• VisionWeb to Support AOA Practice-Building; State Affiliates Get Latest Royalties for Orders
• VisionWeb Introduces Free Webinars
• VisionWeb Looks Ahead With Two New Key Execs
• Insight Software, VisionWeb Announce Ordering Integration of My Vision Express Version 6.5
  
• Latest Release from Insight Features Order Integration
  
• VisionWeb, Insight Release New Version of Software to Integrate with Ordering Service
  
• Latest News from First Insight Streamlines Practice Management
  
• Navigating the Electronic Ordering Maze
  
• VisionWeb Expands Order Processing and Announces Labs of the Year

VisionWeb to Support AOA Practice-Building; State Affiliates Get Latest Royalties for Orders
July 21, 2008 | Return to the Top

SEATTLE--Industry portal VisionWeb has entered into an agreement with the American Optometric Association (AOA) to support AOA marketing initiatives to drive membership and participation in practice-building programs.

During last month’s Optometry’s Meeting here, VisionWeb also unveiled its latest royalty payment to AOA state affiliates, and announced the upcoming retirement of a key company executive, Stan Yamane, OD.

Under the terms of its new agreement with the AOA, VisionWeb will collaborate with the association to develop marketing campaigns targeted at the more than 20,000 eyecare providers who are current VisionWeb subscribers, according to Jeff Saddington, VisionWeb’s president and chief executive officer. VisionWeb will provide creative services and manage marketing activities in exchange for recognition as an AOA Silver-Level Corporate Sponsor.

About 50 percent of VisionWeb members are also AOA members, Saddington told VM.

“With our reach this is a perfect partnership for us, and very consistent with the types of things VisionWeb seeks to do with the AOA,” he noted. The agreement runs through the end of 2009; the initial marketing effort begins in mid-to late summer.

	VisionWeb president Jeff Saddington (kneeling) signs a check for $47,053 in royalties from orders on VisionWeb--to be presented to 31 AOA state affiliates--as VisionWeb’s Stan Yamane, OD (l), and Ken Engelhart look on.

The AOA, aligned with VisionWeb since their equity affiliation agreement in 2003, is represented among the VisionWeb board of directors and provides strategic guidance to VisionWeb’s executive team. Other collaborative programs include the VisionWeb/AOA royalty program, which drives non-dues revenue for participating AOA state affiliates, and VisionWeb’s membership on the AOA ophthalmic council for the fifth consecutive year.

This year, 31 AOA state affiliates earned a total of $47,053 in royalties from eyecare product orders on VisionWeb in the 12 months since the last Optometry’s Meeting. Royalties grew 35 percent over the previous 12-month period--the largest royalty payout in the program’s five years.

“This shows the type of growth VisionWeb has been able to generate within U.S. eyecare practices,” Saddington said.

Also during Optometry’s Meeting, VisionWeb announced that Stan Yamane, OD, its vice president of professional relations, will retire, effective Aug. 31.

Yamane had previously retired as Vistakon’s VP of professional affairs before joining VisionWeb three years ago. Saddington said VisionWeb “is fortunate to have been influenced by his creativity and vast understanding of the needs of the eyecare practitioner.”

Ken Engelhart, VisionWeb’s chief operating officer, told VM no replacement has been named yet for Yamane. “We may continue with a new person in the same role, or redefine the position’s responsibilities,” Engelhart said.

 -- Cathy Ciccolella, Senior Editor

Vision Monday Volume Number: 22:08 Issue 7/21/08

VisionWeb Introduces Free Webinars
June 2008 | Return to the Top

VisionWeb announced the introduction of its free Webinar series, “The Automated Practice,” designed to educate eye care providers on technology and services available to help them automate daily processes and increase efficiency in their businesses.

Representatives from VisionWeb-connected suppliers, practice management systems, industry partners and affiliates, and eye care practitioners will join VisionWeb as Webinar panelists, sharing the ways that they have incorporated VisionWeb services and offering insight to help participants create or refine their own strategy for effectively managing day-to-day business procedures.

Webinars in this series feature a wide array of subject matter that is relevant to eye care professionals.

“Each of the Webinars in this series address separate, critical issues that challenge efficiency in the eye care practice,” said Ken Engelhart, chief operating officer for VisionWeb. “We are dedicated to helping reduce these inefficiencies and this effort gives us an exciting new platform to reach out to the eye care provider. The feedback and testimonials of the industry-leading companies that will join us in these Webinars will be invaluable to the participants and we are truly honored to have their participation.”

VisionWeb technology connects eye care providers to many of their suppliers, technology providers, and payers, and the Webinar series gives panelists from these companies an opportunity to share their VisionWeb experiences with eye care providers.

Webinars in VisionWeb’s Automated Practice Series are free to attend and are open to all eye care providers.

Webinars are available at various times of the day and on several days each month, allowing a majority of eye care providers and their staff to participate.

Participants will need Internet access and the ability to dial in to a conference call to join the training sessions.

Visit www.visionweb.com and select “VisionWeb Training” to view the monthly calendar and select the “Automated Practice” icons to register fro a Webinar.


E-mail marketing@visionweb.com for additional information.

AOA News: Volume 46, No. 18, June 2008

Internet portal VisionWeb was at International Vision Expo East introducing two new key executives and outlining plans for the future. Kenneth Engelhart joined the company March 31 as chief operating officer; Thomas Loveless became VisionWeb’s chief financial officer and vice president of business development on Feb. 29.

		VisionWeb’s top management at Vision Expo East: (l to r) Ken Engelhart, chief operating officer; Jeff Saddington, president and chief executive officer; Mike O’Malley, formerly COO and chief financial officer/vice president of business development, now a consultant; Tom Loveless, CFO and VP of business development; and Stan Yamane, OD, VP of professional relations. Not shown is Eric Muzy, chief information officer and VP of product development.

Engelhart came to VisionWeb after nearly 17 years with Essilor of America, most recently as a senior executive in the Essilor retail division; he also spent eight years with Vistakon. Loveless joined VisionWeb from Hoya Vision Care North America, where he was CFO for the past 2 1/2 years.

Engelhart and Loveless assumed responsibilities previously held by Mike O’Malley, VisionWeb’s former COO and CFO/VP of business development. O’Malley resigned April 1 to become a principal with N3 Capital Partners, a real estate private equity firm.

O’Malley, who joined VisionWeb in 2000, will assist the company’s senior management in a consulting capacity for the next six months, an announcement said.

Jeff Saddington, VisionWeb’s president and chief executive officer, said the new additions to the executive team “will help lead the organization to new levels of success in the future.”

Said Loveless, “We see VisionWeb as forging new ground, developing programs in the industry that have not existed before. Our goal is to help eyecare professionals make strides and improvements every day.”

Noted Engelhart, “We’re about to see accelerated growth for VisionWeb as the whole industry matures. On the transaction side, we’re seeing steady adoption of our technology, with year after year of growth--awareness of VisionWeb is at its highest level ever.” In addition, he said, “Insurance transactions and electronic filing of managed vision claims are becoming a more important part of every practice, and continuing to grow.”
VisionWeb’s growth includes expansion into Europe in the past 18 months or so, through various agreements for the use of its technology, according to Saddington. “We hope to soon follow that into Asia,” he told VM, although a timetable for that potential expansion has not yet been set. “In the technology business, time zones and geographic boundaries don’t mean anything,” Saddington noted. “VisionWeb is a 24/7 business.”

--Cathy Ciccolella, Senior Editor

Vision Monday Volume Number: 22:05 Issue 4/28/08

Insight Software, developer of My Vision Express software, and industry Internet portal VisionWeb are announcing the release of version 6.5 of the Express software, which features complete integration with VisionWeb’s spectacle lens ordering service.

With version 6.5, My Vision Express users are given options in lab-order submission that include fax, Eyefinity and VisionWeb. With the VisionWeb ordering integration, My Vision Express users can get immediate confirmation of their lab orders directly from VisionWeb.

According to Insight Software’s Vipul Katyal, “The company strives to offer eyecare professionals the most powerful yet easy-to-use software that also integrates with other established industry leaders.”

“VisionWeb is committed to offering technology solutions that make eyecare practices more streamlined and ultimately, more successful,” said Mike O’Malley, VisionWeb’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer. “Our integration with My Vision Express allows users to order spectacle lenses to their labs in the most convenient, accurate and efficient method possible.”

My Vision Express is also compatible with VisionWeb’s insurance transaction processing service, allowing users to generate electronic claim files and upload them to VisionWeb’s clearinghouse, which connects to thousands of payers nationwide.

Vision Monday: March 2008

Latest Release from Insight Features Order Integration
March 2008 | Return to the Top

Version 6.5 of the My Vision Express software offers complete integration with VisionWeb’s lens ordering service. With this feature, ECPs can submit orders electronically, either individually or in batch, and get immediate confirmation of their lab orders without ever having to leave the My Vision program. The integration eliminates repeat data entry and streamlines order processing. For more information, contact Insight Software, LLC at 877-882-7456 or myvisionexpress.com.

Excerpt From E-Tech New Product Gallery, Vision Care Product News: March 2008

VisionWeb and Insight Software, LLC announced the release of My Vision Express software version 6.5, which features complete integration with VisionWeb’s spectacle lens ordering service. With version 6.5, My Vision Express users are given several options for submitting lab orders including fax, Eyefinity, and VisionWeb.

Lab orders may be submitted either individually, at the time of the order, or in batch – without ever having to leave the program. The VisionWeb integration eliminates redundant data entry and streamlines order processing. “VisionWeb is committed to offering technology solutions that make eye care practices more streamlines and ultimately more successful,“ said Mike O’Malley, COO and CFO, VisionWeb. “Our integration with My Vision Express allows users to order spectacle lenses to their labs in the most convenient, accurate, and efficient method possible.”

For more information, contact VisionWeb customer service at (800) 874-6601 or email customerservice@visionweb.com. My Vision Express is compatible with VisionWeb’s insurance transaction processing service, allowing users to generate electronic claims files and upload them to VisionWeb’s clearinghouse, which connects to thousands of payers nationwide. For more information about the insurance transaction processing service, contact (800) 590-0873 or email sales@visionweb.com.

AOA News: Volume 46, No. 11; February 25, 2008

Latest News from First Insight Streamlines Practice Management
February 2008 | Return to the Top

MaximEyes 6.1 has a number of new features including the E&M Code Checker, which reduces errors to increase insurance reimbursements and patient exams analysis by suggesting accurate diagnosis and procedure codes. Staff can operate more efficiently with customized professional letters and online welcome forms that save time. Optos’ optomap® Retinal Exam integration allows information to be transferred into a MaximEyes patient record. The software also integrates with VisionWeb to eliminate double data entry. For more information, contact First Insight at 800-920-1940 or first-insight.com.

Excerpt From E-Tech New Product Gallery, Vision Care Product News: February 2008

Navigating the Electronic Ordering Maze
February 2008 | Return to the Top

Two Ways
If you’re responsible for ordering supplies at your office, you can approach the job online in one of two ways: purchasing the many items needed from many different individual manufacturers, or
finding a single company that can provide a variety of required items. 

While shopping using individual Web sites may be effective, it can be highly inefficient. It is also difficult to keep up with the different logon IDs, passwords, and site protocols. Furthermore, it is inconvenient and troublesome to keep up with all the individual invoices your office will receive––one from each site.

Instead, you can “surf” your way into one of three kinds of optical supply single-source sites:

1. Companies that are part of larger “full-service” sites, but primarily function as practice-to-lab liaisons. In addition to providing lab order capabilities, these sites offer frames, spectacle lenses, and contact lenses from several suppliers.
2. Sites that attempt to cover a comprehensive array of optically related supplies under a single roof. These online optical supply houses may provide thousands of products from hundreds or even thousands of different manufacturers.
3. One-stop shopping sites that distribute lab products and services from a variety of manufacturers, but do not specialize in stocking products themselves.

The following are some examples of single-source Web sites.

Practice-To-Lab Full-Service Sites
Eyefinity® is a subsidiary of Vision Service Plan (VSP), a vision care insurance company. It provides an online business portal with instant access to frame and lens catalogs from all the major manufacturers through eBuy, and also electronic lab ordering to over 300 labs nationwide through eLab.

Customers do not have to be VSP providers to use Eyefinity. If VSP works with a manufacturer, anyone with an account with that manufacturer can login into eBuy as an individual customer to purchase frames, lenses, and contact lenses. Participating VSP providers can also order frames while processing their insurance claims with a “one-click” express purchase once the frame information has been entered in a patient’s lab order.

VisionWeb is primarily a practice-to-lab liaison, however, it also provides a source for the purchase of frames, lenses, and contact lenses. VisionWeb can directly ship contacts to a patient practice or restock your inventory. Lab orders can also be submitted directly to the lab of your choice over the Internet using templates and a few clicks of the mouse. The lab order form will not allow users to submit an incomplete order so there is no risk of missing information like patient PD. Best of all, there is no more wondering about lens availability since each lens type and material offered is listed.

paradEyes.com, like VisionWeb, is a practice-to-lab liaison that features a lab ordering and material management program. First Insight, paradEyes.com’s parent company, also offers MaximEyes (practice management software) and opto-metry.net (First Insight’s optical practice Web design and development service). paradEyes.com integrates with MaximEyes software and can manage all of a practice’s spectacle lens and frames lab orders. It provides direct online access to Essilor labs as well as other labs for order placement for both complete jobs and finished uncut lenses. Since paradEyes.com is primarily a practice-to-lab liaison, it is designed to streamline and consolidate transactions. As with VisionWeb, paradEyes.com’s lab order form will not allow users to submit an incomplete order, so there is no risk of omitting information like the patient’s PD.

Eyefinity’s eBuy, VisionWeb, and paradEyes.com enable purchasers to restock their frame board, while VisionWeb and paradEyes.com can also order finished uncut lenses for in-house lab work. VisionWeb and ReorderContacts.com can even re-stock requests for contact lenses and ship the contacts directly to patients.

Online Supply Houses
Practice-to-lab liaison companies originated as service providers. Large, online optical supply houses are more like warehouses than providers. Their aim is to carry what you need. To do so they stock an enormous variety of materials and supplies.

RainbowWorld Optical Supply Inc., “The Leading Optical Wholesaler to the Trade,” offers everything from optical supplies to zyl frames. Stock includes hundreds of frames, single vision CR-39™ lenses, a large variety of nosepads, a wide range of screws and screw kits, and a good assortment of tools.

OptiSource International provides selection, convenience, and expertise to opticians, optometrists, and wholesale labs. The company carries finishing supplies, edging supplies, surfacing supplies, lens care products, a wide assortment of tools, a huge list of accessories, exam room supplies, and premium sun lenses. OptiSource recently launched a new Web site called lenscleaner.com that provides instant access to its line of accessories for its consumers.

One-Stop Shopping
E-Dr., the longest-running ordering Web site for optical professionals, is a perfect example of a one-source, full spectrum, “one-stop shop” supplier. E-Dr. is an authorized distributor of contact lenses, also offering frames, finished lenses, eyeglass cases, fit-over sunglasses, lens cloths and cleaners, diagnostic-therapeutic solutions, GPs, links to labs and lab services, and lab consumables. Operations like E-Dr. are striving to provide a Web site where a practice’s product and service needs are met.

All of these unique sites are proud of what they do and offer. Which one is right for you?

John Seegers, LDO, MEd, is a licensed optician practicing in an independent optometric office, and an adjunct instructor in the Opticianry Program at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, VA.

-- John Seegers, LDO, MEd 

 Vision Care Product News: February 2008

“This year’s Lab of the Year honorees are among our most savvy partners for promoting efficiency and automation in the practice and lab,” said Mike O’Malley, COO and CFO for VisionWeb. Pictured here from left to right are: Bill Thomas, Southern Optical, Greensboro, NC; Gene Thomas, Duffens/Langley Optical, Lenexa, KS; Jessica Clark, VisionWeb; and Debbie Roney and Dana Dixon, Aearo Technologies, Chickasha, OK. Additionally, VisionWeb has laboratories enabling labs using Optifacts software to electronically submit order to labs using any VisionWeb-connected lab management system. Previously, labs could only receive inbound orders through VisionWeb O.N.E. from eyecare providers and other labs. Now labs can send outbound orders electronically as well. For more information contact VisionWeb.

LabTalk: January/February 2008