Most practices don’t have a trust problem.

They have a patient experience problem.

In this episode of Power Hour, Eugene sits down with Jeff Fromm, 5X Author and longtime Forbes contributor on consumer trends, and Philip Alexander, AI Technologist and CEO of AnswerMyQ, who has a deep experience in both marketing and optometry.

What makes this conversation different is the lens it uses: Instead of looking at the patient journey from inside the practice, it looks at it through the eyes of the consumer.

And what becomes clear very quickly is how practices deliver information and shape the consumer experience.

The Insight: Trust is Your Greatest (and Most Underutilized) Asset

Practitioners in optometry enjoy a level of brand trust that few other industries can claim.

However, this trust is frequently wasted because the dialogue doesn’t start until the end of the appointment. Patients walk in with zero product knowledge, leaving the doctor to spend valuable chair time educating them rather than confirming decisions.

The shift from just being informed to a fully customized experience means understanding a patient’s lifestyle before they ever step through your door.

By leveraging trust and permission to ask the right questions early, practices can move from selling to educating towards more favorable outcomes for the patient.

Why AI?

AI isn’t just a technology; it’s the “right hand” of the practice that can close the massive engagement gap between annual visits.

Instead of static pamphlets or generic manufacturer videos, AI provides an interactive, personalized experience that learns about a patient’s lifestyle, whether they hunt, fish, or spend hours in front of a computer.

AI can help by:

• Preparing patients with personalized education before the exam
• Allowing patients to “pre-sell” themselves on options like transitions or premium lenses
• Reducing the doctor’s burden of “selling” by letting patients come in asking for specific solutions
• Providing “governed” information that is medically accurate and practice-specific

Over time, this creates a “phygital” experience, a seamless blend of digital preparation and physical care that maximizes every minute in the chair.

What Actually Works: Outcome-Based Data and Better Questions

To truly enhance the patient experience, practices must shift from asking generic questions to discovery-based questions.

The data shows that a small set of the right questions can qualify where to focus time as a business.

Phil and Jeff recommend these key principles for using AI and discovery:

• Identify patient “personas” early. Are they shopping for fashion, technology, or price?
• Use AI to analyze patterns in the questions patients ask most often.
• Always link interactions back to a specific outcome.

Instead of cramming everything into a 15-minute exam, you spread the experience across the entire journey.

As Phil explains, the goal isn’t to diagnose or replace care, it’s to guide patients toward better questions and better decisions before they even walk in the door.

When you zoom out, this becomes something bigger than just pre-appointment preparation.

It’s a shift from a once-a-year visit to a continuous, connected experience where patients:

• Are educated before they arrive
• Feel confident during the visit
• And continue to engage after they leave

Today, most practices stop communicating the moment the appointment ends, and that’s a missed opportunity (not just for revenue, but for better outcomes).

Eyecare BOSS Live Summit

If you’ve been to conferences before, you’ve probably left with many great ideas and intentions, and then when you get back to your practice, nothing actually changes.

Eyecare BOSS Live is designed specifically with that in mind so you can not only know what to do to reach your goals, but also have the tools, strategies, and plans to implement lasting changes once you’re back. to change that.

This is a 2 and a half-day, invitation-only event (September 16–18 in Cleveland) designed specifically for practice owners who want execution, not just inspiration.

Inside the room:

• 200 growth-focused operators
• Peer-level masterminds
• Real conversations around revenue, staffing, leadership, AI, and specialty growth

And everything is built around one outcome:

You leave with a 90-day plan you can actually implement.

If you want to be considered, click the link below:

• The Experience Gap Is Real | Learn why most practices fail to engage patients between visits and how that impacts decision-making.
• Timing Changes Everything | Discover why delivering information before the visit is more impactful than trying to educate during it.
• Better Questions Drive Better Outcomes | Understand how a small set of well-designed questions can guide patients toward the right solutions.
• AI Extends the Doctor’s Reach | See how AI can personalize education and prepare patients without replacing the doctor.
• From Visits to Continuous Care | Learn why the future of patient experience is ongoing engagement, not just a single appointment.
  

Connect with Jeff Fromm

Jeff Fromm is a 5X author, consumer trend expert, and longtime Forbes contributor, specializing in how consumer behavior is evolving across industries. He has advised leading brands and brings a deep understanding of how trust, timing, and decision-making influence purchasing behavior.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefffromm/
• Website: https://jefffromm.com/

Connect with Philip Alexander

Philip Alexander is the CEO of AnswerMyQ and an AI strategist with a background in marketing and optometry. He focuses on how delivering the right information at the right time can improve outcomes, and how AI can be used to create more personalized, effective customer and patient experiences.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philalex/
• Website: https://answermyq.com/

Connect with Eugene Shatsman

Eugene Shatsman is Host of Power Hour, Managing Partner of National Strategic Group, Co-Creator of The Eyecare BOSS, and a TEDx Speaker. A growth strategist and consultant to hundreds of optometric practices nationwide, Eugene specializes in scaling independent eye care businesses through structured strategy, marketing science, and operational clarity.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneshatsman/ 
• Website: eugeneshatsman.com