The latest survey results from Jobson Optical Research into trends and attitudes about COVID-19 show that eye care businesses look to be regaining some of their footing. In this wave, which ran from Sept. 18-22, 2020, 96 percent of locations are open—and the majority of those not currently open, expected to be. Of those that have opened, 72 percent of respondents said they are back to normal hours of operation. Twenty-four percent said they are open reduced hours, and four percent said they have expanded their hours.
On average, respondents said they are capturing about 74 percent of the revenue they captured during the same week in 2019. A majority note that patient volume is down, compared to this period last year, but profitability seems to be recovering more quickly than volume.
CONCERN ABOUT COVID-19
Concerns about COVID-19’s continuing impact remains, with 20 percent of respondents saying they are very concerned and 41 percent saying they are somewhat concerned. Twenty-four percent say they are not that concerned, and six percent say they are not at all concerned. Ten percent are unsure.
Eighteen percent of respondents say that someone at the workplace has tested positive or gotten COVID-19; that’s up from 16 percent during the Wave 14 survey, which was taken between Aug. 21 and 27. More respondents said that they have a plan n place to notify patients about possible exposure to COVID-19 (81 percent in Wave 15, compared to 78 percent in Wave 14). Most practices also remain diligent about screening staff and patients.
SOME STAFF NOT RETURNING
Twenty-nine percent of respondents said that at least some staff members have elected not to return to work.
Here are the reasons respondents cite for staff not returning.
Read the entire Wave 15 results here.
