In 2004, Norma Spittle, OD, and her husband Brian Spittle, OD, got married and opened The Eye Place Optometry in Midlothian, Virginia. It was a busy year, and they haven’t slowed down as they established their reputation in the community and built relationships with patients. Dr. Norma Spittle recalls that it was shortly before their 2011 office relocation to a new custom-designed office with 6,800 square feet when she came across CareCredit at a trade show offering a health care credit card as a payment option for patients. “I liked the option of giving our patients a financing option,” she says. “I didn’t want patients to max out the consumer credit cards with large purchases from our office, and with a special financing option, they can save their cash.” Patients who pay the promotional balance in full within the promotional period do not pay any interest.
The couple decided to work with CareCredit to make purchases in the office more convenient, an extension of the great care experience they strive to provide. Dr. Norma Spittle says that it has proven to be a smart choice for both the practice and its patients. “We don’t want patients incurring extra expenses on our behalf, and we liked the option of getting paid right away,” she says, and CareCredit offered a solution for both. “We haven’t had any negative experiences. It’s been great, and I wish we had known about it sooner.”
Patients learn about CareCredit shortly upon their arrival in the office. “All patients get a brochure when they check in at the
front desk,” she says, and it’s introduced as a payment option for their convenience. Contact lens fitting or Medicare forms in the exam
room are attached to a CareCredit clipboard for additional exposure. Signage is also posted in exam rooms and in the optical
Opticians can also bring up the option again at the dispensing table to help capture the sale. Most of their CareCredit users have been individuals looking to purchase multiple products—such as an annual supply of contact lenses, new eyeglasses and second pair—or families with multiple purchases to make. While they see fewer patients use it to cover deductibles or exam fees, it can also help with those expenses.
Dr. Norma Spittle says that she appreciates the simplicity of applying for new CareCredit accounts. “CareCredit makes it easy for patients to apply right in the office,” she says. “It’s quick, and we know right away if they were approved and what their credit limit is.”
Some patients found The Eye Place Optometry because of CareCredit, through the doctor locator on the CareCredit website. Dr.Norma Spittle says that she’s seen a number of new patients drawn in with CareCredit as a referral source, and she’s pleased that many of them choose to return each year and use their CareCredit card at every visit.
Dr. Norma Spittle can manage and review transactions made via CareCredit and order new point-of-purchase materials through the practice’s online account. “If we do need to call, the team at CareCredit is very friendly,” she adds. CareCredit also provides webinar training for any new staff members, which has been effective as their team has changed and grown.
