Describe the most difficult scheduling problem you have faced.
Optometry offices can encounter scheduling problems when patients show up late, an exam goes longer if a problem is encountered, a receptionist calls in sick, or you have an emergency patient. The interviewer wants to see your problem-solving skills and how you can keep the office running smoothly if there is a workflow issue. Describe the most difficult scheduling problem you have faced, and explain how you rectified the situation.
"The most difficult scheduling problem I have faced is when I hired a new receptionist. She was trained to schedule patients for an eye exam every 30 minutes, with one or two short visits scheduled in the same time slot. Those short visits were for a contact lens follow-up or something similar. The receptionist did not understand a short visit and scheduled patients who had more complex issues and needed more time with me in the same period as an eye exam. It backed up our schedule, and patients waited for 20 to 30 minutes and became very upset. At the end of the day, I spoke with the receptionist and discovered the problem. We had to rearrange the schedule and call patients to reschedule, but it did not interrupt the workflow after the problem was discovered."
