In the fifth wave of results from the Jobson Optical Research coronavirus survey, most respondents said that they are making efforts to stay in touch with their patients during this time. Ninety percent of respondents said that their locality is under at stay-at-home order currently. This survey covered the period of time from April 7-9, 2020.
The majority of respondents, 60 percent, said that they are rescheduling appointments for May. Another 25 percent say they are rescheduling appointments for June.
In the fourth wave of the survey, taken between March 28-30, 37 percent of respondents said they were planning to reschedule appointments for April. That percentage dropped to 7.1 percent in the survey taken a week later.
While offices are closed or limiting hours, respondents said they are trying to stay busy.
The latest survey results show a slight increase in the percentage of respondents who are offering services.
- Seeing patients in the office for emergencies only: 70 percent
- Shipping eyewear to patients: 67 percent
- Case-by-case decision after phone call: 61 percent
- Curb-side pick-up for eyewear: 58 percent
- Online sales: 24 percent
This wave shows the highest interest yet in telehealth services with 28 percent of respondents saying that they have already started to offer telehealth options and 26 percent saying they plan to do so in the near future.
In addition, 56 percent of respondents said that they have billed for telehealth services in the past two weeks. That is nearly 13 percentage points higher than the survey a week earlier.
Most respondents to this survey, 65 percent, are most interested in information that will help them gear up when reopening. Only 31 percent of respondents said that they are working on a written plan for when the practice reopens; 69 percent are not.
Fully half have said that they have applied for relief under the CARES Act. While slightly more than half, 51 percent, are unsure whether they will benefit from the CARES Act. Thirty-eight percent said that they expect to benefit.
