Recognition as a 2014 Optometric Business Innovator

I am proud to share that I was named as a 2014 Optometric Business Innovator by the industry publications Review of Optometric Business and Vision Monday. This month's blog is an excerpt from that article and interview. The full article may be found here.

“I strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable practice for both my customers and my staff, one that also remains innovative and up-to-date with the advances in the profession.” -A. Neukirch

Andrew J. Neukirch, OD, knows about business efficiency-and getting up to speed in a hurry. Neukirch, who purchased his 56-year-old practice in 2011, said there was an immediate to update the office's technology. "When I bought the practice, the retiring doctor and staff members had systems in place that certainly worked well, but technology was not utilized to a significant extent," he said. "Within the first year, we implemented EHR, purchased a SD-OCT, added 50-inch displays in the exam lanes for patient education and displaying test results, and implemented online appointment scheduling with Demandforce."

Complementing the practice's new and improved technology was participation in the IDOC optometric alliance. "I took the first two years researching all of the major optometry groups before discovering that IDOC was the best match for my practice," Neukirch said. "At this early point in my career, IDOC has allowed be to network with experienced and successful practitioners who openly share ideas and strategies that have proven useful to integrate."

With such an emphasis on technology and business efficiency, it's no surprise the practice prides itself on its accessibility online. "Out practice's online presence is unmatched in the area, and over 50 percent of our new patients find us on the internet. Prior to 2011, our online presence was a simple website. I now have a blog that has over 500 views per month, active Facebook and Google+ pages, an interactive online 'walkthrough' tour of the office, and the practice shows up number one on all search engines in the area," said Neukirch. "Through our marketing efforts, most new patients have already read about our office before walking in the door, and we tend to attract high quality, compliant, health conscious patients who are not looking for an optometrist who simply 'takes their vision plan.'"

–The Editors of VM and 

Review of Optometric Business: 

Marge Axelrad, Deirdre Carroll, Mary Kane, 

Andrew Karp, Roger Mummert, John Sailer, 

Margery Weinstein, Catherine Wolinski