Issue 42 February 6, 2015

In This Edition

Issue 42


The Gazette
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Contact Vision Source® at 888-558-2020 or [email protected]


Top Story

Recapture Your Lost Sales

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A few weeks ago, I was listening to Dr. Gary Gerber's Power Hour. His guest for the Jan. 7 episode was Holly Rush, the president of Luxottica Wholesale North America, the division that supports the growth of independent optometrists throughout the country. If you've listened to one of Dr. West's Optical DreamSM webinars, you have heard him talk about how backwards it is to talk about the 40 percent "capture rate," when really what we are doing is losing 60 percent of optical sales associated with our existing patients. Holly Rush reiterated this statistic during her interview with Dr. Gerber by noting that independent optometrists are losing $3.5 billion dollars a year in optical sales. Members, this missed opportunity is a wake-up call and represents one of the key reasons why we have developed the Optical DreamSM. Through the customized training modules and unique contest and rewards system, your staff will be equipped to enhance the patient experience and improve the profitability of your practice. As a network, we are paving the road to capture the revenue from the material gap that Holly Rush spoke about.

We've had an unbelievable Optical DreamSM launch. Only 10 days into the program, more than 700 practices have registered and enrolled 2,200 staff members. These engaged practices will soon begin reaping the financial rewards resulting from a renewed emphasis on optical performance. It is natural that people will change their behaviors when incentivized. Without a doubt, the ability to win prizes will increase both revenue and office morale.

Drs. Alan Rada and Laura Suppa from Charleston Vision Source® reached out to us last week to share how they rolled out Optical DreamSM to their staff: "Our team (doctors and staff) walked through the training module together during the weekly office meeting. The staff members took the test and immediately earned their certificates. Now we're all on the same page and are working toward a common goal. We are eager to see how the great ideas and resources will improve our optical sales and highly recommend participating in the Optical DreamSM."

It's not too late to register for Optical DreamSM. The top two practices in each of the five divisions will be receiving a 0.25 percent royalty reduction next year. Join the 700 practices that have already registered, and let's take back our fair share of the optical retail market.

Be well,
Jim Greenwood
President and CEO
Vision Source®

  Optical DreamSM

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Optical DreamSM Has Launched

Two live webinar times remain: Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m.CST and Thursday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m. (CST?). Click here to register. Can't make it? Listen to a recorded webinar, and start moving the needle on your optical profitability in 2015.

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Reminder: All practices that register by Feb. 28, 2015, will be entered to win a trip for two to Key West. The doctors must register the practice by logging on to visionsource.com as a member, then clicking the registration button.


  Breaking News


The 2015 Vision Source® Exchange®: April 29-May 2 * Phoenix, Arizona

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Come Early. Stay Late. Bring The Family.

Optional tours and excursions available for attendees and families

By now, you know all about the business side of The Exchange®—networking with colleagues, free CE, show specials in the exhibit hall and learning labs. But for 2015, we've added a new dimension of fun for attendees and their families. 

Here's a sampling of the tours and excursions available before, during and after The Exchange® in 2015:

  • Golf at Talking Stick: Talking Stick Golf Club has been consistently ranked among the top courses in Arizona.
  • City Slicker Cattle Drive: Drive cattle and experience Arizona's spectacular desert scenery and wildlife the old-fashioned way—on horseback.
  • Scottsdale Shopping: Visit four unique shopping districts—Old Town Scottsdale, Scottsdale Fashion Square, Waterfront/Southbridge and Fifth Avenue Shops
  • Hot Air Ballooning: Take a scenic flight with breathtaking views of the mountains, the cacti and the beautiful terrain of the desert.

Register for these optional events the same place you register for The 2015 Exchange® at vstheexchange.com. For more information, click on Attendees>Tours & Excursions.

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New Awareness Companion Kits Available

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A scaled-down version of the customized Awareness Kit, which many offices are now using to introduce their practice to area primary care physicians (PCPs), is now available. This new, lower-cost version, the Awareness Companion Kit, is perfect for reaching office staff and appointment schedulers at physician offices. Each kit contains a gold-and-stainless steel insulated tumbler with pens, microfiber lens cloths and name brand snacks and/or candy, wrapped in an organza gift bag.

You can order these new Awareness Companion Kits through the Member Intranet at visionsource.com. Click on Resources>Marketing>Vision Source Awareness Kit, then click on the image of the basket.

  ICD-10 Coding Challenge

Practice Now for ICD-10 Coding

It is in every member's interest to be prepared for ICD-10, which is expected to take effect on Oct. 1, 2015. Are you ready? How would you code this case?

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Case #22

70 YO WM

  • CC: "droopy" eyelids
  • HPI: for several years, both eyes, getting worse slowly, missing some vision superiorly
  • Medical Hx: hypertension
  • Ocular Hx: mild cataracts
  • External: excess skin on both upper lids, folding over lashes
  • Internal: unremarkable

How would you code this case using the ICD-10 Code Set? Email your answer to [email protected]. You will automatically receive an acknowledgement and the correcting coding for the case.


  Fresh Day® and Fresh 30® Success Stories

Fresh Day® Makes Immediate Impact

Dr. Bruce Lucas of Woodland Hills, Calif., shares his experience with Fresh Day® lenses.

FreshDay

"The very first patient I put in the Fresh Day® lens was a 71-year-old monovision wearer who had been wearing other daily disposable lenses. He was open to trying a new lens when I pointed out the advantages. After leaving my office satisfied with the lenses, he returned 10 minutes later. He sought me out in the office to let me know that his vision was 35 percent clearer. (I am not sure how he arrived at that number) with the new Fresh Day® lenses. He is very happy to have switched to the new lens providing more oxygen to his eyes, increased comfort, UV protection and 35 percent clearer vision.

"The multifocal Fresh Day® lens, too, has become an integral part of my contact lens practice. I have found that the low add has more reading correction than other lenses. I have been able to use it for patients for whom I would prescribe a 2.00D or 2.25D reading add. When more reading correction is needed (and I have pushed least minus/ full plus for distance) trying the high add on only the non-dominant eye (per the fitting guide instructions) will often provide excellent reading. This is very different than what I would do with every other bifocal lens I fit. It is the first lens I start with when fitting a daily multifocal disposable lens. The addition of the Fresh Day® lenses has been just one more way that being a Vision Source® practice has given me a competitive advantage and my patients access to a great lens."

  Words from our Vendors

In this section, you will find the latest offers and promotions from Vision Source® vendors. For more details, log in at visionsource.com and view the vendor book.

Essilor Price Increase

A Message from Dan Walker, Vision Source® Vice President – Strategic Initiatives

Essilor announced a 2.4 percent market price increase effective Feb. 1, 2015. Vision Source® negotiated this down to 1.5 percent for all Vision Source® members which increased our member's differential. In addition, Vision Source® members can negate this 1.5 percent price increase by registering for the Optical DreamSM and growing or maintaining your current Essilor lab business as indicated below:

Practice does < $30K per quarter: Practice must grow their ELOA business by 7.5 percent year over year
Practice does > $30K per quarter: Practice must maintain last year lab volume

Members will receive a 1.5 percent rebate reimbursement with their quarterly rebates if they maintain the parameters noted above.

To read more about the Essilor products and offers, visit the vendor book at visionsource.com.

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Marcolin Offers Special Savings

Throughout 2015, Marcolin is offering Vision Source® members tremendous savings to fit your need. Whether you're new to a brand or want to select billing terms, a discount or free frames, review the Marcolin 2015 offers at the vendor book at visionsource.com

  Around Vision Source®


  Marketing

Vision and Eye Care Safety in the Workplace Are Themes for March

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March is Save Your Vision Month and Eye Care Safety in the Workplace Month. Because so much of our daily life, at work and at home, involves digital devices, we're focusing our message this month on Computer Vision Syndrome. To help you educate your patients and community on CVS, we've prepared the following.

You can also order personalized counter cards and posters through FedEx Office or Office Depot.

•   •   •   •   •

Digital Media Update

Is social media something that you know you need to do but don't know where to start? Click here to learn more about website, SEO and social media options and new bundled pricing plans. If you need help to edit your site, email [email protected]. Avelient has partnered with My Social Practice to provide enhancements to Plus Plan member sites at no extra charge. Two easy-to-read blogs will be auto-posted to your account. Hint: share the blogs to your Facebook page for great consumer-facing content. Here is an example of a recent blog.

For those of you that struggle with "what to post" on social media, be sure to visit the member intranet as new resources are available. Go to Library>Marketing>Social Media Graphics. New Vision Source® branded multiple-pair graphics have been added this week to support Optical DreamSM objectives and call attention to Valentine's Day.

Congratulations to Eyes in the Heights for winning our Facebook #phoropter phun contest and thank you to all of the entrants. We were amazed at the creativity. Click here to view the winning photo. Feel free to send us stories, awards and photos about what is happening at your practice. We want to acknowledge our members on our Facebook page and various print and digital publications. For more questions about social media and digital marketing contact Heather Suggitt at [email protected].

  Practice Development


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Trusted Colleague Not Daunted by Another's Failure

This is the 18th installment in our Trusted Colleagues series—profiles of high-performing offices that exemplify the best practices of Vision Source® membership—networking with colleagues at local meetings and The Exchange®, engaging with elite vendors and delivering the gold standard of patient care.

In the Vision Source® spirit of collegiality, these members have also agreed to answer any questions you may have about their experience and included their email addresses.

Our Trusted Colleague for this edition is Dr. Holly Coriell, OD, who describes how Vision Source® has helped her succeed where another practice failed. Click here to read the story.

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Vision Source® Doctors Lead 2015 Practices of Distinction Tour

April Jasper, OD, FAAO; Katie Gilbert-Spear, OD, MPH; and Carl Spear, OD, MBA, FAAO; are the three principle speakers at the 2015 practice management series, Navigating the Path to a Practice of Distinction. The program kicked off this week with a day-long presentation for doctors and staff in West Palm Beach, Fla. The program provides more in-depth details and scenarios, building on the Vision Source® Practice of Distinction tour from 2014. For example, Dr. Gilbert-Spear and Dr. Jasper provided examples and formulas for understanding frame pricing strategies and how to analyze pricing in a practice, including how to make sure that all pricing strategies are based on the wholesale price, not the price at which the frames were acquired. There were similar in-depth analyses provided for contact lens inventory, as well as an overview of some new technologies.

Most of the 150 attendees were Vision Source® member practices, but the program is open to all. Vision Source® is a Diamond level sponsor of the program this year, and Vision Source® members can sign up (meals included) for just $49 per person, a savings of $250 per person over doctors or staff members who are not Vision Source® members. The next two dates are Feb. 12 in Honolulu and Feb. 25 in Indianapolis. Learn more here and see tour dates and locations here.

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Gold Standard Service

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"I received a call from a classmate and fellow Vision Source® doctor in North Texas. One of his patients was in San Antonio on vacation and had called him to say that she was experiencing flashes. I told him to have her come in right away. We examined her and found that everything appeared to be fine, but I gave her my cell phone number and told her to call me anytime while she was in San Antonio if she had any more problems. Two days later, I called her to follow up and found out that she was doing fine. Just recently, we received a handwritten thank-you note saying 'Thank you for the outstanding care you provided me while I was on vacation. I appreciate the care and concern that you showed me.'"

– Jason Deviney, OD, Vision Source® – Olmos Park in San Antonio, Texas

You can share your gold standard moments with us here.


  Vision Source® Member News

Vision Source® Member Recognition

dr

Jeff Foster, OD, of Newport, Tennessee, is the recipient of the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians' prestigious "OD of the Decade" Award. Dr. Foster is only the second optometrist to receive this recognition since the organization was founded in 1901. "Only those individuals who are identified as having established dramatically new standards for professional excellence, commitment, leadership and service to their community, state and professional associations will even be considered as a candidate," says Gary Odum, the association's executive director.

  Your Feedback Counts

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