Best Days to Practice Optometry
Since starting my practice inside a Wal-Mart Vision Center, I’ve kept track on a spreadsheet the daily gross and the number of exams. I also track a few other items like glasses vs. contacts vs. medical visits, DNKAs, follow-ups, walk ins, and appointments scheduled.
I thought it might be nice to share with you all a pattern I’ve noticed about which days are better to work than others, listed best to worst.
2008 so far (January to April I worked Mon 10-7, Wed 10-7, Friday 10-7, and Saturday 9-5, and May to present I worked 5 days a week, Tues 9-6, Wed 10-7, Thursday 10-7, Friday 9-5, Sat 9-3):
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Saturday
- Monday
- Friday
- Thursday
2007 from April to December I worked four days a week (Monday 10-7, Wednesday 10-7, Friday 10-7, and Saturday 9-5):
- Wednesday
- Monday
- Friday
- Saturday
In 2007 Mon, Fri, and Saturday were almost identicle in revenue earnings, but Wednesday gross averaged $98 more than the other days. In 2008 so far Tuesday and Wednesday (TuW) are close and so are Saturday and Monday (SaM). TuW gross averages $71 more than SaM, and SaM averages $79 more than Thursday.
In 2007 my private practice appointment book would fill up fast on Tuesdays and not so much on Thursdays. At the Wal-Mart, they told me I’d missed quite a few walk-in opportunities on Tuesdays, but not many on Thursdays.
Anyway, my take home message is this:
- I advise O.D.s looking for fill-in work to stay away from Thursdays and Fridays and try to get in on the action for Tuesday and Wednesday. (Conversely, if you are an optometrist looking to hire fill-in work, then switch what I just said.)
- If you need to take a random day off, Thursday or Friday is a safe bet
Your mileage may vary. For instance, from what I’ve heard, everywhere else in my district (Salt Lake to Ogden area) is gangbusters on Saturdays. I think that in my Northern Utah town the people like to go play on Saturdays and not worry about having to spend time at the doctor’s office. We notice that Saturdays are better in the winter than the summer because our area has lots of good hiking, boating, and other summer fun activities nearby.
Tags: management, optometrist, Wal-Mart
David:
Who is telling you Saturday is good? The corporate managers or other OD’s? When I worked retail I found Saturday was busy from about 10 am to 1. Lots of no shows but walk in’s usually made up for them. After about 1 people were busy and no-shows were high and walk in’s few and far between.
I think the eyeglass numbers and sales were big for the retail side but these are people bringing in outside scripts. From a numbers standpoint, the managers what you there on Saturday so they don’t miss an eyeglass sale. I was even asked to work a Sunday here and there (I refused) and I think almost every state except Utah mandates Sunday coverage in lease agreements. I think it will be here in the next 5 to 10 years as well.
In short, look at Saturday by the hour. I think you will find the same thing I did.
Yah, it was the managers looking it up on the wire for the optical gross sales.
Still, I work Saturdays 9-3 and gross the same as staying 9 hours on another day. Saturdays are advantageous for me.
I’m with you. I won’t work Sundays.
I’m not sure why comments are displaying twice right now.