Seeing the World - Illinois College of Optometry

Thomas
BoBka, od
’82
DirEctor of
optoMEtry
sErvicEs &
prActicing
optoMEtrist
shopKo opticAL
grEEn BAy, wisconsin
Dr. Bobka doesn’t hesitate when asked what he believes is
the most important part of his job: providing practice opportunities
for new doctors. In his role, he is responsible for
staffing optometrists in Shopko’s 136 locations in 12 states,
and he often visits optometry schools to talk with students
about practice opportunities.
“I love being able to provide practice opportunities for doctors.
It is my favorite thing,” he says. “I am very happy when I
can place someone in a practice setting that works.”
Dr. Bobka spent about 15 years practicing with two private
ophthalmology offices in his native Chicago before relocating
to Green Bay to practice with Shopko Optical. He says
being in a corporate setting has allowed him to practice optometry
and help others do the same, without the pressures
of running the business side as well. Shopko has a variety
of practice situations
for its doctors,
ranging from being
employed to subleasing
space, but
in every case the
doctor has the advantage
of Shopko’s resources to provide equipment, office
space and other support.
“i love Being aBle To provide pracTice
“The biggest advantage of a corporate environment is it lets
the doctor focus on patient care without having to focus on
the administrative tasks of running the office,” he says. “You
can function as a doctor.”
Dr. Bobka encourages new and early-career optometrists to
be open to all modes of practice, no matter where they might
be located.
“You need to be focused on what you’re looking for in a practice,
but at the same time you need to be flexible in both
your choice of practice mode and the location,” he says.
“That means you may not have thought of corporate originally,
but take a look at what’s out there.”
No matter which mode a doctor chooses, Dr. Bobka says
there really is no difference at the core.
“You need to treat each patient encounter individually and
focus on the patient in front of you,” he says.
“This is not at all different from a private environment. Patients
come to us just like they come to a private environment.
I see no difference there.”
Tom
paTera, od
’79
sEnior ExEcUtivE
vicE prEsiDEnt
EyEMArt ExprEss,
LtD.
oMAhA, nEBrAsKA
When Dr. Patera recruits a new doctor to Eyemart Express,
in all but a few states he can guarantee several key practice
necessities will be in place before the first patient walks
through the door: the latest exam and diagnostic equipment,
electronic medical records, computer LCD screens instead
of projection charts, a steady patient flow and, in some
places, established TV and print advertising.
Perhaps most important, though, is the promise of being
able to practice optometry without the distractions and
pressures of being an optical retailer.
“Along with the fantastic financial rewards of a busy practice,
our doctors have the chance to practice full-scope medical
optometry at the highest levels allowed by state law,” he
says. “The doctors have no outside distractions with eyeglass
retailing and can focus their entire professional career on
providing quality optometric
care.”
Eyemart operates
122 locations around
the country, and
each has an independent
optometrist located next door. In most states, the
company provides the equipment and an office with a waiting
room, pretest room and contact lens room. That’s where
the company’s reach ends, however, as the doctors set their
own fees, answer their own phones, hire their own staffs,
set their own hours, and are free to practice optometry as
they see fit.
opporTuniTies for docTors. iT is mY favoriTe Thing”
“Our doctors have a practice that is as close to private practice
as you can get without the financial risk,” says Dr. Patera,
who also has worked in private practice. “In most of
our locations, the doctors sign a lease but can leave by giving
us 30 days notice. They don’t pay an exorbitant amount of
rent, and they aren’t stuck if things go bad. Where state law
allows, they also have access to my 30 years of practice management
experience.”
When he recruits a doctor to lease a space next to Eyemart,
he looks for patient care excellence first, business acumen
second.
“I want to recruit somebody who truly gives off an impression
that they care about their patients and that they want
to be successful,” he says, adding that for those doctors willing
to commit to success, the payoff can be tremendous.
“In one in every six of our mature offices (more than five
years old), the doctors do an excess of $1 million a year on
their side. When I interview these doctors, what is the commonality?
They are always striving to do more.”
Jacqui Cook is the editor of ICO Matters.
She may be reached at jcook@ico.edu