Practice Playbook · Recurring Revenue
The Recurring Layer: Auto-Ship
Dry eye is chronic, so the products that treat it are bought again and again. Auto-ship is what turns that reality into a standing reorder instead of a missed refill. It is the single change that protects compliance and makes the economics compound.
Key Takeaways
- Compliance is the main reason dry eye plans fail, and refills are where patients quietly drop off.
- Auto-ship removes the decision: the product arrives before the patient runs out, so therapy continues.
- The recurring layer is the most valuable revenue in the program because it compounds across a growing base.
- Put the daily essentials on auto-ship from the first visit: drops, lid care, omega, and mask consumables.
- Set it up once through RescueLink and the reorder runs itself, staying in your practice.
Quick Answer
Put every recurring item on auto-ship at the first visit so refills happen automatically instead of relying on the patient to remember. The daily essentials, lubricants, lid hygiene, omega, and mask consumables, are the core of the layer. Auto-ship protects adherence, which is the usual failure point, and it builds the recurring revenue that makes the whole program compound. Set it up once in RescueLink and it runs on its own.
Why the Recurring Layer Wins
Adherence
Therapy Continues
The product arrives before the patient runs out, so chronic therapy does not lapse between visits.
Revenue
It Compounds
Each patient on auto-ship adds to a recurring base that grows month over month, year over year.
Retention
It Stays Yours
The reorder keeps the recommending relationship in your practice instead of drifting to big box.
What Belongs on Auto-Ship
The daily, consumable, runs-out items. Anything a patient finishes and needs again.
| Item type | Why it fits auto-ship |
|---|---|
| Daily lubricants | Used every day and finished predictably |
| Lid hygiene | Ongoing daily routine for lid disease and Demodex maintenance |
| Omega and nutrition | Taken daily and long term, the cleanest recurring fit |
| Mask and treatment consumables | Replaced on a schedule as they wear or deplete |
Dry eye is a chronic condition requiring ongoing therapy, and poor adherence is a recognized barrier to successful management (TFOS DEWS III). Auto-ship directly addresses that barrier by removing the refill decision.
Auto-Ship Lives in RescueLink
Setting up the recurring layer is one step in RescueLink: send the plan, switch on auto-ship, and the refills run on schedule with same-day shipping. The patient never lapses, and the reorder stays in your practice. Free for providers.
DER Clinical Pearl
Set auto-ship at the first visit, not the second. The moment a patient agrees to a plan is when they are most willing to commit to the routine. Wait, and you are counting on them to remember a refill, which is exactly the failure auto-ship is meant to prevent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does auto-ship matter so much?
Because adherence is where dry eye plans fail, and most lapses happen at the refill. Auto-ship removes that decision so therapy continues uninterrupted.
What should go on auto-ship?
The daily, consumable items: lubricants, lid hygiene, omega, and mask or treatment consumables. Anything the patient finishes and needs again.
When should I set it up?
At the first visit, when the patient is most committed to the plan. Setting it later means relying on memory for the first refill.
Can patients control or pause it?
Yes. Auto-ship is a convenience, not a trap. Patients can adjust timing or pause, which keeps trust and reduces cancellations.
How does this help the practice financially?
It converts one-time sales into recurring revenue that compounds across a growing patient base, which is the engine behind the program's economics.
Does the reorder stay with my practice?
Yes. The recommending relationship and the recurring reorder stay yours rather than migrating to a retail channel.
Is it hard to manage?
No. It is set once per patient in RescueLink and then runs on its own. Your Champion can manage the whole layer in minutes.
Where do I get help turning it on?
Reach providers@dryeyerescue.com or (561) 468-8747 to set up the recurring layer for your practice.
Turn Refills Into Recurring Revenue
Browse the catalog to choose your auto-ship essentials, or activate RescueLink to switch on the recurring layer.
Continue through the Dry Eye Practice Playbook
Part of the Dry Eye Practice Playbook. Operational guidance only; recurring results depend on your patient base and adherence. Dry Eye Rescue is a distributor of medical supplies and over-the-counter products.