Where did you attend optometry school? Do you have any school advice/study tips?

• Southern College of Optometry, Time Management is key! And not only making time to study, but also making time to do the things you love. If you manage your time well and don't get lost in TV-land or Instagram-land, you will have plenty of time to both study and have fun with your friends. I also think it is important to stay healthy (exercise, eat well, sleep) so you can maintain your energy.

Which one thing that you learned in optometry school do you use the most in your daily practice?

• I'm solely doing vision therapy and rehabilitation at my practice now, so all my classes on visual efficiency and processing were vital in helping me start my specialty clinic.

Where do you practice now? Pros & cons? How did you end up there/make the choice to be there?

• Triangle Visions Optometry, large 23-location private practice now, but when I joined we had just opened our third location! I worked for the doctors I'm business partners with now when I was in college, so I knew since college that the plan was to go back and work with them. Pros: I have learned so much being on a board, creating business plans, and managing staff. It is a fun challenge and stretches my brain different ways than doctoring does. And I'm solely doing vision therapy and rehabilitation which is my passion. I love serving this unmet need for those struggling and helping people reach their full potential and goals. Cons: I work many hours outside the typical work week. I spend most of my business hours seeing patients, but at home need to do things to keep the business healthy.

What state do you practice in? What are the benefits and drawbacks of practicing there? 

• NC, The state board exam was tough, but we have a great scope.

Do you have a specific patient demographic that dominates your area and if so, how have you adapted your practice to serve them better?

• Our practice has some city clinics and some rural clinics so it is very diverse.

Do you own your own practice? How did you join/open it? How long have you been there?

• I'm a part-owner. I bought in after about 16 mths practicing. I started working there Fall of 2012 and bought in Winter of 2013. I made sure my now business partners knew when I started that I wanted to be a partner so that their expectations were managed and they had time to figure out how to make that happen.

What was your most valuable resource when getting involved in your initial private practice setting?

• The time spent at my externship site (a VT private practice). During my time there I asked tons of questions and they were great mentors as I was getting started. Use the time during your 4th year to help prepare you for when you are on your own!

What outside services do you use to help manage/elevate your practice (patient recall services, social media, buy-in groups, CPA, financial advisor, lawyer, etc.)?

• Given the size of our practice we have utilized many different groups to help us manage the large practice.

What is one thing you wish you knew before you started practicing?

• I wish I knew more about managing staff and leading a team. Managing staff is one of the more difficult parts of being a practice owner and I could have done things better when I first started to be a better leader.
  

Do you have more than one location? What factors went into that decision? How soon after your first location was open did you open your subsequent locations?

• Yes! We have 23 locations and have been growing fast! My business partners had always been really successful not only having a great optical with stylish frames, but really emphasizing what we call relational optometry. We listen to our patients and make sure their needs are addressed. Within Triangle Visions we cover all the specialties (vision therapy, specialty contact lenses, low vision, dry eye, etc) so we really have the ability in-house to take care of our patient's needs.
  

What tips do you have for hiring/training staff and how do you motivate them?

• Wait for the right person to come along. Don't hire out of desperation or you will regret it later as they may bring the whole team down if they aren't qualified. I make sure all our staff know the why behind what they are doing so that they are empowered and know what they are doing matters and makes a difference.

What have you done to set yourself apart from other eye care professionals near you?

• I practice vision therapy and rehabilitation only. There are a handful of optometrists in my area providing these services.

If you have any further questions for Dr. Miller, her email is: drmiller@trianglevisions.com