Removing the Salesperson Mentality

Putting our fear of appearing sales-driven over what is best for our patients is a disservice to them and our practices. Regarding patients, this behavior limits their choices and could prevent them from achieving the fastest relief and, thus, an improvement in quality of life. When it comes to our practices, this conduct can result in patient dissatisfaction in our care, which could prompt them to seek a new eyecare provider. This is particularly the case when they hear about or see the options we didn’t discuss. So, how can we overcome this fear? Here’s what I suggest:

1. REMEMBER WHO WE ARE

Let’s remember that our patients picked us to be their eyecare provider because they value our experience, skillset, and knowledge regarding the best interventions for their eyecare needs. Thus, our patients want to hear about everything that is available for their one or more eyecare needs from us, the subject matter experts they chose. Mindset is everything; we must recognize that our patients genuinely value our expertise.

Remembering who we are also means ceasing to default to what insurance covers by recommending the covered drop, trying the formulary option, and cycling through what the pharmacy will approve.

2. PROVIDE PATIENT EDUCATION

Cost becomes a secondary consideration for the patient when they are educated on why, specifically, a certain product, treatment, or service is best for them. 

In the case of dry eye disease (DED), as an example, when we explain to patients what meibomian glands do, why they can fail, why inflammation persists, and how a specific treatment can intervene, the value of the treatment now becomes an informed decision and not one about money.

Further, when we immediately broach why their insurance may not cover the item we think will be the best for them, we remove the thought from the patient’s mind that we are motivated by cost. 

Using the example of in-office interventional DED treatments, I say to patients, “These technologies were originally developed in aesthetic medicine. Physicians discovered DED improved as a secondary benefit. Insurance companies still categorize them as cosmetic devices, so they do not reimburse for them even though we use them therapeutically.”

3. SPEAK WITH CONVICTION

When a product, treatment, or service is total patient pay, many of us speak in an apologetic tone. Patients hear this, which can make them question the necessity of our recommendation(s). If we believe a specific product, treatment, or service is best for a patient, we must speak with unwavering confidence about it: “Your copay is about $200 per month. That is roughly $2,400 dollars per year. This medication works while you use it. If you stop, inflammation typically returns.”

Another example: “In-office therapy is a higher upfront investment. The goal is to improve meibomian gland function and reduce long-term dependence on drops. Some patients eliminate prescription drops. Some reduce them. Results vary, but this addresses the root cause.”

THE OUTCOME

By remembering who we are, providing patient education, and speaking with conviction, we can increase the likelihood of patients getting the best interventions for them, which can result in both patient loyalty and referrals. Doing what is best for the patient is also doing what is best for the practice.