Issue 64 December 4, 2015

In This Edition

Issue 64


The Gazette
Archives


     


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


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Top Story

Utilization of Marketing Solutions Leads to Impressive Growth…

For many Vision Source® practices, 2015 has been a banner year. But success and growth are never guaranteed. Even as many Vision Source® member practices are experiencing significant gains, we recognize that there are members who are facing new competition, unique economic pressures and other challenging situations.

Vision Source® infrastructure exists to assist and support practices based upon their specific needs. Since early 2015, we have been working with members in markets that experienced declining revenue for the year ended Dec. 31, 2014. Our marketing team has delivered personal consultations and guidance on the many resources and marketing solutions available through Vision Source®. These solutions include social media tools, enhanced member or regional websites, search engine optimization and how to drive effective marketing campaigns. With the newest version of the Vision Source® Marketing Toolkit available at the member intranet, one campaign, or a year round campaign can be achieved within a matter of clicks.

The marketing team has remained engaged with the targeted markets through phone calls and other correspondence to help the member practices stay on track. I'm happy to report that this hands on support has resulted in some wonderful success stories. Ten of the 12 targeted markets are experiencing a positive turnaround as compared to 2014. The average growth in sales for this group is 5.4% on a year-to-date basis.

Michael Wallace, OD, recently used the Marketing Toolkit to order a children’s eye health banner for a community event. He wanted to reach out to mothers on the importance of comprehensive eye examinations for children. He commented that "the process of ordering and paying was simple, and the quality of the banner was very good." Dr. Wallace owns two practices in Flushing and Holly, Michigan—one of the regions that had been declining but is now seeing growth. This experience reinforces what we see in numerous markets across the country; if you use the marketing tools on a consistent basis, your practice will grow.

As consumer behavior changes, we must also evolve. Your Vision Source® membership offers substantial support for effective marketing in today's world:

  • Free social media content and affordable print materials—including seasonal 'click and go' campaigns, flyers, banners, in office point of sale and direct-mail postcards—all in the Marketing Toolkit, located on the Member Intranet.
  • Awareness baskets for creating relationships with primary care physicians, located at visionsourcegear.com.
  • The Optical DreamSM for increased employee engagement and reinforcement of behaviors that enhance patient satisfaction and practice results.
  • Geospatial analysis, a free service to help you understand your local market and develop an effective digital and traditional marketing plan.
  • The Member Support Center, where a representative will help you on a more personal level to make sure you're maximizing your Vision Source® member benefits.

The bottom line: we are here for all of our members, and these tools are available to you. For marketing help, contact the Member Support Center at 1-888-558-2020.

P.S. Here's an interesting read on five common retail practices that will be obsolete by 2018. Three of them—boring customer experience, long-order shipments and subtle marketing—apply to optometric practices. The consumer—including eye care consumers—want efficiency and quality, they want it fast and they want it to engage them personally.

Be well,
Jim Greenwood
President & CEO
Vision Source®


  The Optical DreamSM Powered by Vision Source®

Congratulations to Last Month's Winners

Thank you for playing The Optical DreamSM and congratulations to all of the Platinum, MVP, and Engagement Winners for the month of November! Click here to view the complete list.

Keep playing this month for three ways to win:

1. The Essilor Holiday Giveaway has begun! Register here for a chance to win a free December lab bill and pre-paid gift cards for your staff from Essilor.

2. Don't miss out on the Safilo Bonus. For the rest of the year, keep earning double the bonus points for every set of Safilo frames you sell as part of a multiple pair—no need for additional registration or training.

3. Need a vacation? Click here to start the short training for a chance to win one of five Transitions® Eye-land Getaway trips to Key West.

Coming Soon…Stay tuned for some exciting news about The Optical DreamSM 2016. You asked for more—and we listened!

Need help getting started or finding your Vision Source® Practice ID? Call the Member Support Center at 888­558­2020.

  Breaking News

A Personal Invitation to The 2016 Exchange®

Mario Gutierrez, OD, administrator for the San Antonio region and our host for the 2016 Exchange®, has extended a personal—and very unique—invitation to every Vision Source® member to join him in his hometown March 16-19, 2016.

Click here to read his invitation then go to VSTheExchange.com to register. Almost 1,000 of your colleagues already have!

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Live Brightly.® Give Brightly. CooperVision-inspired Campaign Now Live

CooperVision is helping Vision Source® in its Optometry Giving Sight Million Dollar campaign by creating a way to help patients participate, too. It takes just 60 seconds. Patients visit givebrightly.com and play a short, five-question game, which will teach them some surprising facts about eye health. Their participation will earn them five points worth $5, which CooperVision will donate to Optometry Giving Sight. Through this program, CooperVision will donate up to $20,000.

Remember that patients can also apply some or all of their rebate earnings from CooperVision-brand purchases as donations to Optometry Giving Sight. Look for a free marketing kit with everything you need to communicate this fun, meaningful opportunity to patients in your office, online or by mail.

Read more here or link to the video here.

Download this customizable press release to let your community know about your involvement.

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New Glaucoma Report Form Available

Download the Glaucoma Report form to use as a follow-up with primary care physicians of all your patients with glaucoma. It's an easy way to keep your reporting consistent and efficient. It will also reinforce to the medical community the value of the services you provide.

The glaucoma report form is available on the Member Intranet. Go to Library > Patient Care > Eye Examination Reporting and click on Glaucoma Eye Exam Report - Print and Fax Version

  The ICD-10 Mailbag

Coding for Retinal Disease in ICD-10

RPE hyperplasia has been confusing to code for some. But could be coded as

unspecified retinal degeneration (H35.40)
unspecified chorioretinal scar (H31.00-)

While these are not the best codes, they represent the best choices available.

White without pressure is a more confusing condition to code because in reality it is not a retinal condition but a vitreous disorder. Reasonable codes to use, could include:

ICD-10 Quick Reference


Coding for dry eye

Coding for glaucoma suspects

Coding for lid disease

Coding for retinal disease

Vitreous degeneration (H43.81-)
Other vitreous opacities (H43.39-) or possibly
Other disorders of the vitreous body (H43.89)

Again while these are not the best codes and we want to be as specific as possible, sometimes we just have to apply a best fit rule.

Please keep sending your coding questions to Dr. Cass at [email protected], and we will address the best in the next issue of the Gazette.


  Fresh Day® and Fresh 30® Success Stories

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Fresh 30® Takes Off

"Fresh 30® has become my go-to lens in the 30-day category."

– James Beckwith, OD, Vision Source® – West Sahara, Las Vegas, Nevada

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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. Beckwith 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.


Clariti 1-day Multifocals Coming Soon in 90-pack

Look for the launch of Clariti 1-day Multifocal in a 90-pack carton on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. All of the current parameters that CooperVision offers in the 30-pack are now going to be offered in the 90-pack.

Note that the Fresh Day® private label will NOT be available at this time in the 90-pack, as three Fresh Day® Multifocal 1-day 30-packs are considerably less expensive than this 90-pack. This product is covered under the CooperVision UPP. See the vendor book for more details.

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Stock up on Your Alcon Inventory and Reap the Benefits from Winter Specials

Alcon is offering some inventory specials on a variety of lenses.

There are multiple benefits to dispensing from inventory. It's convenient for patients to leave the same day with their lenses; it reduces script-walk and increases patient loyalty; it reduces practice transaction costs and saves time; and it lowers your cost of goods.

See the vendor book for details on the savings and specials.

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Act Now for Diopsys Savings

Diopsys is offering special savings to Vision Source® members who purchase a Diopsys® NOVA™ or Diopsys® ARGOS™ Vision Testing System on or before Dec. 29, 2015.

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Santinelli Offers Seasonal Savings

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Mondottica Offerings from Hackett Bespoke UTX and Anna Sui

Considered one of the finest handmade acetate frames on the market today, Hackett Bespoke UTX frames are 30 percent lighter than normal with half the thickness of a regular frame. Hackett Bespoke UTX has introduced four new metal styles. Sleek design, lightweight feel and Hackett Bespoke design pedigree set this collection apart.

Anna Sui's latest optical collection features elegant tortoise design with a spice of unique elements. Rich handmade acetates, contrasting double laminate accents and matching temple tips can be found on frames AS 5022 and AS 5023.

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Sign Up with RevolutionEHR by Dec. 16; Get $500 Amazon Gift Card

Contact [email protected] for more information.

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  Around Vision Source®


  Practice Development


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Big-time Service in Small-town Practice

This is the 37th 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 Colleagues for this edition are Drs. Jarod and Amanda Wood of Iowa Falls, Iowa, who share their story of delivering big-time service—and thriving—in a town of 5,000. Click here to read the story.

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Talk About Mobile Service

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Chad Linsley, OD, was at a movie with his wife recently when his cell phone signaled an emergency call. When he slipped out of the movie to return the call, he found that a patient was having a hard time getting a rigid contact lens out of his eye. By chance, the patient was at a store near the theater, so Dr. Chad quickly met the patient and assisted the patient in getting the contact out. He returned to the movie with an interesting story and a patient that very much appreciated the unusual and timely help.

– Gail Brown, Office Manager, Mason Family Eye Care, Mason, 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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  Marketing

Your 2016 Marketing Plan Is A Few Clicks Away

The New Year is right around the corner. It's time to start planning your marketing for 2016. Too busy? The Vision Source® Online Marketing Toolkit has everything you need for a comprehensive marketing program. And it's all just a few clicks away.

A Program For Every Season

Your Marketing Toolkit has four quarterly marketing packages:

  • Q1 - New Year. New Benefits.
  • Q2 - Allergy Season
  • Q3 – Back to School
  • Q4 – Use It. Don't Lose It.

You'll find a postcard, counter card, poster and a pop-up banner available for each season. Combine these seasonal promotions with the best practices you and your staff have learned through The Optical DreamSM for a “surround sound” patient marketing experience.

Start planning your 2016 marketing today. Click here to browse all that's available and to place your order.

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Get Your Holiday and FSA Graphics For Your Social Media

Visit the Marketing Toolkit for free holiday and FSA graphics for your social media pages. Be sure to check out the new holiday Facebook cover photos.

Click here to browse the growing graphic library.

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Marketing Toolkit Testimonial

We ordered the banner for using benefits before the end of the year and we ordered the banner for the New year, New benefits. We ordered both banners for our Lockhart and Kyle Vision Source® locations. We chose to order the banners and place them in the waiting areas in both offices to remind patients of benefits they may lose without use this month, and once the new year begins, we will use the respective banner to remind them to use their new benefits.

The overall process of ordering the banners was a smooth and efficient process, and we received the banners in a timely manner. We feel the banners are beneficial, especially putting them in the waiting areas so patients can view them before being seen in our office.

The banners are brightly colored and elegant, so they present themselves with little work having to be done to install or set up. I would highly recommend these banners as great marketing tools for other practices, and we would like to again thank you all for making the process of ordering flawless.

– Annie Williams, OD, Lockhart Vision Source®, Kyle Vision Source® and Elgin Vision Source® in Texas

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Meet Alysia Gradney

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Congratulations to our new Social Media & Public Relations Manager, Alysia Gradney. She is a results-driven digital marketer who is dedicated to staying on the forefront of marketing technologies. Her goal is to enhance Vision Source® brand positioning through online marketing strategies, email communications, public relations and social media campaigns. As a lifelong learner, Alysia has earned two undergraduate degrees from Spelman College and a Master's degree from Georgia State University. She is a proud member of the ChildBuilders Board of Directors and an American Marketing Association Houston chapter volunteer of the month. Alysia is thrilled to be a new member of the Vision Source® team.

Please join us in welcoming her to Vision Source®. If you are looking for assistance with digital marketing or public relations, Alysia can be reached at [email protected].

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Digital Marketing: Beware of iDNS Scam

Have you received a renewal notice from iDNS? If so, it's a scam. It might look like an invoice, but notice the words, highlighted here: This Is Not An Invoice. All website addresses with "visionsource" in the url, i.e. visionsource-yourpracticename.com are maintained and renewed by the Member Support Center at no cost to the members.

  Vision Source® Recognitions

Invision Magazine: Vision Source® and Members in the Press

Congratulations to Alan Glazier, OD, of Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care; Sonja Franklin, OD, of Modern Eyes; and Arnold Bulos, OD, of Eye Gallery for being named on Invision Magazine's "America's Finest" list! Click here to see the complete list.

Thank you to everyone who has helped in our efforts to build Haiti's first optometry school through Optometry Giving Sight. This week, Invision Magazine featured Vision Clinic in Springfield, Missouri, for its fundraising efforts during Optometry Giving Sight's 2015 World Sight Day Challenge. Vision Clinic organized its 4th Annual Vision Clinic 5K race to benefit the Vision Source® Million Dollar Campaign. This year, about 150 runners took part and raised $4,000.

Also mentioned is Lee Dodge, OD, who recently implemented the I Care & Share program at his practice, Visual Eyes Optometry in Sherman Oaks, California. Click here to read the article.

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Opticians Association of America Now Accepting Nominations

The Opticians Association of America (OAA) is now accepting nominations for the 2016 State Leader and State Website of the Year award. Winners will be honored during the 2016 Opticians Association of America's State Leadership Conference taking place in San Antonio, Texas, from January 21 ­ January 23, 2016.

Click the links below to download each nomination form.

Nominations must be submitted by December 18, 2015.


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