POF policy

[DrNeyecare]

How do you tell a patient that the office/lab is not responsible for damage to the Patient's Own Frame? We mention it to them, and have them sign a consent form, but they are relunctant to do so. And I hate it when they say "then who's responsible? I got the glasses from you. You should be responsible." I have patient's bringing in their Elasta's and Sferoflex that they purchased 10 years ago!!!

[Chris Ryser]

I have patient's bringing in their Elasta's and Sferoflex that they purchased 10 years ago!!!


Tell them that after 10 years of use , the plastic has been dried out and is brittle.

When heating frame to remove old lenses and inserting the new ones the frame might break as it is now brittle. At that point you will have to make new lenses as well as buy a new frame.

[cocoisland58]

We simply tell them that their frame may not make it through the lab process. What usually convinces them is this..."you have a four year old frame and want to put brand new lenses in it. You obviously like to keep your glasses more than a year, soon your frame will have aged beyond it's limit and you still have good lenses that you cannot use." If they still insist we just note on their record that they understand we are not responsible for the frame. I have never had anyone come back at us for this.

[MarcE]

There is a very intense thread on hear somewhere, where your truly (an others) made some very good points about a POF;). Use the search feature.

[Andrew Weiss]

The title of the old thread is "patient's own frame."

I tell the patient that we and the lab are not responsible for breakage and that because the frame is older it may be discontinued and I may not be able to find spare parts if something goes. I then ask whether they really want to invest in lenses in their old frame under those circumstances. Sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes it's yes.

[AutumN]

We tell pts about the brittle thing with plastic and with metal we look it over and if it doesn't have anything "obvious" then we say that that doesn't mean that there might not be something that we can't see (weak soder point or inside a flex hinge) that the frame may not make it through the process and we may not be able get another one for them. We specifically say that they do it "AT THEIR OWN RISK". We also have them sign a waiver. If they tell us that they bought it from us, I simply reiterate the above and include that if something happens its not from a defect (due to age, it would have shown up sooner) and more from age and wear and tear. I'll check the frame book and if it's not there, I tell them it's probably a d/c frame. At that point it's up to them. I also remind them that if the frame breaks in 6mos then its rare to be able to find a frame that their new lenses will fit into. If they're getting real expensive lenses I give them the analogy that you wouldn't put a cadillac under a lean-to when you can put it in a nice garage.

To be honest, very rarely do we have a frame that doesn't make it through the process, however we have more difficulty with them returning 6 mos later with the broken frame and get ticked if you can't find a frame that those new lenses will fit into. We often get "nobody told me", then I can whip out the waiver and that ends that.

[karen]

frame waiver. frame waiver. frame waiver.

If they won't sign it, that is the red flag that tells you you will have trouble later.

[DrNeyecare]

Thanks guys.

[RGC_man]

A major chain in the UK ran this past their legal dept and were told there is no such thing as "own risk". If you accept responsibility for glazing it is down to you. We used to say something along the lines that the lenses may outlast the remaining life of the frame.