In This Edition

• Top Story
• The Optical Dream^SM Powered by Vision Source^®
• Breaking News
• ICD-10 Coding
• Fresh Day^® and Fresh 30^® Success Stories
• Words from our Vendors
• Around Vision Source^®
• Give Us Your Feedback

Issue 57

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

Top Story

CE Diabetes Practice Protocol Now Available

It's here. Vision Source^® members can now earn COPE-approved CE credit through an important new offering on a diabetes practice protocol. This two-hour CE, Diabetes Mellitus BrainStream Practice Protocol, covers management of patients with diabetes. The program is sponsored by Optos, Regeneron and Optovue.

It’s the same program that was presented at The Exchange^®, where nearly 500 Vision Source^® members earned CE credit. Hans Kell, OD, FAAO, who presented it at The Exchange^®, explains that the webcast presentation is divided into two parts.

The first hour of instruction presents the epidemiology, societal implications, pathophysiology, risk factors, screening, prevention and medications used in the management of diabetes.

Narrowing the focus to diabetic retinopathy, the second hour delivers information detailing the ophthalmic classifications, examination, assessment and management of the disease.

Vision Source^® member and administrator, William Strickland, OD, from Oxford, Mississippi, just wrote in, saying, "Last evening I did both parts of the Diabetic Protocol Program (thankfully I passed them both!), and I thought it was very well done, informative and concise."

That is the goal of this program, of course. Vision Source^® recognizes that the provision of consistent, high-quality care and service experience outcomes are fundamental to successful population health management. Exceptional outcomes delivered in partnership with a provider-coordinated and operationally integrated health system set the stage for producing healthier, more enjoyable and less costly care.

Here are links to two documents that can help: a description of the program and information on obtaining CE credit for the course.

Getting started is easy.

• Log into your Member Intranet at portal.visionsource.com (Note: Do not type "www" before this web address.)
• Follow this path: Resources > BrainStream > Diabetes.
• Begin!

Don't forget also to download the eye exam report template available to you through the intranet. You can find templates suitable for print, fax or electronic submission to PCPs of patients you are seeing who have diabetes or glaucoma. Providing this feedback to referring and co-managing MDs is an excellent way of documenting your care and raising your profile in the medical community.

  The Optical Dream^SM Powered by Vision Source^®

Dr. Scott Lewis Shares the Impact of The Optical Dream^SM

Rate of sales of annual supplies of contact lenses quadrupled

Revenue was down. Money was being left on the table. For Scott Lewis, OD, owner of California Oaks Center of Optometry in Murietta, California, it was time to step back and analyze what was taking place with contact lens sales in his practice. He recently shared a few secrets to success. Dr. Lewis began by instituting the concepts of The Optical Dream^SM in order to increase his annual supply sales. His staff created tools to help the patient clearly understand the benefits and out-of-pocket costs of annual supplies. During weekly meetings, the doctors and staff share updates on their progress.

This is the plan that Dr. Lewis used to turn his annual supplies of contact lens sales from an average of 15 percent before The Optical Dream^SM to between 60 percent and 70 percent now.

1. Track current sales.

• Create a benchmark in order to set staff goals.
• Have the front desk track and report numbers consistently.

2. Increase patient satisfaction and eye health.

• Educate patients to help them be more compliant.
• Ensure that each patient has a full understanding of the correct insertion, removal and care of contact lenses.
• Encourage patients to purchase the recommended solutions through the practice at a competitive price.
• Recommend an annual eye exam for the best level of care.

3. Create an offer that your patients can't turn down.

Present patients with a benefit plan that details the extra value they gain by ordering their annual supply of contact lenses in the office. Click here to view Dr. Lewis' contact lens service agreement. Download his annual supply worksheet to modify for your practice.

4. Share your plan with the staff.

• Hold a meeting to share your goals.
• Provide training to all staff members and have them work as a team.
• Be sure that everyone is comfortable with the "whys" and that they understand that patient satisfaction is the ultimate goal.
• Meet with the staff weekly to let them know how they’ve moved the needle.

5. Reward the staff.

• Staff is provided bonuses on overall revenue increase thresholds and shares a bonus pool.
• Staff is additionally rewarded by entering points into The Optical Dream^SM, and on an average week, the staff is receiving three or four spins.

If you would like more information and staff training on increasing your annual supplies of contact lenses, register for The Optical Dream^SM or email Dr. Lewis.

  Breaking News

CE Opportunities for Vision Source^® Members at Vision Expo West

• Complimentary Exhibit Hall Registration ($150 savings): Visit VisionExpoWest.com/visionsource or use code: VS15
• Exclusive educational discounts: Choose from more than 320 hours of groundbreaking education and specialty tracks for every role and experience level.
• Three (3) hours of complimentary education will be offered to the first 100 members that register for Vision Expo West education.
• After initial 3 hours are claimed, enjoy 10 percent off education. You must register through the Vision Source^® link.
• Club Vision Lounge Access: Enjoy complimentary lunch and access to Club Vision Lounge, each day of the exhibit hall, Thursday, Sept. 17 - Saturday, Sept. 19. Members must pick up Club Vision lunch vouchers by 1 p.m. each day.

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  ICD-10 Coding

ICD-10 Update: CMS Revisions Are Not a Reprieve

By Peter J. Cass, OD

As many of you have heard, in response to extensive pressure from the American Medical Association, on July 6, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) agreed to make some minor changes to ICD deployment. These changes left many confused, so on Aug. 6, CMS clarified. We should all be very clear on what these changes do and do not mean. Contrary to rumor, the changes do NOT

1. Delay implementation. ICD-10 will still take effect on Oct. 1, 2015.

2. Allow payers to elect to use ICD-9 or ICD-10 in claims processing. All claims with dates of service after Sept. 30, 2015, must be filed ICD-10 and will be adjudicated under ICD-10 rules.

3. Allow doctors to use any code they want. The code must still be a "valid" code, and many codes listed in ICD-10 are reference, guidance or incomplete—they are not valid for payment. At a minimum, the code selected must still be in the correct family—defined as within the three character category. This does NOT mean you can simply use three character codes.

Ex. H25: Age-related cataract is a three character code but is not a valid code. In the cataract diagnosis, you do not reach "valid" codes until the fourth character. Other codes reach up to seven characters before they are "valid." You will still need to know what codes are valid in each "family" for acceptable claims submissions.

4. Stop all audits for a year. The only thing that the agreement states is that claims will not be denied based entirely on using a less-than-specific code. All other coding rules, both in general and in the new ICD-10 conventions must still be adhered to. Additionally, all Medicare carrier and commercial payer payment policies will remain in effect (see #5).

5. Apply to existing Medicare carrier payment policies. All claims for services under an existing or new LCD will be adjudicated based on specificity requirements in the LCD at the discretion of the carrier. CMS will not require Medicare carriers to change their policies.

6. Apply to any payer other than Medicare. The agreement does not apply to any payer except Medicare fee-for-service. It does not apply to commercial payers or Medicaid whether they are acting as primary insurance or as secondary to Medicare (which means they do not apply to Medicare cross-over claims!).

7. Provide any guidance for claims that lack the specificity that will be required on Oct. 1, 2016. In other words, all this does is allow you in limited cases to use the wrong code for a year with no feedback that the code you used was incorrect and will be denied if used after Oct. 1, 2016.

When you read between the lines, you see that the CMS agreement does little to decrease the demands on providers to be specific in their choice of diagnosis. More importantly, it does nothing to decrease the demands upon all of us to properly and completely document our services in the patient's medical record. We encourage all of you to proceed on Oct. 1, 2015, essentially as if this agreement was never released.

For more information, reference "Clarifying Questions and Answers Related to the July 6, 2015 CMS/AMA Joint Announcement and Guidance Regarding ICD-10 Flexibilities" MLN Connects Provider ENews for August 6, 2015.

For anyone who purchased the Optimum ICD-10 package and has not gotten the updated digital copy (May 2015), which includes an updated Eye Codes for Optometry book as well as the new ICD-10 Coding Guidelines video, feel free to email me and I will send it to you at no charge.

  Fresh Day^® and Fresh 30^® Success Stories

See How Fresh 30^® Is Having an Impact

"My patients love Fresh 30^®."
– Oliver Lou, OD, Vision Source^® – Signature Eye Care, Cedar Park, Texas

Fresh 30^® silicone hydrogel lenses offer great comfort and UV protection for your patients while providing you with tremendous profit opportunity. And because they're available only from Vision Source^® doctors, they serve to position your practice as a leader in delivering the latest in eye care technology.

Click here to view a brief message from Dr. Lou about the success he's enjoyed with Fresh 30^® lenses in his practice.

  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.

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Luxottica Strengthens Its Controls

In order to reduce the number of unauthorized sellers in the marketplace and to ensure that the Luxottica brand is represented in a uniform way according to its guidelines, Luxottica will be sending an Authorized Retailer Agreement (ARA) to practices that feature Luxottica frame lines. This document includes more information concerning the ARA, and click here for a sample of the ARA.

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iWellness by Optovue Offers Necessary Tool in the Treatment of Diabetic Patients

The iWellness scan, available exclusively on Optovue OCT systems, is a new tool for detecting diabetic macular edema earlier than with traditional methods. The scan provides seven retinal b-scans and a retinal thickness map that provide early indicators of vision problems related to diabetes. Click here read how a Vision Source^® doctor is using iWellness Exams in her office. Optovue is committed to providing an unrivaled level of service and support to Vision Source^® practitioners, including sponsorship of Vision Source^® BrainStream Diabetes Protocols Program.

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Costa Hosts Vision Source^® Group in Florida

North and Central Florida Vision Source^® members took a tour of the Costa manufacturing headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida. It was a lab tour, dinner and training on all things Costa and especially its patented 580^™ color-enhancing technology. The group posed under artwork entirely made of Costa sunglasses. This sailfish hangs in the boardroom, but similar original artwork has been donated or auctioned to support the company's fishing-related conservation efforts. Click here to see a video on what goes into the making of these original art pieces.

  Around Vision Source^®

  Practice Development

Surviving the Start

This is the 30th 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 is Joseph Fife, OD, of St. George, Utah, who describes how his Vision Source^® membership helped him through the lean years of starting a practice. Click here to read the story.

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Practice Sets a Gold Standard for Community Involvement

Iowa Eye Care has become a Blue Zones^® Office. To be certified in this community initiative, 20 percent of the staff must pledge to become more healthy. Recently, Iowa Eye Care participated in a Blue Zones^® community project where citizens and businesses painted sections of a downtown sidewalk to encourage others to walk more. Staff members Jacki and Julie are pictured at right.

Send Us Your Gold Standard Story

We want to share The Gold Standard stories from the Vision Source^® membership in the Gazette. The Gold Standard stories describe how doctors and optical staff go above and beyond to ensure that their practices deliver the best patient experiences possible. Each Vision Source^® staff member should be familiar with the concepts explained in the The Gold Standard book. The books can be part of a new hire orientation or used in an employee meeting as a guideline for patient satisfaction standards. To order The Gold Standard books, click here.

Do you have an example of how The Gold Standard book helped you raise the bar? You can share your gold standard moments with us here.

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Upcoming Practices of Distinction Tour Dates

If you haven't reserved a spot at this year's Practices of Distinction Tour, save your space today! Vision Source^® members 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. The day-long program provides more in-depth details and scenarios, building on the Vision Source^® Practice of Distinction tour from 2014.

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. Upcoming events will be help on Sept. 25 in Greensboro, North Carolina; Oct. 1 in New Braunfels, Texas; and Oct. 2 in Macon, Georgia. Learn more and see tour dates and locations here.

  Marketing

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Boost Your Digital Marketing Know-how

Have you claimed your Internet real estate? Many practices are letting the Internet community manage their information online. Register for the next digital marketing webinar here, and learn more about the importance of claiming your directory listings.

Missed the rest? Learn at your convenience:

• A Trip to the Eye Doctor is Worth Sharing
• I have a website, now what?
• Facebook Advertising 101

  Vision Source^® Member News

Recent Articles by Members

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  Your Feedback Counts

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