An Inside Job…from tinting to tracking
My name is Monica Larimore, and I am optical coordinator at a very busy practice. Located in Longmont, CO, Eagle Vision and Eye Clinic has four opticians. As optical coordinator, I manage the optical, and that includes finishing, edging, cutting, and tinting work that we do here.
Two of us — my wingman and I — do all of that work, in addition to a bit of everything else. Here’s some of what I’ve learned about that inside part of the job.
CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS
Having the right partner is critical. The labs you choose are the ones that take care of you. We work with two, and one of them has been the lab of choice since I got here 18 years ago. The key is being respectful to and helping each other.
The same goes for working with patients. We give them a timeline when they order. Then, if I see a job is delayed, I call the lab to find out what’s going on and then I notify the patient. The patient is aware at all times where their job is.
QUALITY CONTROL
Quality assurance is huge here, and everything has to be great. A job doesn’t leave the office here until it’s perfect by our standards. We verify it more than once. We double check everything is correct before the order is placed, and then we constantly check on the job. I do my check on job trays every Wed.
We open at 10. But I come in at 7 am on Wednesdays to check on everything. I call it “Check on Tray” Wed. We stay on top of everything every single day. I know what’s coming in and what’s going out. I have designated trays in different colors—for rush, for delayed, etc. It helps us know at a glance where everything is at any given time.
When jobs come back from the lab, we inspect them again. Only after we’ve done that, and there are several hands on it, do we call the patient.
Quality control and customer service are huge for us. The bottom line is simple…if you want to stay in business, you need to take care of your patient.
Erinn Morgan
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