Some patients need to be fired

Not every patient relationship is worth preserving—and sometimes keeping the wrong patient creates more risk than letting them go.

In this episode of The Optometry Success Podcast, we continue our conversation about managing difficult patient relationships by tackling three situations every practice owner will eventually encounter: the chronically noncompliant patient, the repeat no-show, and the patient who crosses the line with your team.

We discuss when noncompliance moves beyond frustration and becomes a legitimate clinical and risk-management concern, why documentation and clear communication matter, and how Chad approaches patients who repeatedly ignore treatment recommendations. We also explore the important distinction between a routine vision-care patient who repeatedly no-shows and a medical patient whose failure to return could have serious consequences.

Finally, we tackle one of the most important responsibilities of practice ownership: protecting your team. Chad shares why practice owners need to establish clear boundaries around harassment, belittling, and inappropriate behavior—and why being willing to fire a patient can build tremendous relationship capital with your staff.

The goal isn't to look for reasons to get rid of patients. It's to recognize when continuing the relationship is no longer serving the patient, the provider, or the practice.

NBS (Next Best Step): Ask yourself whether your team knows—with absolute confidence—that they can come to you when a patient crosses a line. Make that expectation explicit, establish how those situations should be escalated, and make sure your team knows you'll have their back when it matters.

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Resources:

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