By Staff
Thursday, January 6, 2022 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—The financial outlook for U.S. eyecare practices remained positive as 2021 drew to a close, with the key indicators of eyecare practice performance showing across the board increases over 2020, according to the results of a newly released Jobson Research survey. The survey, Wave 28 of Jobson’s Coronavirus Survey, polled 564 U.S. eyecare practices between December 8-31, 2021. In addition to key performance indicators, respondents were asked about changes in staffing, practice hours, and patient scheduling, as well as their willingness to get vaccinated or attend industry events considering the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For the first time, respondents were also asked to report on the impact of supply chain disruptions on their practice.
By Staff
Wednesday, October 20, 2021 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—Staffing challenges seem to be the biggest concern facing eyecare professionals and optical retailers now, with some 38 percent of those surveyed in late September pointing out that a "lack of staff" is the number one reason they will have trouble serving more patients going forward, more than issues such as a lack of patient traffic or government restrictions on business due to COVID-19. Nevertheless, 62 percent believe that their practice does have the capability to serve more patients now among those taking part in Wave 27 of
Jobson Research's latest Coronavirus Survey, which was conducted Sept. 27-30.
By Staff
Thursday, August 19, 2021 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—Increased uncertainty, fueled by a surge of COVID cases across the country due to the Delta variant as well as patient traffic and growing professional staffing concerns, are impacting the current near-term business outlook among those eyecare professionals and optical retailers responding to Wave 26 of the Jobson ECP Coronavirus Survey, conducted from August 13-16, 2021 by
Jobson Research.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 6, 2021 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—As the nation moves into the peak summer months of July and August, the signs that optical retail and eyecare are edging closer to pre-pandemic service and performance levels continue to emerge. For example, in Wave 24 of the
Jobson Research ECP Coronavirus Survey, the key metrics of patients per day, profitability per patient and revenue came within a smidgen of matching June 2019 performance levels. (The June 2021 results for these metrics compared with June 2019 were, respectively, down 3 percent, down 1 percent and down 2 percent, according to respondents.)
By Staff
Wednesday, June 2, 2021 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—The character of current business among ECPs and optical retailers is running significantly higher in May 2021 in terms of profitability per patient (+29 percent), number of patients per day (+34 percent), revenue (+34 percent), optical sales (+35 percent) and capture rate (+23 percent) versus the May 2020 shutdowns and closings in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, each of these practice business benchmarks are again, in the latest Wave 23 of the
Jobson Research ECP Coronavirus Survey, which was conducted May 26 to May 28, starting to even up to flat in comparison with the same period of 2019.
By Staff
Thursday, May 6, 2021 12:33 AM
NEW YORK—Even as the number of COVID-19 cases across the U.S. decline and the number of Americans who have completed the vaccination regimen rises, the eyecare segment continues to see challenges along the pathway toward a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels, according to the findings of Wave 22 of the Coronavirus ECP Survey conducted April 26-30, 2021, by
Jobson Research. Notably, 75 percent of the respondents to Wave 22 said they believe their practice currently has capacity to see more patients, with the average respondent indicating the practice could see 26 percent more patients.
Click to view a PDF of the full Wave 22 survey results.
By Staff
Monday, April 5, 2021 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—After an almost complete shutdown of eyecare practices across the nation in the latter part of March 2020, it’s not unexpected that practices overall performed much better across many of the key office metrics in March 2021. However, in a few key areas—such as patients per day and profitably per patient—March 2021 performance trailed the results of March 2019, the most recent time that ECPs were not dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Staff
Tuesday, March 9, 2021 12:21 AM
NEW YORK—Revenues held steady, at approximately 74 percent of levels experienced last year for the week of Feb. 25-28 for ECPs responding to the 20th Wave of Jobson's ECP Coronavirus Survey. The soon-to-grow availability of vaccines against COVID-19 in most parts of the country are improving ECPs attitudes about a stronger business climate, the survey also revealed, as 68 percent said the availability of vaccines was "very important" to a full business recovery.
Click to view a PDF of the full survey results.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 2, 2021 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to rise even as the U.S. scrambles to increase the pace of vaccinating eligible Americans, the day-to-day routine of eyecare practices and optical retailers across the nation has become a hodgepodge of procedures. Some practices (28 percent) are reporting higher capture rates than a year ago, while others (29 percent) say capture rate is down.
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.