By Staff
Thursday, January 7, 2021 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—ECPs corroborated the national statistics showing a sharp uptick in the incidence of COVID-19 cases in their communities across the country, noting the impact of the pandemic on their own staffing situations, as more of those associates have been personally affected, examined their end-of year sales and underscored their belief that the availability of vaccines will be key to a recovery. Their views were shared in the 18th Wave of the Coronavirus ECP Survey conducted Dec. 21-31, 2020, by Jobson Research, which has been surveying ECP and optical retailers since the crisis and shutdowns happened in mid-March.
By Staff
Thursday, December 3, 2020 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—In close to nine months since the advent of the COVID-19 virus to certain parts of the country in mid-March, now much more widely spread throughout the U.S., ECPs have learned to cope with the impacts of the pandemic on their patients, their staff, their exam room and dispensary operations in different ways. In general, with upswings in the number of cases in most states in late October/November, priorities toward cleaning and sanitation have taken hold and as many as 88 percent of respondents to the Nov. 24-30 Jobson Coronavirus ECP Survey say they believe hygiene protocols will continue post-COVID.
By Staff
Thursday, October 22, 2020 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—A noted rise in COVID-19 cases in their regions are a concern among the ECP respondents of Wave 16 of Jobson's Coronavirus Survey, conducted Oct. 16 through 20 by
Jobson Research. At the same time, 30 percent of respondents reported their optical sales for this month were about the same compared to the prior year's October while another 27 percent said they were experiencing higher sales this month than last year. Thirty nine percent reported their profitability was on a par with last year at this time while 27 percent said their profitability was higher.
By Staff
Thursday, September 24, 2020 12:33 AM
NEW YORK—Even with the coronavirus pandemic continuing to move across the U.S. in a hopscotch-like path, ECPs and eyecare practice managers seem to be exhibiting a more optimistic outlook on circumstances and taking steps to get back to more of a “normal” approach to business, according to the 15th Wave of Jobson's ECP Coronavirus Survey.
Jobson Research conducted the survey during the Sept. 18-22 period.
By Staff
Monday, August 31, 2020 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—As more eyecare patients across the U.S. cautiously resume visits to their eye doctor and local optical stores, health care experts continue to eye the high number of COVID-19 cases in certain states with concern. However, the average number of patients seen per day is nearing pre-COVID levels, according to according to the 14th Wave of Jobson's ECP Coronavirus Survey, conducted by
Jobson Research for the Aug. 21-27 period.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Monday, July 20, 2020 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—Business for ECPs has still sustained a strong performance, although as the increase in COVID-19 cases rises in many states across the country, there is a growing concern about the possibility of potential slowdowns. Nevertheless, according to the 13th Wave of Jobson's ECP Coronavirus Survey, conducted by
Jobson Research, for the July 10-15 period, there has been an increase in the average number of patients being seen per day (21) compared to pre-COVID levels of 26.8 per day, respondents said.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Friday, June 26, 2020 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—Results of the 12th Wave Jobson ECP Coronavirus Survey (conducted June 19-23) are in and some 95 percent of ECPs across the U.S. have reopened and reflect an uptick in topline business, seeing more patients and generating more sales than in prior surveys. The majority report they are seeing on average of18.4 patients per day—lower than pre-pandemic levels which for them averaged 24.3 per day. Nevertheless, these ECPs say they are generating some 67 percent of the weekly revenues they'd have seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a jump from the 62 percent of pre-pandemic revenues among those ECPs who reported their sales in the June 5-9 11th Wave.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Friday, May 29, 2020 12:33 AM
NEW YORK—ECPs who have reopened their practices report they are seeing fewer patients per day, as they expected, due to social distancing and safety concerned but there are more eyewear-related purchases happening during the week of May 22-26—the latest period surveyed by
Jobson Optical Research in the 10th wave of the ECP Coronavirus Survey. The rate of eyecare practice and optical location reopenings increased during the month of May as state and local county guidelines permitted during the coronavirus pandemic.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Friday, May 15, 2020 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—A number of positive signs for ECPs have emerged in Wave 9 of the
Jobson Optical Research Coronavirus ECP survey, including the finding that 75 percent of respondents whose practices are open have found that patient demand is as expected (49 percent) or even higher (26 percent) than expected. In addition, 91 percent of the respondents said their patients were either “eager to reschedule” (33 percent) or willing to reschedule if they are “comfortable with the safety precautions in place” (58 percent), according to the survey’s findings being released today.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—The number of eyecare practices and stores that are now closed as a result of the pandemic is dropping, according to the latest Coronavirus ECP Survey by Jobson Optical Research. 81.7 percent of respondents said their locality is currently under a stay-at-home order, down from about 90 percent over several previous weeks.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 12:34 AM
NEW YORK—Slightly more than four in 10 (41.2 percent) eyecare professionals who responded to a Jobson Optical Research survey said they expect to be "up and running" their practices immediately once given the required regulatory approvals.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Monday, April 20, 2020 12:31 PM
NEW YORK—An overwhelming majority (91.7 percent) of ECPs expect to reopen their practices once the coronavirus pandemic eases and reopening is permissible, but they also expect to space out scheduling, require gloves and masks for employees and establish some patient screening measures, according to the latest
Jobson Optical Research ECP Coronavirus Study. The survey of ECPs, which marked the sixth wave of the Jobson Research effort to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the optical profession, was completed during the April 16-19 period last week.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Friday, April 10, 2020 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—ECPs are focused on communicating with patients while they work remotely, coping with the human and business impact of having furloughed much of their staff and concentrating on applying for CARES Act assistance as they look for help and advice about how best to tackle reopening their practices when the crisis abates. These are among the learnings from ECPs illustrated by the fifth wave of the Jobson Research ECP Coronavirus Study, completed this week, April 7-9.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Tuesday, March 31, 2020 11:01 AM
NEW YORK—ECPs are reporting more office closures in more parts of the U.S. as the coronavirus pandemic grows in more regions, and their response to the Jobson Optical Research 4th Wave of its ECP Coronavirus Survey, conducted March 28-30, reflects their growing business concerns, especially as it impacts their employees, learning how to navigate state and federal stimulus resources. For those that are focusing on offering urgent and emergent care, they continue to reconfirm the importance of being available to patients by providing remote or mobile telehealth consults.