Is anyone other there cyberland still getting faxes from 1 800 contacts. It seems that all we get anymore is automated message. I don't know about everyone else, but we are too busy to listen to their message. Their message is confusing and irratating. does anyone know if you can block their number so they have to fax?
We used to receive faxes, but the last 2 Rx verification requests from 1-800 have been by phone. What a great idea to block their number, but on the other hand, I've heard 1-800 keeps data on whether an office is cooperative or not. They might consider blocking their number to be uncooperative.Originally Posted by IIII
Who cares what 1-800-Contacts thinks about co-operation or anything else. As long as they can't take you to court over your un-co-operation, i.e. you can show that they were not making it convienent for you to co-operate. Thier feelings don't matter a whit.
That nonsense about leaving partial messages on your answering machine during non-office hours is certianly not making it convienent for you to co-operate, especially if they don't leave enough of the message to give the patients name.
Thier feelings don't matter as much as my feelings about John Kerry matter to a Democrat.
Chip
Careful about what you say on any of these public forums, 1-800 has it's moles that are amassing documentation and could twist some of these replies as non compliance with the contact lens law.
My understanding is that J&J requires the FAX. I also understand 1-800 has lost many customers due to the FAX, patients are called and/or prices matched. Thus those irritating difficult to respond phone calls.
I had a response by e-mail from 1-800 Contacts regarding their practices. They no longer fax requests. They prefer calling saying that the fax method is not conducive to FTC requirements. I asked for e-mails versus phone calls and that is not their protocol either. They insist that the phone call can be skipped through to pertinent information. Our front desk staff checks in and out as well as answersing phones daily. Some days the patient load checking in is 200 people and this certainly does not allow them to listen and write info at the same time. I have instructed them to place it into our voice mail system as soon as they recognize what it is. This has helped tremendously. If you hang up on these requests they continue to redial your number.
This is simply pathetic that you guys are forced into becoming 1-800's, hmmm, better not use that word, but you know what I mean.
I think it is unethical the way that this company treats the qualified (not that they ever were ethical to begin with). I think that the three O's need to get together and take a stand on this.
How about doing some advertising about why it is important to see an "O" when getting contact lenses?
The problem is that we find that most requests are not from people that we have ever fit with CL. We have a couple of requests where the last exam was 6-7 years ago. Most are people that have had exams in the last 2-3 years and have been getting their cl online since. I don't have a problem if they have had a recent exam and fitting, I'll fill out the form and educate them on the importance of routine exams. But, don't call me down the road and ask for trial lenses.
Whenever this happens I fax them a copy of this letter.....
To Whom It May Concern:
Over the past several weeks we have been receiving from 1-800 CONTACTS automated telephone calls requesting contact lens prescription confirmations for patients of this office.
Due to a lack of time and resources in a very busy optometric practice, this office is not able to process prescription confirmations via automated telephone response systems; also, this office has notified 1-800 CONTACTS of this particular situation more than a few times over the past two years. Furthermore, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Contact Lens Rule, effective August 2, 2004, General Issues Section 26 states the following:
26. What does direct communication mean between a seller and a prescriber? Direct communication means a completed communication by telephone, facsimile, or electronic mail. If by telephone, it means reaching and speaking with the intended person, or leaving a voice message on the answering machine of the intended recipient. If by facsimile or electronic mail, it means that the intended recipient actually receive the message sent. However, the FTC has expressly stated that a facsimile confirmation is usually sufficient proof that the facsimile transmission was received, and confirmation that an e-mail was sent is usually sufficient proof that the e-mail was received. Consequently, sellers will begin counting the eight (8) business hours from the time they obtain these facsimile or e-mail confirmations.
As this office has expressed to 1-800 CONTACTS in the past, the best means of reaching this office for the release of patient information is via facsimile machine or via mail; our fax number is (512) 327-7879, and our mailing address is 3010 Bee Cave Road, Austin, Texas 78746. In addition, 1-800 CONTACTS may reach this office via electronic mail; our e-mail address is XXXXXX We will respond to faxed, mailed or e-mailed requests for information within eight (8) business hours of receipt.
As you are aware, we cannot release or approve an expired prescription. We must contact the patient to inform them they are due for a comprehensive eye examination.
Your cooperation with regard to this letter is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Jana Lewis
ABOC , NCLE
A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool.
Joseph Roux
Thanks,
I'll try it. Does it work?
Yup..... it seems to work!
Jana Lewis
ABOC , NCLE
A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool.
Joseph Roux
You should also file a complaint to the FTC about how they are disrupting your business with the automated phone system and that they are not complying with the spirit of the law. It is easy to do. Go to FTC.gov and click on File a complaint. They won't investigate a specific complaint but if they get enough complaints they may initiate some changes.
:cheers: Life is too short to drink cheap beer.
Stopper,
I did that yesterday. The web site does not (I couldn't find) a general complaint form. So I called them, I got a young lady that was not aware of any FTC issues concerning cl or FCLCA. I left the complaint anyway.
IIII,
on the ftc home page, under the title banner is a thin blue box and you can select "File a Complaint". I did it last week and got a written response this week.Let me know if you still can't find it.
:cheers: Life is too short to drink cheap beer.
Jana,
Good letter! With your permission I'd like to paste it to my letterhead and let 1-800 get another copy. The FTC complaint is also a good step, as is a complaint to the state licensing board (for those states that have one).
Like many of you, I don't mind replying to a fax, or even a phone call that is not so intrusive (state the purpose of the call and allow us to respond as soon as we REASONABLY can).
Keep up the good fight!
Rich
Rich-
By all means paste the letter! I do it EVERYTIME I get an automated message. It stops for a while, then ofcourse, it starts back up. I guess they forget..... or something! :hammer:
Jana Lewis
ABOC , NCLE
A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool.
Joseph Roux
The 10/25/04 edition of the AOA news had a pretty good article about this.
Can someone post the lists of online mail order faxes so we can fax this letter to all of them!!!!!
Today we got another automated phone call from 1.800 contacts. We listened to the whole message and got the control number to look the patient up on their web site.:hammer:
we responded on the 1-800 web site. Guess what? Their web site will not allow you to submit an expired rx on their web site, so I had to fax.
- The exam was over 2 years old
- The fit was 19 months old
I sent a complaint to the FTC.
I to have seen a shift in 1-800 contqacts requests -
We have been recieving faxes - that are actually hand written requests from them - and it is funny that they even have a name space for the person requesting the info to fill in - not that you can ever get in touch with that person -
We have been using a stamp - that i picked up at OFFICE depo - that just states "RX EXPIRED - DO NOT FILL AFTER ----- "" and we fill in the date - and it works well -
I have seen request after request for the same expired rx - day after day - after looking more closley at them - i found that they all had differant request #'s from 1-800 - and after contacting them - and asked them why they continue to send request to us - even after we state exam needed - they informed me - that once we send back the verification - the pt is notified - and that if pts go back to their site - to and make another request - another auth. number is generated -
when i questioned them about this practice - they said it was out of their hands - when i pushed the subject further - and flat out asked -- " it seems that reguardless of how many times - you request rx info - even if we did our part and repsonded to 2 or 3 of the request - if a 3rd or 4rth is generated - with differant trackng numbers - and we do not catch it - will these be filled - and they informed me that yes - if we do not repsond to each and every seperate auth. number - and we miss one - they will fill the orders -
she also informed me that i should be sure i am taking the correct fax number down since they do checnge from location to location - and if we do not send it to the correct number - the rx may be filled -
I do have a question for everyone - Do u adjust the number of boxes ordered - and have you found that this is followed - ?
I keep very good documentation of the requests - and when i see a request for either 2-3 or 4 boxes for each eye - and say they are only entitled to #1 each ( 3 mnth supply ) to get them thru the expiration date - it is a 50-50 shot that 1-800 adjusts the request to the correct number - prior to them filling it -
I have had push back from pts stating that the rx is valid today - and they should be able to order as many as they would like - however - when i explain how many the rx was org for and what they are trying to accomplish - they inform me that 1-800 told them that if they are seeing a prescriber that does this - they might want to consider going to an office that does not do this practice of adjusting qnty ordered -
i even called as a pt and was told the same thing - i could not beleive it
I HAVE LOOKED ALMOST EVERYWHERE I CAN - DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I MIGHT FIND THIS POLICY on adjusting quanity ordered? I looked on the FTC site and elswhere - and could not locate any info - i would love it SO I CAN REFERANCE IT TO PTS ?
THANKS FOR THE HELP
I think 1800 is rediculous. As others stated (in 2004) we just don't have time to drop everything and listen to a five minute long message.
Here's my problem: If a patient walks into your office (not your patient) and wants to buy a box of CLs you have in stock, whose responsibility is it to be sure their Rx if valid? YOURS. I will not dispense contacts w/o a copy of the Rx on file.
How does 1800 get away with selling CLs when they have never seen a prescription??? Why is this not illegal?
This is a conspircy. By the definition of their "default", if you do not tell them RX is no good, it is assume "valid". And they can "leagelly" sell c/l when there is a "valid" RX. The harder for you to contest the validility of the RX the more "valid" RX they will have. And hence, more c/l sold, and more profit.
Sooner or later, there will be a class action against them. Just wait and see.
You'll be better off start a new thread for this issue.
I once see a "store policy" tell us only sell "reasonable quantity" disposible c/l based on RX erpiration date. For example, pt came in with a RX expiring next day. I won't sell them 1 year supply of c/l. However, many of my co-worker either don't know or simply ignore the policy.
When doctor limit the # of refill, it is more followed. But still not a 100%, not at least for contact lens.
You can go to your local drug store ask them what law/regulation says on RX and get your answer faster. I believe rules are the same on all RX (c/l or drugs).
Paul @ Silicon Valley California
Leave them on hold until they hang up. Then they usually fax the request.
?? How would the computer know you had it on hold? It would just keep talking, you'd miss the information, and they'd fill it.
Jonathan Coon, CEO, 1-800 CONTACTS, Inc.
Found this on a FTC webpage http://www.ftc.gov/opp/ecommerce/ant...tm#October%208
Paul @ Silicon Valley California
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