EyeQ Optometrists Ltd (EQO) now has 19 practices within the network, 16 of which are corporate-owned with the remaining three being the first Associate sites.
Two of Optometry Australia’s state presidents – Darrell Baker, Optometry Australia’s President in Western Australia and David Foresto President of OA Queensland/NT –were among the first to join a new Associate Network of independent full-scope optometry practices launched by) the organisation. The third was optometrist Bayd Rosenbaum who has established a greenfields practice on the NSW far south coast.
Ray Fortescue, current Executive Chairman of EQO, said the organisation had been working on developing the network concept for a number of years.
“We needed to create systems and strategies which allowed our practices to be both profitable as well as professionally satisfying for the optometrist and practice staff while providing expert care to our patients. We also noted that many Generation X, Y and Next optometrists were not sufficiently confident utilising the existing business support options available, to commence a new practice or even to take over an existing independent practice on their own.”
Darrell Baker, who established his EyeQ practice in Karrinyup, Perth, said he was attracted by the group’s business strategies and back end administrative support. David Foresto said he joined EyeQ with his practice at Spring Hill, Brisbane because he wanted “to maintain absolute clinical independence whilst having the back-end monotony of book keeping and payroll taken care of for me”.
