located in Bloomington, Minnesota. Ms. Jacobs has more than 25 years of experience in ophthalmology and manages several critical areas of Chu Vision.
"Medicine, in general, is facing the burden of doing more with less—with shrinking reimbursements, higher costs of supplies, and rising overhead costs,” Ms. Jacobs said. However, she believes employee retention is more complex than just offering a good salary and a manageable workload. Ms. Jacobs believes that today’s employees seek a sense of belonging and community.
“They want to run in a pack, working toward a collective goal. In our case, [the goal] is taking care of patients,” she said, emphasizing that culture is a key factor in employee satisfaction or dissatisfaction. “Transparent communication from leadership, having a culture of caring, investing in education, and providing opportunities for growth and advancement are all cultural pillars that create [a feeling of] safety. Employees want to plant themselves to grow and flourish within your organization,” she stressed.
Less Income, More Work
Declining physician reimbursement by health insurance companies has presented significant challenges for healthcare practices, and ophthalmology is not immune to the financial strain.
Lynn Girdlestone, COA, OSA, OSC, practice manager at Swedberg Eye Care in Edmonds, Washington, says that a lack of competitive salaries and benefits, combined with a shortage of qualified ophthalmic technicians, results in a heavier workload, ultimately leading to burnout.
“Many of us are pressured to see more patients within the same business hours to maintain financial stability and ensure our employees are compensated fairly,” she said. “The pandemic has exacerbated overhead costs across the board—whether due to increased costs for supplies, equipment, or staffing. As a result, practices often have no choice but to increase patient volume to stay afloat.”
Ms. Girdlestone feels that providing high-quality care and maintaining strong patient relationships while managing the financial realities of running an ophthalmology practice is a tricky balancing act. She is not the only one.
“It’s hard to pay what people need,” acknowledged Megan Brady Costello, COA, office manager at Shafer Vision Institute in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.
Ms. Costello, who worked as a technician for several years before becoming an administrator, finds that serving in both roles has helped her to understand how her employees feel.
“The job of a technician is a lot. If you’re in a retina clinic seeing 60 patients in an afternoon, it’s physically draining,” she stated, adding that it can be emotionally draining as well. “People are losing sight. [The job] is very emotional. So, it can feel like it’s not worth it when [technicians] aren’t making enough pay. And if somebody else can offer more, they will take it.”
Awareness and Training
In addition to offering higher salaries and better benefits to attract qualified employees, ophthalmology practices nationwide are dealing with a shortage of technicians. As experienced techs are reaching retirement age, fewer young people are entering the field to replace them.1
Ms. Girdlestone attributes this to several factors: limited educational opportunities; a market in which other healthcare jobs pay better; the rapid pace of technological developments in eye care; certification hurdles; and a simple lack of awareness.
“Many people don’t know what ophthalmic technicians do,” she said, emphasizing that the ophthalmology sector needs to raise the profile of their profession in schools and the greater community.
Ms. Girdlestone adds that Swedberg Eye Care focuses on finding the best person for the position, then addresses any skills gaps through an intensive training program, she says. Furthermore, to keep staff engaged, the practice also provides support and financial assistance to employees who aspire to achieve higher levels of certification, such as Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) or Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT).
“We focus on cultural enhancement rather than cultural conformity,” she emphasized. “While skills can be taught, qualities like compassion, humility, and kindness are inherent.”
With few formal ophthalmic educational programs, many practices are training new hires on the job amid a high volume of patients. Ms. Jacobs says breaking this cycle requires intentional investment in training and development. She encourages practices to take advantage of web-based and in-office training programs run by a third party.
“Alchemy Vision is an online platform that trains a technician in the language of eye care, from the basics to preparing for the certified ophthalmic assistant (COA) exam,” she shared. “Some consultants, such as Eyetechs and others, can come into your practice to train new technicians or to train the trainers. Invest in those available resources.”
Flexibility and Community
With skilled techs in high demand, how do practices retain quality staff once they’ve been hired? Ms. Jacobs says attaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for everyone, so she strives to create flexible schedules for her team.
“Understanding what matters most to each employee is key,” she stressed. “This allows you to accommodate childcare needs or other personal priorities. And providing flexibility, when possible, helps retain valuable team members who might otherwise seek opportunities elsewhere.”
“I want people to have a good work-life balance,” agreed Ms. Costello. “I don’t want you to feel like your job consumes you. I want your family to consume you, and then you can also enjoy your job.”
Regardless of management style, keeping up morale is essential. Whether through social events, employee recognition, or involving staff in decision-making, management must foster a sense of community in which everyone feels valued.
Ms. Costello says the key to maintaining positive office morale is simple: “At Shafer Vision Institute, we put our employees first, which makes them want to put the patients first. If people feel appreciated [at work], they want to be there.”
Similarly, Ms. Jacobs notes that offering opportunities to improve skills and performance prevents stagnation, and that employees remain engaged and committed to the organization when they see a path for growth.
The management team at Chu Vision Institute keeps morale strong by ensuring that employees’ ideas are heard and their concerns are addressed, and by celebrating the team through recognition programs, team-building activities, and workplace celebrations, Ms. Jacobs says.
Swedberg Eye Care staff bond outside of work through activities like bowling, karaoke, baseball games, and art classes, says Ms. Girdlestone. But their team-building goes deeper than that, she adds.
“The understanding that we are all human is at the heart of our commitment to staff morale. We all have ups and downs and face personal challenges that can affect our work life,” said Ms. Girdlestone. “However, it’s crucial to emphasize that kindness and respect should always be maintained.”
The Takeaway
All of the administrators we spoke to agreed that, regardless of the resources a practice uses, the key to retaining quality staff members is to invest in your people.
“It won’t guarantee that employees stay forever, but it demonstrates that their growth matters,” said Ms. Jacobs, adding that building a culture that prioritizes development naturally enhances employee job satisfaction, engagement, and retention. OM
Reference
1 .U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/about/data-for-occupations-not-covered-in-detail.htm#Healthcare%20practitioners%20and%20technical%20occupations.