Issue 61 October 16, 2015

In This Edition

Issue 61


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


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Top Story

Linked by a Common Purpose

Now that the Essilor transaction has been completed, I wanted to share some news regarding the efforts that have been underway as the leadership teams come together to create solutions that align with your needs. This relationship is based on a foundation that includes three key themes: choice, innovation and partnership. Our organizations are uniquely aligned, as our mission statements reflect. The Vision Source® mission statement is Enriching lives by enabling independent optometrists to reach their full potential. And the Essilor mission statement is Improving lives by improving sight.

As we develop our 2016 initiatives, we are driven by the needs identified through our recently completed member insights survey. Here are some of the highlights.

  • 85 percent of members expressed a need for social media and marketing assistance.
  • 75 percent of members have requested assistance with frame board management.
  • 70 percent of members want assistance with optical management.
  • 70 percent of members are interested in a new, virtual online community to conveniently and securely share best practices and other ideas.
  • 49 percent of members consider cost-of-goods differentials the most important Vision Source® offering.
  • 42 percent of members plan on moving and/or adding additional location(s) or renewing their lease in the next five years.

These results have helped clarify for the leadership teams where to focus to bring you the best, most-desired programs in 2016. Some of these will build on initiatives started earlier. For example, we continue to enhance our geospatial analytics, an extremely valuable tool for those making real estate decisions.

We will continue to build upon our success of establishing managed care and integrated health care system relationships as we head into 2016. Currently, we have nearly 40 active relationships, with over 100 relationships that we are cultivating in our pipeline. These relationships offer us the opportunity to take advantage of seeing more patients and driving incremental revenue at Vision Source® member practices for years to come.

We are also building on our CE opportunities and outreach to patients with diabetes. Look at the two-hour CE, Diabetes Mellitus BrainStream Practice Protocol, which covers management of patients with diabetes. This program is now online, and we encourage every Vision Source® doctor to complete the program and make their offices fully compliant with the best strategies laid out in the program. This CE program is sponsored by Optos, Regeneron and Optovue. We have also linked into the new program, Collective Focus, from Regeneron, which is designed to encourage patients to receive annual, comprehensive dilated eye exams, and to seek treatment for diabetic eye disease if required and support ODs providing the service. For more information, visit mycollectivefocus.com.


While these initiatives are valuable, we must continue looking ahead. For example, looking at supply chain management, we are beginning to focus on delivering enhanced support for your frame board management needs. One critical (and expensive) element of this initiative includes the creation of a new supply chain solution that will help eliminate much of the waste inherent in today’s typical workflow. Consider the manner in which prescription eyewear travels: from frame vendor to your practice to the lab and then back to your practice. In addition to the multiple steps involved in pulling frames from the board, shipping them and waiting for their return, there’s another challenge: frames taken from the board mean no other patients can select that frame until it is replaced.

Improving the speed and efficiency will ultimately deliver an improved patient experience.

Your responses to the member insights survey have helped us identify your challenges and analyze the inefficiencies and waste. You will hear more soon as we continue to develop methods and programs to deliver greater value, allowing you to deliver even greater service to your patients.


Be well,
Jim Greenwood
President & CEO
Vision Source®


  The Optical DreamSM Powered by Vision Source®

The Optical DreamSM Halloween Treat


It's not scary; it’s the way that our members are dually increasing patient satisfaction and revenue. We make it easy to reward your staff for a job well done with great prizes. Don't forget about the Transitions® Eyeland Getaway.

  Breaking News

Keynote Speakers Announced for The Exchange® 2016

The Exchange® 2016 is five months away, but Vision Source® has already secured a dynamic lineup of keynote speakers to help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Vision Source®.

Keynote speaker for March 17, 2016 will be Dave Ridley on How Southwest Airlines Creates Customers for Life. This former Southwest Airlines executive will share lessons learned on how to build and sustain a professional environment that delivers legendary customer service.

Keynote speakers for March 18, 2016 will be a team of legendary coaches Bob Knight, best known for his 29 years as basketball coach at University of Indiana; and Lou Holtz, football coach at several major football programs including University of Notre Dame and University of Minnesota, presenting Creating a Championship Culture. These two coaching legends will share the stage in a casual "fireside chat" discussing their experiences and offering their insights into creating a culture within an organization that leads to greater success and overall fulfillment.

Watch for another block buster 2016 Exchange® announcement in the mail soon. Until then, make plans to be in San Antonio March 16-19, 2016 and preregister for The Exchange® at vstheexchange.com.

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Record Breaking Fundraising World Sight Day

Click here to watch a thank-you message to Vision Source from Clive Miller, CEO of Optometry Giving Sight. We are proud to announce that a total of over $605,000 was donated as of World Sight Day. The winning regional team was the Black Team (North), which collected a grand total of $189,013), with The Gold Team at $184,816 (South) and the Gray Team at $137,647(West).

The fundraising is not over yet! By August, we have a goal of raising $1 million to underwrite l'Universite d'etat d'Hait Optometry School and Clinic. We need the support of each practice to donate just $30/month. To learn more about how your practice can participate, click here.

Watch and post this 3.5-minute video so that you patients will understand the Vision Source® vision to help Optometry Giving Sight in Haiti.

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Year-end Marketing Materials Available

The 4th quarter is the time to remind current and prospective patients with Flexible Spending Accounts to use their benefits for eyewear and eye care before Dec. 31. You'll find a complete package of marketing tools to encourage patients to Use It. Don't Lose It. if they have plans or benefits that expire at the end of the calendar year. The online Marketing Toolkit on the Vision Source® Member Intranet includes postcards, counter cards and posters reminding patients to use their benefits. A banner lets you go big with your message in the office or attract attention at health fairs.

From the intranet logon navigation bar, choose Resources>Marketing>Marketing Kit. Then click on Marketing Package, choose your office branding preference (Full/Partial), then click on Year End to browse and order.

  The ICD-10 Mailbag

Coding for Glaucoma suspects in ICD-10

Several doctors and billers have asked how to code for glaucoma suspects properly in ICD-10. Some have had a hard time search for the code in their HER systems because the codes do not contain the word "suspect." There is, however, a whole subcategory of glaucoma suspect codes (H40.0--‐), which includes six different types of glaucoma suspects. Click here to see the listing.

As the ICD-10 Mailbag questions add up, Vision Source® will be posting them by category in the box to the right as an easy reference.

ICD-10 Quick Reference

Coding for Glaucoma suspects

Do you have an ICD-10 coding question? You can email Dr. Cass at [email protected].

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Unique Codes

Click here to download more unique ICD-10 codes.

  Fresh Day® and Fresh 30® Success Stories

Patient Satisfaction and Profitability Both High: A Win/Win

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"I have been very impressed with the Fresh Day® for Astigmatism and the entire Fresh Day® line of lenses. Patients have done extremely well with the comfort of the lenses—many times commenting that it is the most comfortable lenses they've ever worn.

"I have also had several patients switch from a monthly multifocal lens to the Fresh Day® Multifocal and say they felt the optics and their vision were much better with the Fresh Day® Multifocal lens. Those patients do not hesitate to purchase a year's supply.

"On top of the great comfort and vision, the Fresh Day® lenses are proving to be a great profit center for my practice. Getting a SiHy one-day at hydrogel pricing is a perfect example of the competitive edge that Vision Source® provides its member doctors."

– Ethan Huisman, OD, of West Des Moines, Iowa

  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.


Alcon New Rebate, Plus a System Change Coming

Alcon announces a 20 percent after mail-in rebate on Alcon PRO Line products.

Click to read about the upcoming changes to Alcon’s IT system.

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Maximize your CooperVision Practice Builder Rebate with a new MyDay® Promotion

CooperVision is offering special inventory programs and patient rebates. Check the vendor book for details and take advantage of maximizing your CooperVision Practice Builder rebate. The quarter ends on Oct. 31, and orders need to be in by Oct. 26 to be counted toward your rebate. Please note that the Practice Builder Program itself does not end, just the quarter.

Also a final reminder from CooperVision: Biomedics 55 (sphere), Biomedics 38 & Proclear EP will be discontinued on Oct. 31, 2015.

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New CooperVision Rebates Will Post on the Avelient Websites

If you have an Avelient website, this rebate will automatically appear on the "Promotions" tab. If you do not fit these contact lenses, email [email protected] and let them know.

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Take the Regeneron Survey Now

Regeneron has created a new program called Collective Focus: Focusing on the vision of patients with diabetes to close the gap in providing treatment to patients with diabetes. Collective Focus provides valuable information for patients and doctors by providing materials to educate patients about the dangers of diabetes-related vision loss, supporting optometrists' efforts in monitoring their vision and encouraging patients to receive annual, comprehensive dilated eye exams and to seek treatment for diabetic eye disease if required.

As part of its work with Regeneron, Vision Source® is asking you to click the link below and take a brief five-question survey. This brief survey will help Regeneron in guiding its efforts to support Vision Source® members optimally.

Click here to take the survey.

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Essilor Helps Make The Optical DreamSM Come True

In support of The Optical DreamSM3, Essilor Transitions lenses is launching a Vision Source® exclusive promotion on Essilor Transitions Single Vision Lenses.

Between Oct. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2015, your Vision Source® practice can earn a $5 reward for every pair of Eligible Essilor Transitions Single Vision Lenses purchased above your baseline.

You will soon receive an email from Vision Source® vendor relations with more information about the Essilor Transitions Single Vision Lenses and your Vision Source® office's baseline for the promotion.

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Tura Goes Pink and Gets Beach Ready

See the vendor book for more details.

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Vision Source® and RetailOne Partner to Create the Office of the Future

Vision Source® has selected RetailOne to design, develop and implement the new Office of the Future Program. As a leading strategic store design and implementation company, RetailOne partners with Vision Source® doctors to translate their brands into more effective customer experiences that result in improved operations, patient satisfaction and sales performance. The new Office of the Future Program is a proprietary program that has been designed exclusively for the Vision Source® network. Click here for more information.

  Around Vision Source®


  Practice Development


Recognize When Patients Need Extra Help

gold gold

We recently had a new patient visit our office for an ocular emergency. She was a young mom of three children, and her husband was out of town on business. She had a corneal ulcer and was in so much pain that she did not feel comfortable driving her car and had to get a taxi with her 5-month-old to get to her appointment. When she and I were finished up, I asked Sue Goodsell, one of my staff members, to take my vehicle and drive the patient and her baby to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription and then drive her home. The patient was so grateful to our office for getting her in so quickly for her appointment and also for the extra assistance we provided after that she scheduled her entire family for eye exams when she came back for her follow up. As a mom myself, it felt great to be able to get her and her baby home safely and we are grateful for five new patients in our office!

– Rebekah Noss Lynch, OD, Full Spectrum Eye Care, Traverse City, Michigan

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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Ninety Percent of All Soft Lens Wearers in This Practice Are in Daily Disposables Now

This is the 34th 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 David Kading, OD, of Seattle, Washington, who chronicles his practice's journey to fitting more than 90 percent of his patients in daily-wear lenses. Click here to read the story.

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Three Final Sessions of 2016 Practices of Distinction Session

The final three sessions for the Practices of Distinction tour in 2016 will take place on Oct. 24 in Phoenix, Arizona; Oct. 26 in Seattle, Washington; and Nov. 13 in Williamsburg, Virginia. Vision Source® is a Diamond level sponsor of the Practices of Distinction Tour, a practice management series from Vision Source® members April Jasper, OD, FAAO; Katie Gilbert-Spear, OD, MPH; and Carl Spear, OD, MBA, FAAO. Vision Source® members can sign up (meals included) for just $49 per person. Learn more or register here.


  Marketing

Why Reinvent the Wheel When It Comes to Marketing?

The marketing toolkit has been a valuable tool for our practice. Gordon Price, OD, is an administrator, and I am a VSR Facilitator, so it is important that we support the programs that are available to Vision Source® members. The concept of branding and Vision Source® awareness is really important as Vision Source® moves forward in the health care arena. Stationery, business cards, post cards, posters, flyers, mailers and more are just a few of products designed for our marketing efforts. The PCP awareness baskets are a big plus, and I think that they are a WOW to the recipients. This is another way that sets us apart from non-Vision Source® practices. My thought about the toolkit is why try to reinvent the wheel if it is done for you; Vision Source® Member Support Center has spent a lot of money developing a marketing program so that it is all there for us.

– Denise Price, Office Manager at Scituate Harbor Vision Source®, Scituate Harbor, Massachusetts

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New Social Media Graphics Available in the Marketing Toolkit

Be sure to visit the Marketing Toolkit regularly to source new and complimentary Vision Source content for your social media pages. Click here to browse the growing graphic library.

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Digital Marketing Article: Increase your Google Reviews Overnight

Did you know that 90 percent of the clicks occur on the first page of a search engine? Search engine optimization is complicated. However, there is an obvious correlation to the amount of Google and Yelp reviews a practice has and its ranking. Patients must review directly on Google or Yelp; third-party software does not have the capability of doing this on behalf of any business. Demandforce has a workaround that has had proven success. Glenn Ellisor, OD, increased his reviews by 40 percent overnight. If you use Demandforce and would like to try the same technique, follow these instructions:

Click here to download this document with instructions on how you can do the same.

1. Click here to begin your Google+ campaign setup.

2. Click here to set up your Google appointment request.

  Your Feedback Counts

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