They often didn't see other patients at all. Still, I visualized a busy practice with many patients coming and going, and a large staff providing excellent service. As I achieved that image, the practice became even busier. I grew my practice, in part, by learning to delegate more tasks to my employees. These are especially important with managed care.
Delegation also helps create the image of a successful practice.
Most patients have no basis for evaluating your clinical skills, so they judge you by your reputation and how much you're in demand. They determine this, in part, by how many other patients they see in your waiting room. However, a busy office can hurt practice growth if you don't serve patients promptly, courteously and professionally. That's why delegation is so important. I'm always puzzled that more O.D.s don't hire additional employees and delegate more.