55 eye care professionals responded to a set of questions regarding their practice's anticipated hiring trends in 2010.

1. Local Eye Site 2010 Employment Outlook Survey

2. Is your practice hiring this year? 27 individuals said they anticipated adding staff in 2010. 2 individuals reported they plan to reduce staff through attrition. 3 individuals plan to reduce staff through layoffs. 15 individuals do not foresee any changes in their staff this year. 8 individuals are waiting to see what happens to healthcare reform.

3. Are you adding a doctor? 55 respondents were asked if they plan to expand their practice by bringing on a new MD or OD on board. 23/55 (42%) individuals anticipate adding a doctor to their staff. 32/55 (58%) individuals do not plan to add a doctor to their practice in 2010.

4. What are your feelings towards eye care employment in 2010? 18 individuals feel it has been bleak, and they expect the same for 2010. 15 individuals say that while it has been bleak in the past, it will turn the corner in 2010. 9 individuals feel healthcare is an insulated industry; eye care employment is not affected. 10 individuals believe eye care employment is going to be worse this year. 2 individuals expect a huge recovery in 2010.

5. What impact does healthcare reform have on eye care employment? 4 (7.3%) respondents believe healthcare reform will create more jobs. 18 (32.7%) individuals said healthcare reform will reduce the number of jobs. 14 (25.5%) respondents believe healthcare reform will have no impact on the industry’s employment trends. 19 (34.5%) individuals are not certain the impact, but they are concerned.

6. Did 2009’s economy put a halt to needed hiring? 24 (43.6%) individuals held off hiring in 2009 because of the economy. 31 (56.4%) individuals did not feel 2009’s economy prevented their practice from hiring.

7. Does turnover increase in Q1? Statistics show that overall employee turnover in the U.S. increases substantially in the first quarter of the year. 10 (18.2%) individuals have found this to be true. 45 (81.8%) individuals have not experienced this situation in their practice.

8. What are your recruiting methods? 55 respondents were asked: When recruiting in the past, which method(s) or resources have you utilized? The most popular response was word of mouth (67.3%). LES has simply created an online version of the word of mouth strategy- because LES is online and eye care specific, it broadens your scope of contacts.

9. Are you pleased with how you recruit? When asked if your previously selected recruiting method(s) have consistently met your needs in a cost-effective, efficient and timely manner, the majority responded “yes.”