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Thread: *sigh* sometimes it's hard to feel charitable

  1. #1
    Barticus Prime - Optibot opticianbart's Avatar
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    Redhot Jumper *sigh* sometimes it's hard to feel charitable

    so I made a pair of glasses for someone and of course they couldn't see properly, so I puttered around checking everything I could think of and finally decided maybe they needed a different RX. Or at least to be examined for something going on in their eyes. A couple days later I get a very upset call from the Pt. telling me that their Dr. had checked the glasses and I had made them wrong! I had done a minus when I should have done a +. And I figured..well I guess it's possible, so I pulled out the file and.. lo and behold..the DR had writen it wrong.

    What really irks me is that we deal with several docs in the area who, when they do something along those lines are really really nice about it-I've had one or two even personally call and appologise about it. I kinda want to tell the pt to try and collect the cost of new lenses...from the Dr. simply because he still won't admit that he wrote it wrong. And guess what, even after SHOWING the pt that original RX where the Dr wrote it wrong, she still doesn't believe us...

    *sigh*
    Vacation in a week..vacation in a week...gotta remember I go on vacation in a week....
    Bart Smith, continuing to be awesome since 1982 so that you don't have to.

    Love is a duet, each voice complementing each other and making them sound better than they would alone, each voice at times stepping back and letting the other shine. We've got a pretty good duet going Tina.

    On April 28th, I'll be marrying my best friend. I can't wait!

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    Fax the original copy to the prescribers office and ask for verification.

  3. #3
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    DID YOU CHECK THE CLIENT"S OLD EYEWEAR RX *BEFORE* Making the new one, so you knew what was being changed?

    No?

    Yes?

    You got it!

    B

  4. #4
    OptiWizard Mr. Finney's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Judy Canty View Post
    Fax the original copy to the prescribers office and ask for verification.
    GREAT advice!

  5. #5
    One of the worst people here
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    Impossible

    Doctors cannot make mistakes

  6. #6
    One eye sees, the other feels OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    DID YOU CHECK THE CLIENT"S OLD EYEWEAR RX *BEFORE* Making the new one, so you knew what was being changed?

    No?

    Yes?

    You got it!

    B
    I hate surprises. Almost every Rx nowadays gets the fine-tooth comb treatment.
    Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman

    Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.



  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Martellaro View Post
    I hate surprises. Almost every Rx nowadays gets the fine-tooth comb treatment.
    Back in the late sixties we always recorded the customers existing Rx on the eyeglass record. It's prudent not just to catch potential refractionist errors but to have a complete picture of the upcoming eyeglass fitting. If both the optician and the customer have a full picture of the new Rx it eliminates a lot of surprises on both sides of the dispensing table.

    I believe that this is a mandatory procedure for a journeyman optician to follow.

  8. #8
    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbaker View Post

    I believe that this is a mandatory procedure for a journeyman optician to follow.
    If it's not, it should be.

  9. #9
    Optician Extraordinaire
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Martellaro View Post
    I hate surprises. Almost every Rx nowadays gets the fine-tooth comb treatment.
    Yes, I always like to look at their current eyeglasses. Unfortunately I often have patients that don't bring their eyeglasses because they are wearing their contact lenses.

    I have tried so hard to get the receptionist to ask all our patients to bring their eyeglasses but it seems to be a losing battle.

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder
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    from the Dr. simply because he still won't admit that he wrote it wrong. And guess what, even after SHOWING the pt that original RX where the Dr wrote it wrong, she still doesn't believe us...
    People, People!! Let's not spin this to make the victim,(Bart), look like the bad guy here. Yes indeed, he may have missed, skipped, or ignored a step in the process, but the fact remains, the Doc wrote the Rx WRONG, told the patient the glasses were made WRONG, and won't admit it. In a perfect world, none of us would ever make a mistake, but let's all get off that horse once in a while and admit we also make mistakes.

    I would fax the origional over to them, and then call for a credit card number to pay for the replacement lenses. Patient still doen't believe you, so you have lost nothing.

  11. #11
    Doh! braheem24's Avatar
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    An argument with a Doctor or patient is a no win situation. Educate the patient into becoming thier own advocate.

    a plus magnifies, a minus minifies: congratulations mrs. patient you're an honorary optician.

  12. #12
    registeredoptician Refractingoptician.com's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    People, People!! Let's not spin this to make the victim,(Bart), look like the bad guy here. Yes indeed, he may have missed, skipped, or ignored a step in the process, but the fact remains, the Doc wrote the Rx WRONG, told the patient the glasses were made WRONG, and won't admit it. In a perfect world, none of us would ever make a mistake, but let's all get off that horse once in a while and admit we also make mistakes.

    I would fax the origional over to them, and then call for a credit card number to pay for the replacement lenses. Patient still doen't believe you, so you have lost nothing.

    Send the Doctor a photocopy and a bill . In 30 days send him another . Get him into collections and he will smarten up .

  13. #13
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    For me, my mantra is traditional:

    I live in a "glass" house.

    I won't throw any stones. drk said it best: we need to work together

    B

  14. #14
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    I didn't say send the prescriber a bill, just a fax of the original rx and a request for verification.

    There's a difference between getting along and rolling over. The optician has the right to defend his/her reputation for accuracy. Unfortunately, the patients perception of "white coat perfection" is not always accurate.

  15. #15
    One eye sees, the other feels OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbaker View Post
    Back in the late sixties we always recorded the customers existing Rx on the eyeglass record. It's prudent not just to catch potential refractionist errors but to have a complete picture of the upcoming eyeglass fitting. If both the optician and the customer have a full picture of the new Rx it eliminates a lot of surprises on both sides of the dispensing table.

    I believe that this is a mandatory procedure for a journeyman optician to follow.
    Yes, a full picture. No stones unturned. Nicely put, rbaker.

    Quote Originally Posted by Happylady View Post
    I have tried so hard to get the receptionist to ask all our patients to bring their eyeglasses but it seems to be a losing battle.
    I tell them to bring all of their glasses (if it's their first time with me) including spares, suns, comp, etc. I also tell them to measure to the monitor or music stand, if applicable. Consider introducing your receptionist to the whipping post.

    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    People, People!! Let's not spin this to make the victim,(Bart), look like the bad guy here.
    Right. The OP's between a rock and a hard place, the unreasonable and the unprincipled. However, some discussion of how to prevent this from happening in the future seems prudent.
    Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman

    Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.



  16. #16
    OptiWizard Mr. Finney's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    People, People!! Let's not spin this to make the victim,(Bart), look like the bad guy here. Yes indeed, he may have missed, skipped, or ignored a step in the process, but the fact remains, the Doc wrote the Rx WRONG, told the patient the glasses were made WRONG, and won't admit it. In a perfect world, none of us would ever make a mistake, but let's all get off that horse once in a while and admit we also make mistakes.

    I would fax the origional over to them, and then call for a credit card number to pay for the replacement lenses. Patient still doen't believe you, so you have lost nothing.
    Thank you obx. Would a shift from +0.25 to -0.50 be unthinkable? Of course not, I see it all the time. Would the patient have a big acuity problem with that, if they needed a +0.50 instead of a -0.50? You bet they would! But it's a simple error that any of us could make. It's an easier error to understand than the first one the doctor made. Now, the doctor's second error is the one we should be focusing on here. After all, Bart was man enough to admit his error, why can't the doctor be?

  17. #17
    Eyes eastward... Uilleann's Avatar
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    Sadly it is impossible to eliminate mistakes - doubly so from an outside office or doctor. Given what you had to work with Bart, it sounds like you did the best you could in that circumstance. Most labs will offer a Dr Rx remake if you call them in a given time frame. Might be worth a shot.

    Does the pt. happen to have a minus Rx for dist. and a plus for comp/near? That can easily lead to the mistake you saw. Now if the pt. was a +12 at dist.....well then.....:shiner:;)

    Hope there's a happy ending here if at all possible! :cheers::cheers:

  18. #18
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    FWIW:

    I NEVER even begin the process of eyewear selection BEFORE I ask and see the client's old eyewear.

    If they've lost them, or no longer have them, or they're really too old a pair..

    I simply prepare myself for the possible eventually that their will be unavoidable remakes.

    Just had two of these last week.

    BTW, nothing, NOTHING builds trust and confidence more in a client than patience on my part in efforts to help them look & see their best

    Time rewarded.

    B

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    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    not the end of the world unless this person is the only doc in town.

    I guess you will have to either bite your tongue or send a copy of the Rx to the doc with a kind word or a nasty note. If he was an MD, the screw up came from the tech and the doc may be unaware. Stick by your guns. Ask for a written note always stating the error because you work with a third party verification (your lab) prior to doing a remake at no charge. Put the patient on your side by requesting this (You may lose the patient but hey its their doctor)The patient should take the prescription to the doctor and keep yourself out of it indirectly.

    Next time take your royal time in the sale and neutralize the old pair and/or trial frame the Rx. I don't want to upset you but I think is better to write it off and move on on this episode.
    CNG

  20. #20
    OptiWizard
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    My experience has been that those nasty accusations usually come from the doctors technicians who often screwed up.

    Had a lot of problems with a local ophthalmologists office where the techs do the refractions and get very defensive when patients come back.

    I always copy the original Rx, and have had a few times where I've taken it out and showed the irate patient that the new copy is different from the old.

    Harry

  21. #21
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter rdcoach5's Avatar
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    You obviously are not that busy

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    FWIW:

    I NEVER even begin the process of eyewear selection BEFORE I ask and see the client's old eyewear.

    If they've lost them, or no longer have them, or they're really too old a pair..

    I simply prepare myself for the possible eventually that their will be unavoidable remakes.

    Just had two of these last week.

    BTW, nothing, NOTHING builds trust and confidence more in a client than patience on my part in efforts to help them look & see their best

    Time rewarded.

    B


    Yes I always did that when I had time as an an independent optician. Now I don't always, but always make the time to check previous Rx's. If they have a concern about the new Rx, it's a given that I show them the difference in either a trial frame or trial lenses over their present glasses. Our doctors have recommended that we do this.A lot of remakes are prevented by this method.

  22. #22
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by harry888 View Post
    M
    Had a lot of problems with a local ophthalmologists office where the techs do the refractions and get very defensive when patients come back.
    Ya know, I *used* to *hate* the Rxs I got from the local Dr's techs.

    Now... I luv them!

    Can't wait for those techy-Rxs to get filled online.

    Thank you, G**, for your unintended blessings!

    Barry

  23. #23
    Barticus Prime - Optibot opticianbart's Avatar
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    Thanks for all your thoughts and such. :) I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have this board to grump on. :P

    Checking old glasses and rx info is important. We're constantly double checking our Docs here because -
    A)most of them are doing their residency, and while mistakes do happen we're always trying to head them off.
    B)we're in a hospital...and we get...strange Rx's on a semi-regular basis
    C)did I mention that man of our Docs are residents? (even if I do love the lot of them)

    Didn't work this time - the pt was new to us and had lost their old glasses.

    I will say as to some people suggesting that it was a tech that claimed we made it wrong, it never occured to me that it might not have actually be the Dr. that told them that. Should have thought of it though, we get people who think I'M a Dr.
    Bart Smith, continuing to be awesome since 1982 so that you don't have to.

    Love is a duet, each voice complementing each other and making them sound better than they would alone, each voice at times stepping back and letting the other shine. We've got a pretty good duet going Tina.

    On April 28th, I'll be marrying my best friend. I can't wait!

  24. #24
    Master OptiBoarder sandeepgoodbole's Avatar
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    Too Errrrr...

    To Err is Human Right .. To Forgive is Divine Right. To Err on Err.. is Human Wrong. To Punish the innoscent is Devil Right. To tolerate Devil is Slave Right. To understand, communicate and explain is OPTICIAN RIGHT ! Cheers !
    Last edited by sandeepgoodbole; 12-16-2009 at 09:55 AM.

  25. #25
    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by opticianbart View Post
    Thanks for all your thoughts and such.
    You have Arkansas spelled wrong on your signature line.

    :cheers:

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