2003
VisionWeb Debuts ‘Enhanced’ Multi-Payer HIPAA Service
November 10, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN Texas—VisionWeb launched its new VisionWeb Enhanced multi-payer insurance-transaction processing service on October 16. VisionWeb Enhanced, which expands on the existing VisionWeb Essential service, is designed to provide eyecare practitioners one location where they can process their insurance transactions with multiple eyecare payers, and to help practices ensure their HIPAA compliance with the new HIPAA regulations that took effect this month.
All VisionWeb Enhanced customers will receive a free three-month trial; after that, a sliding pricing structure based on the size of a practice and the number of claims submitted will be implemented, according to a VisionWeb spokesperson.
“Silver” members will pay $29 per month plus 49 cents per claim, with unlimited real-time transactions. “Gold” membership is $59 per month, which includes 200 claims and unlimited real-time transactions. With “platinum” membership, a customer pays $89 monthly for unlimited claims and unlimited real-time transactions. Custom pricing is available for chains and billing services.
The original VisionWeb Essential program remains free.
To sign up for VisionWeb Enhanced, ECPs can call 1-800-590-0873 or e-mail to sales@visionweb.com. For a VisionWeb Enhanced tour, go to www.visionweb.com.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:20 Issue: 11/10/2003
VisionWeb Launches ‘Enhanced’ Service Today
October 16, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN Texas--VisionWeb is launching its new VisionWeb Enhanced multi-payer insurance-transaction processing service today. VisionWeb Enhanced, which expands on the existing VisionWeb Essential service, is designed to provide ECPs one location where they can process their insurance transactions with multiple eyecare payers, and to help eyecare practices ensure their HIPAA compliance in time for the new HIPAA regulations that take effect today.
All VisionWeb Enhanced customers will receive a free three-month trial; after that, a sliding pricing structure based on the size of a practice and the number of claims submitted will be implemented, according to a VisionWeb spokesperson. The original VisionWeb Essential program remains free.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:18 Issue: 10/16/2003
VisionWeb Launches Promotion For AOA Members, Affiliates
October 13, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN , Texas —Late last month VisionWeb kicked off a new AOA GetAway VisionWeb Tournament to reward American Optometric Association (AOA) members and affiliates for ordering online via VisionWeb.
The promotion, which runs through December 13, offers eyecare professionals who are AOA members a chance to win a $5,000 vacation, a computer system, a Dell Axim Handheld, or other prizes. AOA affiliates can win up to $5,000 in “bonus royalties” from VisionWeb.
Scores are based on the percentage of AOA members ordering in an affiliate and the average number of orders per participating member. Prizes will be awarded in four rounds. The first round ended October 11; round two runs from October 12 to November 1, round three from November 2 to November 22, and round four from November 23 to December 13.
For more information or to register for the promotion, ECPs can visit www.visionweb.com.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:18 Issue: 10/13/2003
VisionWeb Adds Two More Partners
October 13, 2003 | Return to the Top
 AUSTIN , Texas —Last month Internet portal VisionWeb announced two new agreements to integrate its online services with software programs.
A new partnership with CC Systems—a division of OptiCare Health Systems—involving that company’s Labzilla Optiworker lab-management software is designed to enable more labs to receive electronic orders placed by their customers over VisionWeb. In addition, the two firms will link CC Systems’ Computerized Optical Systems practice-management software with VisionWeb’s Internet service, eliminating a manual interface.
Similarly, using VisionWeb from within CC Systems’ practice-management software will allow customers to place orders for spectacle lenses over VisionWeb directly through that software, rather than having to manually transcribe data from one platform to another, the two companies said.
Noted Steve Cohen, founder of CC Systems, “The integrated systems will make it easier for our Computerized Optical Systems’ users to place orders with labs running any lab-management system. In addition, integration with VisionWeb enables labs running Labzilla Optiworker to receive orders directly from the thousands of practices utilizing VisionWeb today.”
VisionWeb chief executive officer Jeff Saddington told VM integration with CC Systems’ lab-management software is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2004; integration with the practice-management software should come during next year’s second quarter.
In addition, at International Vision Expo West VisionWeb announced a new partnership with lab-management system Digital Vision Inc. (DVI) to expand DVI’s software and interface with VisionWeb.
Initially, the software interface will allow DVI labs to electronically transmit orders for spectacle lenses to other labs outside the DVI system through VisionWeb. A second phase will enable DVI labs to receive orders electronically directly from VisionWeb members.
“This project with VisionWeb fits well with DVI’s ongoing commitment to our customers to enable efficiencies in the receiving and sending of prescription orders,” said Gordon Keane, president of Digital Vision. “We look forward to developing a close working relationship with VisionWeb.”
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:18 Issue: 10/13/2003
VisionWeb Launching Managed-Care Service
September 19, 2003 | Return to the Top
LAS VEGAS --VisionWeb plans a new online managed-care service for the eyecare industry. In conjunction with WebMD, VisionWeb members will be able to verify member eligibility, process electronic claims, and check claims status on behalf of multiple payers, using WebMD Office technology. Providers will be able to process claims for Medicare and Medicaid as well as for commercial managed-care organizations.
VisionWeb begins enrolling ECPs in the new managed-care service October 16; the program also includes solutions for the new HIPAA regulations that take effect that day. Full rollout of the program is slated for early November.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:17 Issue: 9/19/2003
Saddington Named VisionWeb CEO as Stoerr Retires
July 17, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN , Texas --Industry Internet portal VisionWeb has named its former COO, Jeffrey Saddington, as CEO. Saddington took over July 15 after VisionWeb’s previous CEO, Jacques Stoerr, retired. Stoerr remains on Vision Web’s board of directors, and will be available as an advisor to the company, an announcement said.
Saddington joined VisionWeb as COO in August 2002. He had previously spent 30 years with Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (NYSE: JNJ). Stoerr, whose eyecare-industry experience spans four decades, came out of retirement in June 2002 to serve as VisionWeb’s CEO for a one-year term; he had retired earlier last year as chairman of Essilor USA.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:13 Issue: 7/17/2003
VisionWeb Gives Access To AOA Practice Guidelines
July 14, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN , Texas —VisionWeb is now providing members direct access to the American Optometric Association’s Clinical Practice Guidelines.
The access to the Guidelines is “the first of many benefits VisionWeb members will receive as a result of the new equity-affiliate relationship between the AOA and VisionWeb,” said Jim Vitkus, vice president and chief marketing officer of VisionWeb, provider of a range of Internet education and online ordering tools for eyecare professionals. “Access to this type of information for our members is a priority to us, and we will continue adding valuable materials like this to our website as a result of this new relationship.” The AOA recently joined VisionWeb as an equity affiliate.
The clinical practice guidelines are recommendations for patient care, which have been through a formal process by the AOA. Each of the Optometric Practice Guidelines—there are currently 20 available, on a range of general and specific eyecare guidelines for pediatrics and adults—has been developed by a consensus panel of optometrists who were selected for their knowledge and experience in that area. The guidelines have gone through extensive review processes within the AOA and represent a broad consensus on guidelines for current optometric care.
“We are very excited about our new equity-affiliate relationship with VisionWeb,” said Pat Cummings, OD, immediate past president of AOA. “The Clinical Practice Guidelines are a valuable benefit to AOA members, and we are excited to open this offering up to VisionWeb members, as well.”
Eyecare practitioners can gain access to the Guidelines and other resources on VisionWeb by becoming a VisionWeb member; ECPs can register on the site.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:13 Issue: 7/14/2003
VisionWeb Takes Over Hosting of 20,000 Sites from Essilor
June 2, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN , Texas --VisionWeb has taken over the hosting and support of more than 20,000 eyecare provider websites that were previously hosted and administered by Essilor of America. The company also reports that current and future VisionWeb members can now create a free website customized for their practice as a VisionWeb membership benefit. ECPs will be able to choose from 21 Web-site templates to publicize their practices' hours, policies, and services, as well as give their patients appointment-request capabilities with a HIPAA-compliant online scheduler. Current ECP websites will maintain the same URL, layout, and information as before.
Vision Monday Issue: 6/2/2003
AOA, VisionWeb Finalize Partnership
May 8, 2003 | Return to the Top
ST. LOUIS --The American Optometric Association and Internet portal VisionWeb have finalized the partnership the two announced at last June's AOA Congress. The association is now an equity partner in VisionWeb, with one voting seat on the VisionWeb board of directors; C. Thomas Crooks III, OD, will represent the AOA on the board.
Under terms of the agreement, AOA members can get a one-year free membership in VisionWeb. To encourage them to order via the portal, after transactions by an individual AOA member on VisionWeb reach a certain volume level VisionWeb will make a donation to that member's state optometry association.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:08 Issue: 5/8/2003
VisionWeb Adds Lab System, Broadens OfficeMate Testing
March 24, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN , Texas —VisionWeb has linked with a fifth provider of laboratory-management software, Vision Star, offering an online electronic link directly to its ViStar Laboratory Management Software (LMS).
The new partnership allows eyecare professionals to place orders for spectacle lenses through the VisionWeb site, www.visionweb.com, to any of VisionWeb’s optical-lab partners using the ViStar LMS.
Jacques Stoerr, VisonWeb’s chief executive officer, said the new agreement brings VisionWeb another step closer in its commitment to bring Internet efficiencies to the vision-care community. Added Stoerr, “The electronic link with VisionWeb gives laboratories using the ViStar LMS real cutting-edge technology advantages.”
“Vision Star and VisionWeb have created a link that routes orders directly from the ECP’s office to the participating ViStar lab, eliminating the re-keying of patient data so labs can provide more timely order-processing and status to their customers,” said David Greer, president of Vision Star. “We believe our partnership brings tremendous value to our customers running the ViStar LMS, and we encourage them to become a member of the VisionWeb online eyecare network.”
Dale Parmenteri, vice president of Balester Optical, a long-time user of the ViStar LMS and one of the first to test the VisionWeb/ViStar integration, commented, “We’re excited about the opportunity to be a VisionWeb supplier, both in terms of the improved productivity, as well as larger market share.”
Meanwhile,VisionWeb and OfficeMate Software Solutions, the eyecare practice-management software provider, have entered the next phase of beta-testing a new version of OfficeMate that integrates VisionWeb’s remote order-entry functionality, so ECPs can order products from within the OfficeMate software environment.
At International Vision Expo East, VisionWeb offered live demos of the two systems’ combined functionality, and gave out demo CDs for ECPs to take back to their offices.
Said Robert Rosenstein, OD, of Rosenstein Eye Center in Durham, N.C., who was part of the beta-test, “The ability to enter patient information directly into the system from the exam room eliminates the chance of errors that frequently occur from transcribing and re-keying.”
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:06 Issue: 3/24/2003
VisionWeb, Office Mate Move Partnership Forward
March 22, 2003 | Return to the Top
NEW YORK **VisionWeb and OfficeMate Software Solutions, the eyecare practice-management software provider, have entered the next phase of beta-testing a new version of OfficeMate that integrates VisionWeb’s remote order-entry functionality. With their partnership, ECPs can order products from within the OfficeMate software environment.
Said Jacques Stoerr, VisionWeb CEO, yesterday, “OfficeMate and VisionWeb users have been telling us this is what we need to do, to make their ordering easier.” At International Vision Expo East, VisionWeb is offering live demos of the two systems’ combined functionality.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:05 Issue: 3/22/2003
VisionWeb Adds Online Tour, Demonstrates Services for Clients
February 17, 2003 | Return to the Top
AUSTIN , Texas —VisionWeb, the Internet-based service for eyecare professionals, is adding a new online-tour feature to its website at www.visionweb.com.
The online tour feature—accessed via a new “Take a Tour” button—is designed to allow VisionWeb to demonstrate its online ordering for spectacle lenses, contact lenses, and frames, and show ECPs how to check an order’s progress online.
Visitors to the site who have broadband access can view the tour as a multimedia demonstration with sound and video elements. For dial-up users, a visual demo more appropriate for slower access is used. The demonstrations also explain why using VisionWeb is beneficial to ECPs.
“We’re excited to give members of the eyecare community another opportunity to learn how VisionWeb can help them improve their businesses,” said Jim Vitkus, VisionWeb’s chief marketing officer.
Vision Monday Volume Number: 17:04 Issue: 2/17/2003 |
