Running a multi-location optical business isn’t just about providing an excellent eyecare experience at each branch, it’s about ensuring operational harmony across all locations. In an increasingly competitive market with weakening patient loyalty, optical retailers need to get creative in order to differentiate their offering to attract new patients and simultaneously maintain a high level of retention. Practice management software is an often-overlooked source of competitive advantage, that when utilised correctly, can solve many of the headaches associated with running a multi-location optical chain.

Having worked in a small single office practice to a large enterprise throughout my career and having spent the past number of years working in the software space, delivering Acuitas 3 to global multi-location optical chains, there’s a lot I’ve learned along the way which I’ll explore throughout this blog post.

The Challenges of Managing Multiple Optical Locations

Let’s begin by setting the scene and breaking down some of the key challenges optical groups are currently facing:

• Consistency: Ensuring consistent patient care and service across multiple branches can be difficult, especially when different teams are managing the workflow in separate locations via separate systems and different processes.
• Data Accessibility: Patient records, inventory management, and appointment histories are often stored on separate systems at each branch, creating silos of information.
• Operational Efficiency: Maintaining smooth operations and avoiding bottlenecks such as overstaffing or understocking across locations is more difficult without a centralised system that tracks all activities in real time.
• Compliance and Reporting: Managing the financial health of multiple locations, keeping track of regulatory requirements, and ensuring accurate reporting becomes more complex as your business grows.
• These are just some of the common challenges I’ve experienced when working for a multi-location eyecare business and now at Ocuco they’re some of the re-occurring issues that that our optical chain clients aim to address by using Acuitas 3.

The Benefits of Optical Software for Chains

1. Centralised Management for Improved Efficiency

One of the greatest advantages of optical practice management software for chains is the ability to centralise management across multiple branches. Instead of dealing with separate systems for each location, a centralised practice management system provides a unified platform where all locations’ information is centralised and is accessed in real-time. This unified view allows for:

• Unified patient records: Patient history, treatment plans, and prescriptions are stored in one secure database that is easily accessible by staff at any location. As Zainab Shafi, an Acuitas user at Ace & Tate in Leeds, put it, “Our patients know they can move around from store to store and that we can keep up with their ever-evolving lifestyles. It’s assurance that they’re getting a holistic approach towards their eye healthcare”.

• Simplified inventory control: Track stock levels across all branches in real-time; automatically reorder products as needed, and ensure a diverse range of best sellers are available at each optical practice. Low stock alerts and analytics help prevent overstocking or stockouts, ensuring optimal inventory management.
• Consolidated billing and payments: Manage payments, process claims and insurance information with ease, regardless of which branch the service was provided at.
• Greater transparency on the provider needs: Having a view across multiple providers schedules and the capacity of them gives business leaders insights on where the greatest demand is and where additional coverage is needed.

By having all this data in one central hub, you can manage your eyecare business more effectively and ensure a smooth flow of operations. A single view of your operations in real-time. Acuitas 3 was developed on this premise, to deliver an omnichannel experience, allowing optical chains to effectively manage their multi-branch businesses within a singular application.

2. Real-Time Data for Better Decision-Making

With centralised management, your optical software for chains offers the ability to access real-time data from all branches, which plays a significant role in improving decision-making. For instance:

• Staffing and scheduling: Having access to data on which locations are busiest or experiencing higher patient volumes allows you to adjust staffing in real-time, ensuring optimal service levels across branches.

Click here to learn more about the Hidden Costs of Poor Scheduling in Optical Practices.

• Financial oversight & business performance: With consolidated reporting tools, you can easily track the financial health of each branch, build comparison reports and track the performance of configurable KPIs your eyecare business as a whole. This helps with budgeting, forecasting, and identifying opportunities for cost savings and performance improvements. Having access to this data at your fingertips empowers you to make informed, strategic decisions that benefit both your practice and your patients. When I began working in practice, reporting was an extremely manual task. We wrote in a journal patient names, indicating if they were new or established in the practice, and what insurance they were using and all benchmarks varied across various stores, making it difficult to get a full view of performance.

3. Improved Patient Experience Across All Locations

At the end of the day, it all comes down to delivering a consistent, high-quality patient experience at every branch. Optical software for chains helps make this possible by ensuring that every location operates using the same procedures and patient management tools. For patients, this means:

• Seamless transitions: If a patient needs to visit a different branch for a follow-up appointment, their records and history are already available to staff, ensuring they receive consistent care no matter which practice they visit.
• Efficient service & personalised care: With automated check-ins, appointment reminders, and digital patient records, patients spend less time waiting and more time receiving care. When staff members have access to comprehensive patient information, they can offer more tailored advice and make recommendations based on the patient’s full history, Acuitas 3 clients consistently receive high NPS scores based on customer experience because the software is doing the manual work and gives them the insights and freedom to focus on patient care.

Ultimately, offering this level of service at every branch boosts patient satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.

4. Easier Compliance and Reporting

Keeping track of compliance requirements, financial reports, and industry regulations across multiple locations can be a daunting task. With optical software for chains, you can centralise your reporting, ensuring accuracy and ease of access when you need it. Features like:

• Automated reporting: Generate financial reports, patient demographics, and other metrics automatically, saving your team time on administrative tasks and ensuring you meet regulatory requirements.
• Regulatory updates: Keep your practice compliant with changing regulations by having software that stays updated with the latest guidelines, whether they pertain to billing codes, inventory management, or patient privacy laws such as HIPAA. Having previously worked in roles focusing on IT compliancy and security I can’t emphasise enough the importance of choosing an optical software solution with the necessary security accreditations to protect the healthcare data at the heart of your business. It’s worth checking with vendors if they have certifications like SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2017 to maximise data security. A unified system reduces the risk of errors and ensures that all branches remain compliant and consistent with reporting and procedures.

5. Scalability for Growth

As your practice grows and adds more locations, you need a system that can scale with you. A scalable optical practice management software for chains should offer the flexibility to expand your practice seamlessly.

• You can easily add new branches and integrate them into your existing software
• Data from new branches will automatically be included in real-time reporting, making it easy to monitor growth and make adjustments as necessary

This scalability ensures that as your business grows, you’re equipped with the right tools to handle the increased complexity. Working with an experienced software vendor is also important as when opening a new optical practice

Features to Look for in Optical Software for Chains

When choosing practice management software, here are some features worth looking out for:

• Customisable workflows: Ensure the software is adaptable to fit the specific needs of your chain
• Advanced reporting tools: Gain actionable insights to improve operations and drive growth
• Integrated patient record system (EMR): Maintain a single, unified database for seamless care transitions throughout your network of locations
• Marketing tools: Promote your eyecare services and engage patients through targeted campaigns that deliver ROI
• Omnichannel capabilities: A software system that integrates all aspects of your business from online booking to eye exams and dispensing ensures a centralised view of the business while also eliminating silos and the need to manage multiple suppliers and systems on top of costly integrations. In certain instances, Acuitas has demonstrated a 6-month ROI in a multi-location chain through centralisation of operations.

Prioritising these features ensures that your software investment delivers maximum value for your eyecare group.

Click here to learn more about Streamlining Patient Flow: From Appointment to Payment 

Conclusion: Why Your Software Matters for Multi-Location Practices

Running a multi-branch optical practice presents its challenges, but with the right optical software for chains, you can simplify operations, improve patient care, and boost profitability. A centralised management system is the key to ensuring that every location operates smoothly and efficiently, from scheduling and inventory to patient records and payments. With real-time data, improved patient experiences, and enhanced scalability, your practice is positioned for long-term success.

Investing in the right technology not only improves daily operations but also helps future-proof your practice as it grows. Whether you’re looking to streamline your processes, improve service quality, or keep track of multi-location finances, the right optical software is essential for achieving these goals.