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NEW YORK—Business for ECPs has still sustained a strong performance, although as the increase in COVID-19 cases rises in many states across the country, there is a growing concern about the possibility of potential slowdowns. Nevertheless, according to the 13th Wave of Jobson's ECP Coronavirus Survey, conducted by Jobson Research, for the July 10-15 period, there has been an increase in the average number of patients being seen per day (21) compared to pre-COVID levels of 26.8 per day, respondents said.

They also reported that 71 percent of patients were making a purchase during their visit—and 23 percent of these ECPs said they were seeing more profitability from patients per visit. This is a jump from the 59 percent of patients making a purchase that ECPs reported for the prior June 19-23 12th Wave of the survey. However, overall revenues per week from the ECP respondents were approximately 60 percent of pre-COVID levels during July 10-15. The respondents to the Jobson ECP Coronavirus Surveys are primarily independent optometrists and opticians.


ECPs are still staying with the telehealth services they started to explore or implement during the first months of shutdown. And PPE is more accessible for many even though there are concerns about consistent PPE supplies for their doctors, staff and patients.

In this latest survey, though, uneasiness about the impact of coronavirus exposure was more pronounced in the 13th Wave July 10-15 period. For example, when asked if anyone that works at the surveyed ECP location has gotten COVID-19, the percentage rose to 7 percent during July 10-15 than the prior week when that response was 3 percent.

In addition, when asked if in the last week, their local area had seen an increase or decrease in the number of COVID cases, 72 percent of the ECP respondents in the 13th Wave said there had been an increase, compared to 44 percent of those who responded "yes" the week of June 19-23. In the latest survey, a significant proportion of respondents said they were "somewhat concerned" (44 percent) or "very concerned" (30 percent) about the possibility of having to close or shut down their business again due to COVID.

The full results of the 13th Wave of the Jobson ECP Coronavirus Survey, which spans a range of topics and questions, can be found, at no charge, here.