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2010
Vision-Ease Lens Announces Online Ordering x Vision Web
June 2010 | Return to the Top
Vision-Ease Lens Introduces Two New Online Ordering Options for Customers
New Vision-Ease Lens ordering portal and partnership with VisionWeb provide convenient online ordering for customers
Vision-Ease Lens (VEL) announced its customers may now access and order stock lenses (finished and semi-finished) via two new online portals. The Vision-Ease Lens ordering portal and VisionWeb portal provide customers convenient stock lens ordering alternatives to phone and fax orders.
“Excellent customer service is a key part of our business, and something that we strive to achieve in each interaction with our customers,” said Barry Resnik, director of marketing, Vision-Ease Lens. “The two new stock ordering systems give our customers the power to control inventory at the click of a button, simplifying the ordering process.”
Furthering VEL’s commitment to sustainability, the VEL ordering portal is a paperless, convenient and easy way for customers to order. The portal includes a “How to Get Started” link to guide customers through the quick, one-time registration process, and with a convenient barcode lookup tool, they can order in minutes.
Traditionally used by eye care providers to order spectacle lenses, contact lenses and frames from suppliers, the VisionWeb portal now allows these customers to order VEL stock lenses from this central ordering site. Customers who have a VisionWeb account may simply add Vision-Ease Lens as a “new supplier” on the VisionWeb portal.
Access to the new ordering portals can be found at www.vision-ease.com in the professionals section. Customers looking for more information may contact their Vision-Ease Lens Sales Representative, Vision-Ease Lens Customer Service at 1-800-328-3449, or the Vision Web team at 1-800-874-6601.
About Vision-Ease Lens
Headquartered in Ramsey, Minn., Vision-Ease Lens is a manufacturer of quality ophthalmic lenses including LifeRxÒ light-responsive lenses, Coppertone™ polarized lenses, SunRxÒ polarized lenses, and IlluminaÒ progressive line-free lenses. Vision-Ease Lens products are sold through independent opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists, as well as many retail chains and dispensing markets across the country. For more information about Vision-Ease Lens and its products, visit www.vision-ease.com.
OpticalVisionResources.com 06/17/2010
Vision-Ease Lens Introduces Two New Online Ordering Options for Customers
June 2010 | Return to the Top
Vision-Ease Lens announced its customers may now access and order stock lenses (finished and semi-finished) via two new online portals. The Vision-Ease Lens ordering portal and VisionWeb portal provide customers convenient stock lens ordering alternatives to phone and fax orders.
“Excellent customer service is a key part of our business, and something that we strive to achieve in each interaction with our customers,” said Barry Resnik, director of marketing, Vision-Ease Lens. “The two new stock ordering systems give our customers the power to control inventory at the click of a button, simplifying the ordering process.”
Furthering VEL’s commitment to sustainability, the VEL ordering portal is a paperless, convenient and easy way for customers to order. The portal includes a “How to Get Started” link to guide customers through the quick, one-time registration process, and with a convenient barcode lookup tool, they can order in minutes.
Traditionally used by eye care providers to order spectacle lenses, contact lenses and frames from suppliers, the VisionWeb portal now allows these customers to order VEL stock lenses from this central ordering site. Customers who have a VisionWeb account may simply add Vision-Ease Lens as a “new supplier” on the VisionWeb portal.
Midwestlens.com/blogger 06/21/2010
Red Tray Purchasing Alliance Launches Online Ordering and Claims Processing Powered by VisionWeb
June 2010 | Return to the Top
VICKSBURG, Miss.—Red Tray Purchasing Alliance has launched ophthalmic product ordering and insurance transaction processing powered by VisionWeb. Both services are now available through the Red Tray website.
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Red Tray president Jerry Hayes, OD said, “The addition of VisionWeb functionality means our members can now place frame and lab orders with one login at one website rather than phoning, faxing and using multiple sites to order from our 200-plus suppliers. Members will still receive their maximum Red Tray discount on all orders placed through RedTraySaves.com. With direct access to VisionWeb’s insurance processing service, members will also be able to maximize their cash flow by shortening reimbursement cycles with thousands of payers.”
“VisionWeb is pleased to partner with Red Tray to offer their members a convenient, customized point of access to our ordering and insurance processing services via the Red Tray website,” added Ken Engelhart, president and CEO of VisionWeb.
Red Tray members interested in ordering ophthalmic product or processing insurance transactions online are encouraged to call Red Tray Member Services at (800) 416-7676 or visit www.redtraysaves.com for more information. It is not necessary to have an existing VisionWeb account to access these services on the Red Tray website.
Red Tray Purchasing Alliance was founded three years ago by Jerry Hayes, OD and now has members in 43 states. Hayes is also the founder of HMI Buying Group.
VisionWeb offers online multi-payer insurance transaction processing, convenient direct-to-supplier online ordering and tracking; and other benefits for eyecare professionals, optical manufacturers, laboratories, distributors and patients.
VisionMonday.com 06/21/2010
AOA State Affiliates Receive 7th Year of Royalties for Orders Placed on VisionWeb
June 2010 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN, Texas—VisionWeb announced earlier this week that $51,011 in royalties will be paid to participating AOA State Affiliates for eyecare product orders placed by their members on VisionWeb over the last 12 months. This marks the 7th year that VisionWeb has paid royalties to the AOA for orders placed by AOA members to over 400 suppliers in the U.S. who are part of the VisionWeb supplier network.
Compared to last year, the number of participating state affiliates and the average royalty payout per participating state affiliate has increased by 12 percent. In addition, the number of qualifying accounts increased by 14 percent this year, more than double the growth experienced from 2008 to 2009.
“Over the past 12 months, we have seen a significant shift in the ordering behavior of eyecare providers in the U.S. More practices are ordering more products, more frequently, from more suppliers over the VisionWeb network,” said Ken Engelhart, president and CEO of VisionWeb. “Eyecare providers are adopting technology to improve their practices now more than ever. Programs like the AOA Royalty program are a great way to reward them for incorporating efficient processes in their businesses, and to provide resources to the professional associations that do so much to further the success of independent optometry.”
Under the terms of the program, AOA members automatically earn royalties for their State Affiliates by using VisionWeb to place their eyecare product orders. Members’ orders contribute toward the total payment made to their State Affiliate once they reach the minimum qualifying threshold of 1,200 orders placed over VisionWeb annually. The incremental royalty amount is calculated as a percentage of the transaction fee associated with each order (the fee paid to VisionWeb by the supplier who receives the order). Royalties earned by all qualifying accounts are combined by state to determine the royalty payment made to the participating AOA State Affiliate.
AOA State Affiliates participating in this program receive royalties from VisionWeb, exclusive of any agreements that they may have with buying groups. VisionWeb remains independent, and ordering on VisionWeb does not interfere with buying group discounts or pricing relationships that ordering accounts may have with suppliers, the company noted, adding VisionWeb continues to be a supporter of the American Optometric Association and active member of the Ophthalmic Council.
More information on the State royalties program can be found online at VisionWeb.com.
VisionMonday.com 06/21/2010
Viva International Group Joins VisionWeb Network
June 2010 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN, Texas—Viva International Group has joined VisionWeb’s network of suppliers. By joining VisionWeb, a provider of technology services to the optical industry, Viva’s customers will now be able to browse, confirm inventory and order frames offered by Viva online through the VisionWeb portal.
VisionWeb users can browse high-resolution color images of the frames offered in the Viva product catalog and check the inventory availability to confirm that the product is in stock prior to submitting the order. Users will also have the ability to drop-ship frames from the Viva distribution center directly to a VisionWeb-connected spectacle lens laboratory for the most expedited processing of complete jobs for their patients. According to VisionWeb, these features save time and make it more efficient to order online versus phone or fax.
“We are pleased to welcome Viva to our supplier network, giving our members access to more of the most popular brands on the market,” said Tom Loveless, vice president of business development and CFO of VisionWeb. “The addition of Viva to our supplier network brings us closer to our goal of one-stop shopping for ECPs, delivering more value to the market.”
Viva International Group’s portfolio of brands now available to the VisionWeb network includes Guess, Guess by Marciano, Skechers, Gant, Candie’s, Rampage, Bongo, Catherine Deneuve, Escada, Ermenegildo Zegna, Harley-Davidson, Magic Clip, Savvy and Viva, with the addition of William Rast, William Rast Racing and Mark Nason, launching in 2011.
Registering for a VisionWeb account and ordering ophthalmic products is free for eyecare providers. Existing VisionWeb members with valid Viva accounts can begin ordering now at www.visionweb.com, by adding Viva as a supplier in the Supplier Accounts section. VisionWeb users who do not already have accounts with Viva will need to contact a Viva sales representative before being able to order Viva products.
VisionMonday.com 06/24/2010
Success Stories: Optical Product Introductions That Changed Our Industry In The Past Decade
May 2010 | Return to the Top
As part of First Vision Media Group’s 10th anniversary celebration, we conducted a survey asking our readers to identify what they considered to be the product or brand introductions that made an impact on the optical industry and/or their practices from 2000 to 2009. Organized into eight categories, the nominations were selected from the wide array of products that were covered in Vision Care Product News during the decade. The list was further refined by our editorial staff and peer-to-peer writers. Read on for the results of the almost 700 responses gathered from the survey. Featured first are the Top 10 Products Overall (below), with the percentage of the total vote each received. Next are the “winners” in each category, again with the percentage of the total votes received and ranked within each category. We’ve also included the introduction date and a photo showcasing the product. We’re proud of this opportunity to highlight the noteworthy product introductions of the decade and to share this with our readers. The results will also be available on TotallyOptical.com.
E-TECH
1. TOM TOOL
Transitions Optical, Inc.,January 2003, 65%.
By tapping into Transitions’ customizable online marketing tool, ECPs were able to create high-quality, customizable P-O-Ps, advertising, and promotional materials in English and Spanish, as well as dozens of other useful practice management tools.
2. OFFICEMATE® EXAMWRITER®
Eyefinity/OfficeMate, Early 2000, 56%.
Taking the angst out of electronic medical records documentation, this software solution helped protect and kept track of patient information by maintaining accurate patient demographics, seamlessly integrating with billing information, monitoring coding and compliance, and interfacing with VisionWeb.
3. 3D-EYE OFFICE
(has since been replaced
with LUMA)
Eyemaginations, Inc.,
September 2004, 52%.
4. VISIONWEB PORTAL
VisionWeb,
March, 2002, 44%.
5. FASHION LAB SOFTWARE
Santinelli International, Inc.,
March 2006, 43%.
Excerpt from Vision Care Product News 05/2010
The Internet as a Business Tool for Labs
May 2010 | Return to the Top
WHEN IT COMES TO keeping up with technology, it seems these days that labs need to run as fast as they can just to remain in place. That’s as true for taking orders as it is for the lab equipment used to process those jobs coming in, and nothing has impacted that aspect of the business more than the Internet.
“Five years ago we were shipping around 300 jobs a day, and now we’re up to around 800,” said Colleen Schaffer, Customer Care Manager of Meridian Optical in Phoenix, AZ. Taking orders over the Web “really helps with turnaround time of jobs in and out of the lab.”
In addition to the efficiencies that come from accepting online orders from eyecare professionals (ECPs), the Internet offers wholesale optical labs a host of other benefits as well, from maintaining the accuracy of their own online catalogs and price lists to marketing directly to ECPs…from accessing the most up-to-date databases of products available from lens manufacturers to ordering directly from them online.
Some labs have used the Internet for emergency re-routing of jobs during natural disasters. For example, when hurricane Katrina shut down labs in the Gulf Coast, ELOA, which uses the Optifacts system, was able to automatically and seamlessly shift jobs to other labs that were up and running.
As Jeff Szymanski, vice president of Toledo Optical Laboratory in Toledo, OH, said in this month’s Transitions Heritage Lab Ambassadors Club Survey (see page 8), “Reverting back to life before the Internet seems truly unimaginable.”
So how exactly are labs benefiting from the Internet? What are they implementing wholeheartedly and what capabilities are available that they might not yet have applied to their fullest advantage?
Overall, the most prevalent use of the Internet by labs is accepting orders online directly from ECPs, and the most prominent Web site through which this is done is VisionWeb.
VISIONWEB
VisionWeb’s ordering services connect labs with their customers for electronic ordering, making it easy for customers to order, and giving the customer the ability to place an order with a lab 24/7 (not just when the lab is open). Labs that connect with VisionWeb maintain their own product catalogs, so the customer only accesses the products that are available at that individual lab. Labs receive account validation requests for their customers, so that the lab can confirm that a customer and their account information are valid before the customer begins ordering on VisionWeb. (Validation requests are sent via e-mail.) Orders that customers place on VisionWeb are transmitted to the lab, either directly into the lab’s Lab Management System (LMS), or via fax, depending on the lab’s capabilities. When necessary, VisionWeb O.N.E. (Open Network Exchange) provides seamless routing of jobs to multiple locations for additional manufacturing processes and or volume distribution.
EFFICIENT ORDER FULFILLMENT
VisionWeb’s ordering engines are equipped with error-checking features that make the orders placed on VisionWeb more accurate. For example, VisionWeb won’t allow an order with an invalid PD to be submitted or a treatment that isn’t compatible with a particular material, etc. VisionWeb interfaces with many popular tracers, allowing users to upload trace files and send them to the lab with spectacle lens orders for faster processing on frame-to-come jobs. Labs that use an integrated LMS receive orders
directly into their system and can begin processing without manual intervention (no need to type in an order, for example). Labs with fully electronic connections can provide online order tracking information to customers over VisionWeb, so they receive fewer calls from customers requesting order status information. By routing jobs to other locations, labs can manage a large volume of orders and still meet expected service levels. Also, labs that experience down time for any reason can route work to other locations to avoid job delays.
Digital Vision, Inc.’s remote ordering system, Rx Wizard, allows labs to receive electronic orders for both Rx and stock lenses from ECPs. |
WITH OR WITHOUT LMS
Labs that have an LMS can instantly receive orders without manual intervention (because the orders go directly into the lab), can provide online order tracking information, and can take advantage of order routing capability and outsource jobs to other fully electronic suppliers on the VisionWeb network.
Labs that do not have an LMS will receive their VisionWeb jobs in a fax format. While not fully electronic, this method of order receipt is still more efficient than receiving faxed jobs directly from the eyecare provider. This is because these orders will have been placed on VisionWeb, meaning they were subject to error-checking and custom product catalog capabilities, which make the orders more accurate. And, the fax format that VisionWeb provides to the lab is in a clean, accurate, format, making it easier to process.
OUTSOURCING POTENTIAL
VisionWeb’s routing technology, VisionWeb O.N.E. facilitates electronic data transfer between lab management systems, which in turn allows labs to connect electronically to one another for seamless ordering. Labs that outsource jobs work with VisionWeb’s integration team to establish electronic order routing to the labs that they will use for outsourcing. Once VisionWeb O.N.E. is implemented, orders the lab receives and that need to be outsourced will automatically route to the outsourcing facility without manual intervention. This improves turnaround time since order transfer happens instantly, ensures business contingency when capacity limitations or disasters occur, and allows a lab to expand product/service offering beyond in-house capabilities. It is as simple as setting up the account number for the lab to receive the work, and then the work is automatically sent to the appropriate labs.
LABS’ OWN WEB SITES
While the majority of labs take the route of accepting orders online through an established site such as VisionWeb, Eyefinity (for VSP orders), ParadEyes.com, Digital Vision, Inc.’s RxWizard (sidebar, “LABS BENEFIT FROM DIGITAL VISION,” below), some maintain their own Web sites for the same purpose, while others use both their own as well as existing sites.
For example, FEA Industries of Morton, PA, wrote its own software, which literally lowers the prices of jobs for its customers that order online. At this point, 90% of FEA’s orders are placed via its Web site. This high percentage was achieved partly by offering discounts to encourage ECPs to order online. Jobs placed over the Internet are offered at the lowest price, fax orders are three dollars more, and orders by phone are five dollars more. Bill Heffner, president of FEA, reports that after instituting these discounts, it took about a year to get to the point where 90% of orders are being placed through the FEA Web site.
“Our customers can do everything online,” he said. Of course, this benefits his lab as well. “We run about 1,500 to 1,600 jobs per day now and only have four customer service people, while most labs of that size have 12 to 14 of them. We took our customer service and gave the power to the customer,” said Heffner.
The entire operation is made more efficient as well. “In the past, it took about an hour and a half to get from the phone to the lab—customer service people would take 20 to 30 orders and put them in the basket. Then the data entry people would get up and take them out of the basket. When the data entry people went home, the whole process would stop. Now, we get in at 5am, and we already have several hundred orders to start the day. The lab runs until 7:30 at night, and we’re still processing orders. Shipping leaves at 10:30”
Labs that connect to ECPs with
VisionWeb maintain their own product catalogs, so the customer only accesses the products available from that individual lab. |
Heffner and his son (known as the other Bill) wrote the software for FEA Industries. Having grown up in the optical business, Heffner explains that “we’re optical people first and programmers second,” when comparing FEA to other online ordering sites. The FEA site doesn’t allow ECPs to enter mistakes when placing an order. For example, when ECPs enter the wrong parameters or add-ons that are incompatible with a particular lens, the program will notify them about the error and request that it be corrected.
Even though the ordering process is now completely automated using the FEA Web site, there is still room for personal attention. When ECPs enter “Rush” or “ASAP” in the comments field, the order is literally routed to a different printer, where it receives special handling.
 Another feature of the FEA Web site allows ECPs to be notified if a job is delayed. By simply clicking “notify” when they place their order, ECPs are e-mailed if a particular job is backordered or delayed for any particular reason.
ECPs can also access their account balances and information on the FEA site, enabling them to generate several different reports, which comes in handy when participating in lens manufacturers’ promotional programs. ECPs can generate usage reports for all Signet Armorlite or Transitions lenses they’ve purchased, for example, and notify that company to take advantage of promotions. Or ECPs can also organize lenses from Shamir Insight, Inc., as another example, by patient name and/or by type of lens. In addition, statements are available online for the past 12 years and up through the previous day, while invoices go back four years and can be searched by account number or patient name. Currently, a new version of the FEA Web site is under development with many more enhancements. It will be released later this year.
LABS ORDER ONLINE TOO
While much of the optical action on the Internet these days involves ECPs ordering jobs online, labs can also place orders with manufacturers in this way too. For example, electronic ordering with the Opticom system enables labs to electronically order all of their optical lens products from participating lens manufacturers in one convenient step.
Matrix Display Searching is Opticom’s latest free Web-based service that offers instant access to Opticom’s complete online lens database. Matrix Display allows labs to make a selection of a specific lens product that will display the complete available range, sphere, and cylinder powers for finished products, and it will also add powers and base curves for semi-finished products. In addition to improved searching of newly released products, labs can also place an initial order for inventory expansion as well as do replacement or short ordering.
Opticom also enables labs to find lenses in the database using bar codes. Barcode Search utilizes the Opticom online lens database and offers the following functions: 1) finding the bar code number and symbol for a particular lens or range of lenses; 2) ordering the lens or lenses through the Web Connect system; or 3) printing or downloading this data for the lab’s own use or to order using Opticom’s Direct Connect method.
Confirmation Check provides labs with online order verification and order summary from Opticom’s Web site. This verifies that orders have been sent to each lens vendor. It also includes a confirmation number or time from each lens vendor to help track orders, which are displayed by date beginning with the most recent and can be sorted by vendor.
Through its Shipment Notification and Electronic Packing List, Opticom offers lens shipment detail online. Shipment Notification provides lab customers the line item detail of their lens shipment. This information is accessible on Opticom’s Web site and available from participating lens vendors who send this shipment data to the Opticom system. An enhanced feature of Shipment Notification, Electronic Packing List allows labs to download shipment files to their LMS. This gives labs the capacity to record this shipment as received without verification of each and every item.
THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET
What’s the upshot of all this? How is the Internet impacting labs? While there are obvious benefits affecting efficiency and costs, one might think that the Internet makes the once highly personal procedure of producing a pair of eyeglasses for a patient much more impersonal. In some ways, however, the reverse is true. While it does automate the mundane repetitive tasks of ordering products and managing accounts, all of this electronic interaction frees up managerial and customer service time to provide even more personal attention during the less mundane interactions.
For example, when ECPs want instant access to Pech Optical Corp. in Sioux City, IA, they need only type a request into the lab’s online optical chat box between the hours of 7:30am and 6pm, and their question will immediately pop up on a customer service person’s computer screen for immediate attention.
“There are still customers who like that personal interaction with the laboratory,” said Neil Dougherty of Luzerne Optical Laboratories, Ltd. of Wilkes-Barre, PA. “By no means does Internet ordering eliminate that.”
Ultimately, the Internet is as personal or impersonal as the labs and ECPs using it make it, but there’s no mistaking that it has changed the way wholesale optical labs are doing business and will continue to do so.
John Sailer is Senior Editor of Optical Lab Products.
OpticalLabProducts.com 05/2010
Managed Vision Players Eye Health Care Reform, Other Issues at Annual NAVCP Conference
May 2010 | Return to the Top
NAPLES, Fla.—Nearly 100 executives of managed vision companies, retail optical chains and eyewear/eyecare suppliers—a record attendance—gathered here last week for the 7th annual conference of the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP), where they heard the association’s goals for the coming year and discussed the impact of the new health care reform legislation on the managed-vision arena. At the meeting, the group also shared initial results from the NAVCP’s first member utilization survey.
The NAVCP also elected new officers and board members during the event. The new NAVCP president is Richard Sanchez of Advantica; Sanchez succeeded Liz DiGiandomenico of EyeMed Vision Care, who had held that office for the past two years. Elected first vice president was Joe Wende, OD, of Davis Vision. Other NAVCP officers are Kimberly Hess of Superior Vision Services, VP- marketing; Erich Sternberg of AlwaysCare Benefits, VP-legislative affairs; Aspasia Shappet of MESVision, VP-industry relations; LaJeanne Niles of Carl Zeiss Vision, VP-membership; Don Yee of OptumHealth Systems, secretary/treasure. David Lavely, OD, of OptiCare Managed Vision, and DiGiandomenico were elected directors at large.
Sanchez outlined five key objectives for the organization in the coming year: developing the NAVCP’s strategy toward the rollout of health care reform, and partnering with other groups aligned with its strategy; reviewing the organization’s structure to make sure it best represents its members’ interests; continuing to communicate the value of vision care and the role of vision plans in health care; expanding the awareness and role of the NAVCP with benefiting entities; and continuing to increase membership and add value to members.
The NAVCP currently has 17 primary members and 16 allied members. New members since last year’s conference are Eyefinity/OfficeMate, NGL Insurance, Focal Center, Pro Fit Optix, Eyemart Express and eyeQuest; For Eyes, Block Vision and VisionWeb also have returned as NAVCP members.
During the conference, results of the NAVCP’s first benefit-utilization survey were revealed. The survey—with data provided by 10 major managed vision companies, nine of them NAVCP members—indicated that of the 85.5 million plan members affiliated with those 10 companies, 25.1 percent of them actually used the eye exam benefit provided by their plans during 2009, up from a 24 percent utilization rate for those companies in 2008.
The survey also indicated that stand-alone vision plans that offer coverage for both exams and glasses or contact lenses have the highest rates of member utilization.
VisionMonday.com 05/03/2010
Annual NAVCP Conference Draws Record Crowd
May 2010 | Return to the Top
NAPLES, Fla.—Nearly 100 attendees from multiple segments of the eyecare/eyewear industry gathered here for the 7th annual National Association of Vision Care Plans conference in late April.
The conference offered two days of discussions on topics such as health care reform and the role of managed vision plans in promoting eye health and wellness, as well as plenty of time for networking.
For a full report on this year’s NAVCP conference, see the June 21 issue of VM.
VisionMonday.com 05/05/2010
Optical e-Ordering, It’s About Time
April 2010 | Return to the Top
Electronic information and its transfer is part of your everyday world in emails, texts, online shopping, data and information collecting, entertainment, etc. And, virtually all of you participate. It saves money, time and adds convenience.
Telephone and fax are slow and fraught with potential errors. The bottom line is—it’s about time. It affects patient satisfaction, the business, time management and efficiency.
PATIENT SATISFACTION
Our focus is the patient so let’s start with them. Today, great products, excellent service and the perception of value received drive patient satisfaction. Excellent service can even make products seem better and their delivery more successful.
For example, a pair of glasses ready, a day or two before promised, can exceed a patient’s expectations. That can help make a patient more receptive to the instructions to learn how best to wear their first pair of progressives or a new and very different Rx post surgery. After all, by beating expectations, a patient’s confidence in their optician increases.
The opposite is true when glasses are late. The patient just left and you’re happy with the choice of frame and lens, especially for the first patient on a Monday morning. In fact, they agreed that the new personalized lens made a lot of sense, even though it was more expensive. You told the patient that the glasses would be about a week and you’d call when they came in.
The handwritten order was faxed in at the end of the day Monday, but first thing Tuesday morning, while the order was being keyed in at the lab, there was a question about the left axis; was it 160º or 100º. The lab was back east, the office in California so the lab put aside the call for 12:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m. PST) after the office would be open. The lab was busy that day and the call came in at 11. The office was also really busy—reception took a message that the lab needed a call back—they thought that it was Heather that had called—get where I’m going? By the end of the day, you were just catching up on messages and decided to call the lab first thing; you just had to leave to pick up your kids on time. On Wednesday morning you tried the lab back but there was no Heather, but Manny would take a look and call you back. Thirty minutes later Manny found your job and the error was corrected. The job would start. It’s not unusual, it happens but the clock started for the patient when they left the office. You’ve now lost two days; and if there was a back order or a breakage the job will be even later.
Here’s the issue, the patient has paid more than they expected, is trying something new and if they have any issue with fit or vision, a late pair of glasses may contribute to the patient assuming that it’s the glasses that are wrong.
So, an office’s efficiency, attention to detail and process adds to patient satisfaction. Offices will improve efficiency and accuracy with electronic ordering.
EFFICIENCY AND ACCURACY
The components of an efficient electronic ordering engine are many. Look for clear and complete entry screens, the ability to order spectacle and contact lenses, frames by collection, error checking and “missing” information messages, the ability to order from multiple labs and vendors, integration with office practice management systems, one time Rx data entry, order tracking, history and archive availability, HIPAA compliance and the opportunity to grow into third party insurance transactions. With all of these available, you can reduce errors, add efficiency and speed the receipt of glasses for dispensing. That means faster turnaround and increased cash flow—terrific for any practice. If you contract additionally for insurance connectivity, it reduces time for approvals.
According to Cheryl Copeland, ABOC, CPO, optician and office manager at Table Mountain Vision Clinic, “It saves time so we can concentrate on bringing in new patients or spending more time with patients we have in the office. More one-on-one with our patients improves the variety of product options and benefits we offer. That increases our average sell price and profits while patients get better products.” Cheryl uses VisionWeb and OfficeMate.
Entry Screens — Data must be clearly positioned and easy to enter. Pull down menus for labs and vendors should contain customized catalogs of product for completeness; virtually all orders should be able to be input using a one-page system, even from multiple vendors. In addition, an entry screen should be educational, teaching the new employee. A screen that can also affirm the Rx or frame components quickly tutors staff and improves the basic knowledge of the office. While a variety of lens shapes are described to help the lab initiate the jobs, the opportunity for a frame trace allows the most accurate start to the surfacing process. Once the frame is received, the final in-lab trace contains the accuracy for the best edging.
Order Accuracy — If order entry can access all the products a lab offers, there will be fewer questions as to what coating is allowed on what lens, what progressives work with what prescriptions, etc. Also, with all the parameters entered, the system must be able to tell you whether a lens will cut out with a particular frame and/or the availability of that Rx. Confirm these features when selecting a system.
Integration — Practice management systems contain the patient’s Rx record, eyewear information and can create forms. Therefore, to ensure there isn’t the need for double or even triple entry of the Rx, require the system that you choose be integrated with your practice management system. Russ Tolar, Operations Optical Master at Eyecare Centers, Greensboro, North Carolina, describes their process, “we have eight offices running Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and the ordering system for spectacles populates the Rx portion of the order directly from the EMR into the patient’s eyewear record. It adds a trace of the frame, checks to be sure all data required is filled in and transmits a completed order from our own screen. In our case, the optician never sees the actual portal order entry screen, it’s been made transparent to save time and increase efficiency.”
Eyecare Centers also has a filter that reduces a lab’s available product list to be consistent with the products the company has decided to sell. While choice is important, we have many choices and there needs to be some way to add selectivity about the products an office offers. This is an efficient way to do that. Eyecare Centers integrates Compulink, VisionWeb and Eyecare Advantage for a seamless entry and order system.
Speed — An order received electronically by a lab is automatically translated into the Lab Management System (LMS). The LMS is the electronic system that stores job data, directs lab machinery operations, tracks the work and prints invoices, manages accounts payable and the lab’s own replenishment system. Automatic translation reduces double keying of jobs that might have been received by fax or phone. Jobs start faster in the lab; the trace allows a lab to better understand shape and ED for the right lens size and thicknesses. This is especially important for those ordering uncuts. Fax and phone orders suffer from handwriting errors, missed information and the time needed for input. That can add one to two days to a job.
Tracking — To meet patient expectations and maintain office efficiency, ensure that a keystroke, at any time, can check on a job in the lab. For example, when open, Vision-Web stays online and is available once logged on. This also works with the variety of integrated systems. Tom Hicks, owner of Oxford Opticians, Oxford, Ohio, might be checking on job status, “but if a patient walks in the door, I can take care of them and then just sit back down and resume the query I was making. It doesn’t take a time out.” Flexibility on screen, adds to flexibility in the office. In fact, some portals now provide inventory checking status online for frames.
Third Party — Insurance transactions are a major portion of any practice. Being able to link them seamlessly to your Rx record and transmit to the payer is a serious advantage. Connections to payers requires some additional cost and an agreement, it will save time and money. Most offices, when reviewing their reimbursements find missed payment opportunities because of missed codes, incorrect filing or staff that may have given up on a claim. Does third party connectivity make sense? Count the time spent filling out forms and transmitting to insurers. Also, consider the number of insurers you now work with or will need to. Therefore, an electronic system that allows direct claims processing is a must for a total plan over time.
Next, look for HIPAA compliant claim forms so that requirements are fulfilled automatically. This makes staff, especially new staff, act like experts from their first day. It also ensures office compliance.
For Medicare and Medicaid, no paper claims are accepted, so Internet connectivity is required. Integrating that with the ordering and practice management system simplifies an often-confusing process.
Lastly, if there is a security concern, there should be none. No dollars or payments are being transmitted and claims are HIPAA compliant i.e., transmission is password protected so patients’ information and identity are kept confidential.
CONVENIENCE
Remember Tom from Oxford Opticians? When I talked with him he was using Vision-Web, feet up, watching a football game at home, while inputting his day’s orders. He says this allows him to leave the office on time since 24-hour availability of the Internet allows him access when it is more convenient for him. It also means that the order is printed immediately and available for the lab to tray up, pick lenses and get the job started. In many labs today, swing and even graveyard shifts provide service around the clock. A job once transmitted can virtually start immediately.
Also, since the screen can be open all day, information, orders, forms, claims or other services can be accessed as needed while the office and staff goes about their everyday tasks.
NO CHARGE TO THE USER – SUPPORT FOR THE INDUSTRY
Clearly, such services that compile and transmit orders should be low or no cost. Otherwise, the sending of data would add to the office’s operating overhead for order input and transmission. Order input and transmission and the linking to vendors using services like VisionWeb, or links from MaximEyes and Compulink, OfficeMate and others are low or no cost. Some practices I spoke with, not ordering online, didn’t realize that some ordering programs were no cost. Investigate all and decide the best plan for you. It improves the bottom line while it adds practice efficiency.
Obviously, there is cost to maintaining the systems and infrastructure of an ordering system that links to labs, manufacturers and vendors. The receiving lab or vendor pays a small transmission fee. Where do some of the monies collected go?
For example, the American Optometric Association is an equity partner in Vision-Web. This provides an AOA member benefit, contributions to State Associations and the AOA directly. This supports AOA educational programs.
In another example, orders received from registered members of the Opticians Association of America, a royalty based on order volume is paid back to the OAA to be used to support the Association and its programs on behalf of opticians.
OPTICIANRY AND/OR OPTOMETRY OFFICES?
Online ordering applies to opticianry and optometry practices as both offices benefit from increased efficiency.
Cheryl Copeland of Table Mountain Vision Clinic notes, “Since the integration with OfficeMate, there has been significant time savings. Electronic billing has saved time in that I am able to bill a weeks worth of insurance in about five minutes. Before, data entry happened twice a day and would take up to an hour to bill a days worth of claims. We receive some of our checks within two weeks. Spectacle lens ordering is much better with the integration, with less data entry mistakes.”
THE RESULTS
“Technology is linking us in ways that we never imagined possible: Google, Twitter, Wikipedia, and others—all blend to create a web of interconnected minds,” The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown, Doubleday, 2009. I thought this a true statement since this concept of electronic ordering, intuitive training and on-screen education; Practice Management (PM) integration and third party billing ensures the same kind of inter-connectivity that a modern office requires.
SIDE EFFECTS
Every system implemented in any practice has some side effects. Electronic ordering is no different. They’re positive though. Dr. Tommy Crooks, a former president of the AOA and current CEO of the 19 location EyeCare Associates, offers the following insights. (Dr. Crooks also serves as the professional relations advisor for VisionWeb.
Empower Staff — “Many optometric offices are single doctor, staff of three to five, seeing 15 to 20 patients, and placing eight to 10 orders a day. That means there is little spare time for the doctor.” Adding tools that improve efficiency and help bring order to the daily routines of a practice ensures there is time for the unexpected. He adds, “Staff can do what they were hired to be responsible for.”
Expand Capability, Grow — Electronic ordering in its simplest form provides growth in two ways: office growth in products used and system growth in the office. As in most e-opportunities today, they have more capability than most people initially use. Just think about your cell phone.
For smaller offices it’s as if there are more people. Efficiency increases professional identity. For the patient, there are more options when the optician has more product choices available. Dr. Crooks notes, “Eyewear delivery times are shortened by 0.5 to 1 day.”
Says Cheryl Copeland, “We are able to process more items faster, and in turn do more. We can try more products that maybe one would not have tried before, because you were unsure of what products were available. That means more confidence to sell maybe a golf lens to more patients, to be able to look up and see the parameters of the Rx with frame size and PD to ensure the best product in the end.”
Enjoy Patients More — This from both Hicks and Copeland: With more time and easier lab communication, the ability to spend the time to understand patient’s needs or “just chat” makes the office that more personal. Copeland suggests patients stop by to see what’s new, there’s now time to gain knowledge of true needs and get into product benefit conversations. For Table Mountain Vision Clinic this meant starting a safety Rx business in both clear and sun. Since Copeland and many of her customers hunt, that also means her office becomes a destination for prescription safety sunglasses in prescription.
Free Time — If efficiency saves time that means less of the daily crush. While no office just sits around with their feet up (except for Tom Hicks at home) it means that an office manager has more time to take care of those other office needs like HR issues, training, education and planning.
The Ugly — It seems the hardest part of implementation experience was the initial setup. It takes some time. It’s similar to learning the latest software or the changing to the newest version of Microsoft Word; it takes some time but after a few weeks you can’t remember some keystrokes from the previous version. Both Copeland and Dr. Crooks, suggest their experience is that the time “lost” in learning the set-up is gained back within one week and that was the easiest part of getting the staff on board. “They immediately felt they were able to spend more time with our patients,” says Copeland.
Screams of “Agony” — Once implemented, electronic ordering brings screams when the Internet is slow or down. It wasn’t too long ago that we were satisfied with dial-up access. To be efficient, speed is critical. Be prepared to hear the agony as Dr. Crooks described, “…anytime one of my staff receives an error message or there’s difficulty accessing the Net, listen to the complaints. They rely on connectivity to do their jobs and do them well.”
GETTING STARTED
I know some of you are still in denial, “It’s not for me, I really have enough time to call, I don’t see the savings, I want/need the personal attention…” I’ve heard a number of reasons. Millimeter rulers changed in favor of pupillometers and digital camera measuring systems aren’t too far off from increased adoption. Science and technology offer us new opportunities from freeform to memory metals for benefits that patients value. Electronic ordering is the platform behind us that makes us much more effective at what we do best: sell and dispense great eyewear.
This is meant for the doctor, practice/business owner—if you are not involved with the daily activity of ordering, tracking, insurance, etc., it’s easy to misunderstand the demand on staff time. This is a good project for staff implementation with goals set to demonstrate how effective electronic ordering can be. Remember, empower staff to make their own jobs easier; it will also promote practice growth and efficiency.
Supplier Accounts — Set-up and implementation requires adding vendors and lab suppliers to your account, inputting account numbers and identification. Once developed, they are immediately available for use.
Everyone I spoke with suggested the office add capability as understanding increases. In this way, there’s not too much to learn initially and it doesn’t interrupt daily office flow. Use the supplier companies for tutorials online or in person to develop a plan. As you develop lens ordering expertise add frame orders, contact lenses, PM integration, insurance billing and EMR.
Remote Tracing — Some offices use the remote tracing feature to receive edged lenses from the lab for patient’s own frames. This has been especially important in an economy where patients use their existing frame for a new prescription. As an added benefit, some offices use this capability for some of their rimless work where the office is also expert at three-piece or semi-rimless assembly. This can sometimes save up to a week in lab time. Plastic frames work well also, especially for minus Rxs. Discuss this with your lab; remember that attention to tracer calibration is required daily.
IT’S ABOUT TIME
Offices that participate in electronic ordering of lenses, frames and contacts, add efficiency, get easy access to information and infuse convenience. If you’re not participating now, it’s time to get started. You can improve patient satisfaction, the business, empower staff and improve time management.
Increase your participation in electronic claim filing and there are benefits for both patient and office. For the patient, they can maximize their plan. For the office, the costs to participate are far outweighed by the speed, efficiency and accuracy that e-filing delivers.
It’s about time, don’t you think?
Mark Mattison-Shupnick, ABOM
2020mag.com
MidwestLens.com/Blogger 04/08/2010
VersaSuite Integrates with VisionWeb
March 2010 | Return to the Top
New integration capabilities now enable users of VersaSuite electronic health record and practice management software to order spectacle lenses from all the VisionWeb-connected laboratories from within the VersaSuite Practice Management software environment. The integration will reduce duplicate data entry and streamline the ordering process for VersaSuite customers. Users will be able to track the status of orders at any time.
Vision Care Venture March 2010
VisionWeb Links with Opticians Association of America for Royalty Program
March 2010 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN, Texas—Industry Internet portal VisionWeb is joining up with the Opticians Associations of America to create a royalty program for opticians, similar to a program VisionWeb has offered to American Optometric Association members for a number of years.
Through the new OAA Royalty program, the OAA and 21 affiliated state opticianry associations will receive royalties on orders placed by OAA members via the VisionWeb network. VisionWeb also becomes a corporate partner of the OAA, with its services endorsed by the national opticianry organization.
OAA members can enroll their businesses in the royalty program to earn royalties from ordering ophthalmic products via VisionWeb. Once a business places 600 orders during the earning period—from April through March each year—it qualifies to earn a 1 percent royalty on the transaction fee paid by the suppliers receiving the orders. The royalty percentage increases to 2 percent and 3 percent, respectively, at annual ordering thresholds of 1,200 and 2,400 orders.
The OAA will distribute the royalties to the state associations to which the members ordering through VisionWeb belong; royalties earned by OAA members in states with no affiliate state association go directly to the OAA.
"Opticians Association of America is dedicated to providing tools and resources that further the professional development of America's opticians, and we greatly appreciate VisionWeb’s support in that mission," said Chris Allen, the OAA's executive director.
"We look forward to supporting the advancement of optician through our royalty program and corporate sponsorship," commented Ken Engelhart, VisionWeb's president and chief executive officer.
For more information on the program and corporate sponsorship, go to www.visionweb.com and www.oaa.org.
VisionMonday.com 03/04/2010
Internet Basics for Eyecare Professionals: Commerce, Communication and Community
March 2010 | Return to the Top
I'll admit it. I'm a bit of an Internet junkie, and I'm passionate about using the very latest technologies when it comes to running my practice. For the last few years I've been helping other practice owners and eyecare professionals (ECPs) more effectively build their businesses, with a special emphasis on Internet-based tools and communication systems.
Like me, you were probably trained to take care of patients, to help people, and to be an advocate for healthy vision. But how many of us were trained in the best ways to use technology to run our practices? Let's face it. While the rest of the world seems to have embraced the Internet as an essential part of doing business, many in our profession have been a bit slow to catch on.
After all, the old ways are fine—or are they?
If you haven't investigated some of the latest Internet-based tools for managing your practice, you're in for a pleasant surprise. The Internet is filled with Web portals, online tools, and Internet-based communications services, all designed to streamline your business processes and give you more time to do what you love to do—take care of your patients.
This guide is intended to show you how to use the Internet to improve your overall practice through more efficient processes.
Here we'll focus on three key areas in which the Internet can enhance your existing processes:
- Commerce—purchasing, scheduling, billing, and accounting;
- Communication—expanding the reach of your marketing efforts, appealing to new and existing patients, and establishing yourself as a subject matter expert; and
- Community—building and cultivating meaningful relationships with your patients.
Convinced? Let's take a look at some specifics.
Commerce — Business Basics, Redefined
Purchasing
One of the biggest improvements you can make in your overall efficiency is to implement online ordering. There are several Web portals out there that offer this capability. Of these online tools, VisionWeb and eyefinity are among the most commonly used. Each offers its own benefits, but both can be used to streamline your ordering process.
Here are just a few of the benefits of online ordering. First, purchasing online allows you to order from all of your suppliers via a single Web site, 24 hours a day, and orders placed online can be processed more quickly than those that are phoned or faxed in. This means faster turnaround for your patients. A definite win-win!
Furthermore, online orders can be checked for accuracy, reducing the potential for errors and limiting time-consuming phone calls. In some cases you can even upload a trace file to your spectacle lens orders to ensure the most accurate processing.
Keeping track of your orders is made simpler with online order tracking, so you'll always know when and what you ordered and when you can expect it to arrive.
Billing and Accounting
Handling the financial aspects of your business can also be dramatically simplified by using Internet-based tools. In fact, some of the online ordering services also provide patient and insurance billing capabilities (as well as online scheduling), making them powerful, all-in-one tools for managing your entire practice.
Using these tools, you can submit your insurance claims online, from a single Web site, to thousands of payers. With VisionWeb, for example, your staff can simply upload claim files and send them off. Because reimbursement information is available online, you can track your claims' status and receive monthly reports.
Your online service can also allow your staff to access your patients' eligibility and authorizations instantly, reducing your staff's phone time and streamlining the verification process. Patient billing can also be streamlined by accessing EOBs online rather than relying on snail mail.
Although it's not the newest form of technology, don't overlook online banking as a way to cut down on paperwork and improve efficiency. Many online accounting systems integrate seamlessly with your bank's online services, allowing you to pay bills and manage your bank accounts with just a few extra clicks.
Scheduling
Think there's no way to relieve the inherent "clunkiness" of appointment scheduling? You may be surprised. Online appointment systems such as Eppointments and 4PatientCare can dramatically decrease your staff's phone time, add convenience and simplicity for your patients, and help to set your practice apart from the competition.
How many patients wait too long to schedule their appointments because they simply "never get around to it?" Online scheduling allows your patients to set their appointments quickly and efficiently, any time of day, without waiting to speak with a staff member or taking time out of their work day. Because online scheduling is completely integrated with your in-office scheduling process, patients have access to up-to-the-minute information about available appointment times.
This means improved convenience for existing patients, added appeal to new patients—and more appointments for you! Once appointments have been scheduled, online appointment systems can also be used to send appointment reminders and to capture patient information online, reducing paperwork for both your patients and your staff.
The benefits don't stop once the patient is in your office. Eppointments, for example, is also an effective tool for checking patients in and out. It can even help you keep track of your patients' insurance information and streamline the verification process.
You can also use online scheduling tools to manage your in-house resources. There are a number of Internet-based tools that act as online time clocks, and you can post your office manual online or utilize project management tools to help manage your employees' task lists and improve accountability.
Communication — Reaching Out and Staying in Touch
Marketing
In today's Internet-savvy environment, your Web site is perhaps your most important marketing tool. But so many eye doctors continue to rely on expensive Yellow Pages ads to bring in patients.
Don't waste your money!
When done correctly, your Web site can be an incredibly powerful tool, not only for introducing yourself and your practice but also for reaching out to new markets, communicating with your existing patients, and establishing yourself as an expert in your field.
Consider the benefits of a good Web site over a print ad:
- better, more valuable content (after all, how much can you say about your practice in a 4- x 2-inch ad?)
- unlimited traffic
- timeliness and relevance (update your Web site any time you want!)
- cost effectiveness
It's true. A Web site is more cost effective than a print ad —by a long shot.
Once your Web site is up and running, you can expect to pay just a modest hosting fee every month. You're completely free from size, color, or media limitations, and because your Web site can easily be updated, it's the perfect way to announce upcoming events and promotions.
Creating Your Web Site
Great Web design isn't rocket science. With a good designer and a few key elements—your contact information, some carefully chosen keywords, and some high-value content—you can be up and running in no time.
But if you want to keep it simple and avoid hiring a professional designer, there are online services to make setting up your Web site easier. PhysicianWebPages, Easy Practice Sites, EyeCarePro.Net, and Optometry.net are just some of the examples of the services that offer custom Web sites for doctors' offices that include hosting, e-mail accounts, and even integration with your online scheduling tool.
Speaking of e-mail, if you don't already capture your patients' e-mail addresses, it's time to start. Let your patients know that you will be periodically sending them news about eye health matters and your practice. You'll be surprised how readily they'll provide their addresses.
As your e-mail list grows, you can use it (sparingly and considerately, of course) to announce upcoming events such as screenings, seminars, and trunk shows.
Once you've built a substantial mailing list, it's a great idea to develop an opt-in e-zine (online or e-mailed magazine) which can be used to remind your patients about the importance of checkups, provide eyecare tips, and generally offer valuable, free information as a way to build customer loyalty.
Daily Communication
If you're like most everyone else in the world, telephone and e-mail are your most important forms of business communication.
Like online scheduling, e-mail can be used to reduce your staff's phone time and provide your patients with another communication channel. If you use your e-mail accounts wisely, you can improve your staff's response time and enhance customer service.
In order to ensure a quick response and to avoid "lost" e-mail messages, you can create a central e-mail account that is routed to multiple members of your staff. Or you can set up an e-mail-based "Ask the Doctor" option on your Web site as a quick and easy way for your patients to contact you with their routine questions.
Phoning Over the Internet
Another interesting way to use the Internet is to swap your landline for a Voice Over IP (VOIP) system. Much less expensive and virtually indistinguishable from landlines from a caller's perspective, VOIP systems have gotten quite robust in the last few years.
Many VOIP systems include multiple extension capability, call routing (with easy online set-up), and voicemail. But some of the most sophisticated even include automated appointment reminder calls and 24-hour appointment confirmation/canceling options.
You can even utilize text messaging to send appointment reminders. But be sure to get your patients' permission first! Many people have to pay for their incoming text messages and wouldn't appreciate a surprise text from their eye doctor.
Education
Of course, the Internet can also be a great source of information for ECPs. E-mail newsletters, blogs, Web sites, Webinars, and interactive virtual events are just some of the formats in which you can obtain valuable, up-to-the-minute information on everything from new products to new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. VisionWeb alone offers its members online continuing education courses, a news and information service, and e-mail newsletters and updates. Similar information is also available from Web sites such as TotallyOptical.com and The Optical Vision Site.
Community — Relationships that Work
Social Media
According to a recent TotallyOptical.com poll, half of the ECPs who responded do not think social media is important to their business. While this might have been true a few short years ago, you're putting your business at risk if you continue to ignore what communication channels your patient base is using.
Two of the fastest growing social media networks are Facebook and Twitter. With more than 300 million active users, Facebook has become the platform of choice to start with for those ECPs new to the social media realm.
Facebook
Be aware when creating a business account on Facebook, you must set up a fan page. This allows you to actively connect with your patients and keep them updated on what's new. While it's of course a great idea to talk about your qualifications as an ECP and your practice capabilities, this shouldn't dominate what is featured on Facebook. In order to effectively promote your business, you have to be viewed as an expert to your patients.
This can be done by becoming a channel of eyecare information—talk about eyecare topics such as glaucoma education, the importance of protection against ultra-violet radiation for children, presbyopic issues, or even provide advice on how to cope with a family member with an eye disease. While it's useful for patients to know there's a new product line or a coupon online, the more important side of having a social media presence is being known as a resource your patients can rely on.
Twitter
To tweet or not to tweet—a lot of ECPs are wondering if they should be using Twitter. This can be a great tool for ECPs to see if anyone is talking about them or their practice. It's conceivable to have a patient walk out of your office and tweet that she had a terrible experience. As a result, many businesses are finding that listening on the service and reacting appropriately leads to happier customers, passionate advocates, key product improvements, and, in many cases, more sales.
But what about jumping in and actively tweeting? If you are trying to decide if Twitter is right for your business, take into account that it is time consuming to maintain for a typically much smaller audience base. If you do decide to tweet, remember, tweets should center on your business, not what you're doing this weekend. While you do have to show a bit of your personality, too much in your tweets can be slightly off-putting to your patients.
MySpace, YouTube & LinkedIn
Around for almost six years, MySpace still remains a great option for your business. You can participate in one of MySpace's health forums or start your own group on eyecare or eyewear trends to answer patient questions and also to connect with other professionals.
Another tool to connect with patients is YouTube. People are watching hundreds of millions of videos a day on YouTube and sharing with their friends and colleagues. Use YouTube for patient testimonials, eyecare education, visually showcasing the services your practice provides, etc. You can also embed your YouTube video into your Facebook and MySpace accounts.
Though LinkedIn isn't a platform used to connect with patients, it does provide a great resource for making professional connections. According to the company, LinkedIn has over 48 million members around the world representing 170 industries. You can find, be introduced to, and collaborate with qualified professionals for support and ideas on how to promote a practice and eye health. Find and be introduced to service providers, gather data, solve problems, gain new insights from discussions, and even post and distribute job listings.
Whether you are connecting with patients or colleagues, social media is a business tool you can't afford to ignore any longer.
"Give Before You Take"
Although at first glance it may seem like an entirely impersonal medium, the Internet can be used quite effectively to establish better, more meaningful relationships with your patients and your community.
I like to say that you have to "give before you take" when it comes to Internet-based communications. Along with acting as a patient portal and virtual calling card, your Web site can also be used to provide your patients and the online community at large with important educational materials. Not only will this improve your search engine ranking (and it will), it will also establish you as a trustworthy professional dedicated to serving your patients' needs, both in the office and out of the office.
The same goes for your e-zine or email-based patient communications. By offering valuable, free information on a regular basis, you're providing a reason for patients to come back to you and to your Web site—and you're building the kind of word-of-mouth buzz that's so important to growing your practice.
You can also use your Web site to pose questions, gather feedback, and reach out to your community. In short, the possibilities are endless. Sure, there are disadvantages to communicating online. You may sacrifice a bit of the "personal touch" in exchange for a wider reach and increased efficiency. But, ultimately, an efficiently run office is an office in which you and your staff are more relaxed, more flexible, and better able to do what's most important—focus on your patients.
Jeff Lewis, OD, is an optometrist with Orinda Optometric Vision Center in Orinda, CA, and he provides practice marketing advice through Best Eye Care Marketing.
Vision Care Venture March 2010
VisionWeb's Money Madness Sweepstakes Returns For Spring 2010
February 2010 | Return to the Top
VisionWeb is reprising its Money Madness Sweepstakes. The Sweepstakes, initially introduced in 2009, rewards practices for placing more of their orders via the VisionWeb network (VisionWeb portal site or an integrated practice management system), and encourages practices to take advantage of one-stop shopping to over 400 suppliers on the VisionWeb network.
This installment of VisionWeb's Money Madness Sweepstakes runs February 14 to April 10, 2010, and is open to all eyecare providers who are VisionWeb members. Each VisionWeb account will earn entries in weekly and grand prize drawings for meeting their weekly order goal. Additional entries are earned by ordering to multiple supplier types (spectacle lenses, contact lenses, and frames). Drawing entries are cumulative throughout the program, meaning the more entries the account receives, the more chances they have to win.
Prizes are awarded in eight weekly drawings throughout the Sweepstakes period, and two grand prize drawings at the conclusion of the Sweepstakes. Weekly prizes include $250 cash and $250 credit with the VisionWeb supplier of the winner's choice (a $500 value). The grand prize includes $1,250 each cash and supplier credit (a $2,500 value), and the first runner-up prize includes $500 each cash and supplier credit (a $1,000 value). The cash portion of the prize serves as an individual reward for the practice to spend at their will and is paid to the practice in the form of an American Express gift card. The supplier credit portion of the prize is paid directly from VisionWeb to the desired supplier and serves as an investment in the practice's future business with their supplier(s) over VisionWeb.
Eyecare providers interested in participating in VisionWeb's Money Madness Sweepstakes are encouraged to visit the VisionWeb site at www.visionweb.com to learn more and enroll their practice in the Sweepstakes today. Click on the "Money Madness" icon to access the Official Rules and instructions for How to Play. Eyecare providers who are not yet VisionWeb members can contact VisionWeb Customer Service at (800) 874-6601 to register their practice and start ordering online today.
20/20’s eL&T 02/23/2010
Luxottica Joins Network of Suppliers on VisionWeb
February 2010 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN, Texas—Eyecare providers will now be able to order Luxottica Group products on the VisionWeb portal per a new arrangement which adds Luxottica’s portfolio of brands to the VisionWeb network and also adds new functionality to the VisionWeb frames ordering service.
Luxottica’s products, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Revo, Vogue and Anne Klein, Bvlgari, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Polo, Prada, Ralph Lauren and Versace will be among the products and brands from 350 suppliers currently available at VisionWeb.com.
New functionality to the VisionWeb frames ordering service will be launched in conjunction with the Luxottica Group product catalog, the companies said. Luxottica will be the first frame supplier on VisionWeb to provide online inventory status and designate product eligibility by account, significantly improving the frames ordering experience.
This ability to check inventory status online, will enable VisionWeb members to confirm the product is available and not on backorder or out of stock prior to placing the order, the companies added. This feature will also facilitate for customers to drop-ship orders from the Luxottica‘s distribution center directly to VisionWeb-connected spectacle lens laboratories for the most expedited prescription frame and lens processing. In addition, eligibility designations by account will enable each account to view and order only the products for which they are eligible for over the VisionWeb system.
“We are very excited to announce our new connection with Luxottica Group,” said Tom Loveless, vice president of business development and CFO for VisionWeb. “Not only does this significantly expand the breadth of products that can be ordered over VisionWeb, but it also gives us the opportunity to improve our ordering service with new functionality. All of which increases the value of ordering on VisionWeb for our customers.”
“Luxottica is proud to join VisionWeb, giving our customers one more option to conveniently order the brands their patients and consumers want.” said Pierre Fay, executive vice president, Luxottica North America. “We are happy to support the new ordering functionality in conjunction with the launch, delivering superior service.”
Ordering on VisionWeb is free for eyecare providers. VisionWeb members can add Luxottica to their supplier accounts, effective immediately.
VisionMonday.com 02/10/2010
VisionWeb and VersaSuite Announce Ordering Integration with Practice Management Software
February 2010 | Return to the Top
VersaSuite Users Can Now Seamlessly Order Spectacle Lenses from VisionWeb-Connected Laboratories.
Austin, TX, February 16, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Visionweb, the premier provider of technology services to streamline the eyecare practice, and VersaSuite, a leader in the Electronic Health Record and Practice Management healthcare market, announced today the launch of the integration that will enable VersaSuite customers to order spectacle lenses from all VisionWeb-connected laboratories from within the VersaSuite Practice Management software environment. The integration will reduce duplicate data entry and streamline the ordering process for VersaSuite customers.
Eyecare providers using the integration will benefit from accurate, convenient online spectacle lens ordering, with the ability to track the status of orders at any time, from within the environment of their practice management system. In addition, orders placed through the VisionWeb are received by the lab sooner and are automatically put into process, providing the customer with heightened efficiency and improved turnaround time.
Rodney Brown, Director of Sales and Marketing at VersaSuite had this to say about the integration, "We see this as another important step in VersaSuite's ability to provide our current and future clients the most robust and efficient solution in the industry." "VisionWeb is the leader in spectacle ordering and we're excited about the possibilities of this partnership."
VersaSuite customers are encouraged to contact VersaSuite at (800) 903-8774 or visit www.versasuite.com to learn more and request the VisionWeb ordering integration.
VersaSuite, in addition to the other practice management systems integrated with VisionWeb's ordering service, is listed on the VisionWeb site, located at www.visionweb.com, under the Technology Partners heading. On this page, visitors can learn more about the features and benefits of ordering through VisionWeb integration and download a brochure.
About VisionWeb
Headquarted in Austin, Texas, VisionWeb is the online service to help eyecare providers and laboratories simplify and streamline their businesses. VisionWeb offers online multi-payer Insurance transaction processing; convenient and direct-to-supplier online ordering and tracking; one-stop access to ophthalmic clinical news and information, and other benefits for opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, optical manufacturers, laboratories, distributors, and patients. For more information, please visit www.visionweb.com.
About VersaSuite
VersaSuite specializes in the development of integrated healthcare software solutions for both clinical and hospital environments. A comprehensive practice management ensemble, VersaSuite is a symphony of several vertically-oriented modules: The healthcare modules perform clinical and management tasks for all medical specialties within in-patient and out-patient care settings. The business modules automate employee scheduling, client tracking & scheduling. With cutting-edge technology and marketplace insight, VersaSuite offers a complete integrated clinical and management solution designed to help any healthcare organization to provide exceptional patient care and achieve optimal competitive efficiency. For more information, please visit www.versasuite.com.
PR.com 02/15/2010
VisionWeb and VersaSuite Announce Ordering Integration
February 2010 | Return to the Top
VisionWeb and VersaSuite Announce Ordering Integration with Practice Management Software
VersaSuite Users Can Now Seamlessly Order Spectacle Lenses from VisionWeb-Connected Laboratories.
Austin, TX, February 16, 2010 –(PR.com)– Visionweb, the premier provider of technology services to streamline the eyecare practice, and VersaSuite, a leader in the Electronic Health Record and Practice Management healthcare market, announced today the launch of the integration that will enable VersaSuite customers to order spectacle lenses from all VisionWeb-connected laboratories from within the VersaSuite Practice Management software environment. The integration will reduce duplicate data entry and streamline the ordering process for VersaSuite customers.
Eyecare providers using the integration will benefit from accurate, convenient online spectacle lens ordering, with the ability to track the status of orders at any time, from within the environment of their practice management system. In addition, orders placed through the VisionWeb are received by the lab sooner and are automatically put into process, providing the customer with heightened efficiency and improved turnaround time.
Rodney Brown, Director of Sales and Marketing at VersaSuite had this to say about the integration, “We see this as another important step in VersaSuite’s ability to provide our current and future clients the most robust and efficient solution in the industry.” “VisionWeb is the leader in spectacle ordering and we’re excited about the possibilities of this partnership.”
VersaSuite customers are encouraged to contact VersaSuite at (800) 903-8774 or visit www.versasuite.com to learn more and request the VisionWeb ordering integration.
VersaSuite, in addition to the other practice management systems integrated with VisionWeb’s ordering service, is listed on the VisionWeb site, located at www.visionweb.com, under the Technology Partners heading. On this page, visitors can learn more about the features and benefits of ordering through VisionWeb integration and download a brochure.
About VisionWeb
Headquarted in Austin, Texas, VisionWeb is the online service to help eyecare providers and laboratories simplify and streamline their businesses. VisionWeb offers online multi-payer Insurance transaction processing; convenient and direct-to-supplier online ordering and tracking; one-stop access to ophthalmic clinical news and information, and other benefits for opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, optical manufacturers, laboratories, distributors, and patients. For more information, please visit www.visionweb.com.
About VersaSuite
VersaSuite specializes in the development of integrated healthcare software solutions for both clinical and hospital environments. A comprehensive practice management ensemble, VersaSuite is a symphony of several vertically-oriented modules: The healthcare modules perform clinical and management tasks for all medical specialties within in-patient and out-patient care settings. The business modules automate employee scheduling, client tracking & scheduling. With cutting-edge technology and marketplace insight, VersaSuite offers a complete integrated clinical and management solution designed to help any healthcare organization to provide exceptional patient care and achieve optimal competitive efficiency. For more information, please visit www.versasuite.com.
OpticalVisionResources.com 02/16/2010
VersaSuite Users Can Now Seamlessly Order Spectacle Lenses from VisionWeb-Connected Laboratories.
February 2010 | Return to the Top
Visionweb, the premier provider of technology services to streamline the eyecare practice, and VersaSuite, a leader in the Electronic Health Record and Practice Management healthcare market, announced the launch of the integration that will enable VersaSuite customers to order spectacle lenses from all VisionWeb-connected laboratories from within the VersaSuite Practice Management software environment. The integration will reduce duplicate data entry and streamline the ordering process for VersaSuite customers.
Eyecare providers using the integration will benefit from accurate, convenient online spectacle lens ordering, with the ability to track the status of orders at any time, from within the environment of their practice management systems . In addition, orders placed through the VisionWeb are received by the lab sooner and are automatically put into process, providing the customer with heightened efficiency and improved turnaround time.
Rodney Brown, Director of Sales and Marketing at VersaSuite had this to say about the integration, "We see this as another important step in VersaSuite's ability to provide our current and future clients the most robust and efficient solution in the industry." "VisionWeb is the leader in spectacle ordering and we're excited about the possibilities of this partnership."
VersaSuite customers are encouraged to contact VersaSuite at (800) 903-8774 or visit www.versasuite.com to learn more and request the VisionWeb ordering integration.
VersaSuite, in addition to the other practice management systems integrated with VisionWeb's ordering service, is listed on the VisionWeb site, located at www.visionweb.com, under the Technology Partners heading. On this page, visitors can learn more about the features and benefits of ordering through VisionWeb integration and download a brochure.
MediExchange.com 02/17/10
VisionWeb's Money Madness Sweepstakes Returns for Spring 2010
January 2010 | Return to the Top
VisionWeb announced the return of its online ordering promotion for eyecare providers, VisionWeb’s Money Madness Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes rewards practices for placing more of their orders via the VisionWeb network (VisionWeb portal site or an integrated practice management system), and runs from February 14 until April 10. Prizes are awarded in eight weekly drawings, with two grand prize drawings at the conclusion of the sweepstakes.
Weekly prizes include $250 cash (cash awards are presented in the form of an American Express icon) and $250 credit with the VisionWeb supplier of the winner’s choice (a $500 value). The grand prize includes $1,250 each cash and supplier credit (a $2,500 value), and the first runner-up prize includes $500 each cash and supplier credit (a $1,000 value).
VisionMonday.com 01/13/2010
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