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Thread: How do I build our patient base?

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by AustinEyewear View Post
    To all you managed care guru's out there: What do you think are some commonly overlooked areas that ECP can incorporate to make themselves more efficient and profitable?
    I varies by insurance company... and wether your practice is low or high end, there a different strategies each way. For example, you can actually do very well with some Eyemed. You don't have to give a frame discount for many high end lines, so you can keep an extra 20%. If you see a lot of VSP Exam Plus, you can do well to send those to a non-IDC lab because a contracted lab has to charge you full retail price, you lose your usual lab discount. With non-IDC labs you can negotiate your own prices.
    Also, VSP Signature and Signature Choice are very different plans. If you see a lot of Signature Choice the way the used to calculate the Patient Out of Pocket was based on your Bi-focal price. If you lowered your bifocal price you could get more for progressives.

  2. #27
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    Did you see Eyemed 2012 clarification on certain frame lines? I forget the details now.

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by AustinEyewear View Post
    Did you see Eyemed 2012 clarification on certain frame lines? I forget the details now.
    No, I didn't. Can you update the board? Thanks

  4. #29
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    Yep refferal cards work like a charm. We do a $25 store credit to the current patient and then give the new patien $25 off their purchase. We do allow them to combine that with insurance, but it cannot be used twords doctor services....materials only. Check out VistaPrint.com they have some snazzy styles and are CHEAP! But not cheap looking....I did my wedding invites with them as well. Just be careful with the free magazine offer.....I have Maxim delivered to our office....opps thank god my doctor is cool :) and I am the manager. It must confuse the poor postman...or titilate him. We are an office of all girls, but good to know if they ever offer me anything more racey.
    A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.
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  5. #30
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    With VSP/Insurance profits...we are billing for every penny we can and upped all our fee's. And get rid of Altair....you make NO profit from their frames. We were able to negotiate an extra $10 bucks per patient for our eye exams. We did have to drop a few frame lines and go with ones that are low priced but high WA's. Been selling new globes, capri and eye-on frames like crazy. We are 99% insurance and had a customer demand for covered frames. I know I keep grumbling, but the ecomomy sucks...3 years ago I was selling $300-600 frames. Now I think the highest we have in our office is $250, and it has been sitting.
    A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.
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  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pvtcjhalo View Post
    ...Just be careful with the free magazine offer.....I have Maxim delivered to our office....opps thank god my doctor is cool :) and I am the manager. It must confuse the poor postman...or titilate him. We are an office of all girls, but good to know if they ever offer me anything more racey.
    Funny!

  7. #32
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    We realized that people from South of the Border were the fastest growing demographic in our county, so the boss hired a bilingual lady to pass out fliers and get them in our store. We don't take ANY insurance, so it's working out great. She's helping us make a list of Spanish phrases to help when communication gets really difficult. Pictures are a great marketing tool in this and any other situation- for AR, do you show them a blurry photo of halos around streetlights and cars, and the same photo crystal clear and ask "do you want to see like THIS or like THIS when you're on the road?" We also use the lens blank that only has AR in the middle and ask them to put their finger through it. That one takes a lot of maintenance, but rarely fails to sell the AR.

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by sharpstick777 View Post
    Its a very good idea, but there can be some remote chance of HIPAA issues with referal cards if they are not done very carefully. I would consult with an attorney before you go this route so it can be safely structured. It can be done, and it can be successful, but it requires some planning.
    The only concern regarding HIPAA would occur if private health information we in public view on the card. A name would not be an issue.

  9. #34
    OptiBoard Professional shannon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by regional_manager View Post
    Take every insurance known to man. Your business and profits will increase dramatically.
    Oooh...except Avesis, unless you like coming out in the negative 75% of the time... :) But otherwise, yup...good idea!


    A man went to an eye specialist to get his eyes tested and asked, "Doctor, will I be able to read after wearing glasses?"
    "Yes, of course," said the doctor, "why not!"
    "Oh! How nice it would be," said the patient with joy, "I have been illiterate for so long."


  10. #35
    OptiBoard Professional shannon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SeaU2020 View Post
    Having staff personally calling pts who haven't been in within 2 years. It's amazing what a friendly reminder can do! And when they make appts. be sure to ask if anyone else in the household would like to join them. Increased business tremendously!
    We have just begun doing this ourselves (along with the regular recall cards that we send out) and we offer a limited time buy one get one free for the patient and any family members. It is still early in the game, but we are seeing some positive feedback and have been booking some appointments. Just need to make sure it doesn't sound like a debt collector or telemarketing call when you first start the conversation, otherwise you may be listening to a dial tone before you get your second sentence out....lol.


    A man went to an eye specialist to get his eyes tested and asked, "Doctor, will I be able to read after wearing glasses?"
    "Yes, of course," said the doctor, "why not!"
    "Oh! How nice it would be," said the patient with joy, "I have been illiterate for so long."


  11. #36
    OptiBoard Professional shannon's Avatar
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    We've done well with Groupons and additional exposure with electronic Billboards in prominent locations. Also, if you are a medicare and medicaid provider...heading out to the retirement homes and making a day of sitting with them, cleaning and adjusting their frames and bringing selections of frames to show. We will transport if necessary or have our doc go to them if they are bedridden.


    A man went to an eye specialist to get his eyes tested and asked, "Doctor, will I be able to read after wearing glasses?"
    "Yes, of course," said the doctor, "why not!"
    "Oh! How nice it would be," said the patient with joy, "I have been illiterate for so long."


  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uilleann View Post
    Show every patient what managed care really does.
    Hey! That's exactly what we do! Maybe not on every plan, but on many...

    Rather than belittle them and tell them what a loser vision plan they have, we get excited for them and tell them, "Hey! You're lucky! What a great plan! You know...this is just like a $200 gift card, so let's go on a shopping spree!"

    It might sound corny, but many do get excited, have fun, and end up spending many hundreds of dollars more than some of our regular customers do. Remember, if they have insurance, they have a job. Job=income.

    Works for me!
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  13. #38
    OptiBoard Professional shannon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johns View Post
    Hey! That's exactly what we do! Maybe not on every plan, but on many...

    Rather than belittle them and tell them what a loser vision plan they have, we get excited for them and tell them, "Hey! You're lucky! What a great plan! You know...this is just like a $200 gift card, so let's go on a shopping spree!"

    It might sound corny, but many do get excited, have fun, and end up spending many hundreds of dollars more than some of our regular customers do. Remember, if they have insurance, they have a job. Job=income.

    Works for me!
    That's a very good way to approach it, I think I will try this!


    A man went to an eye specialist to get his eyes tested and asked, "Doctor, will I be able to read after wearing glasses?"
    "Yes, of course," said the doctor, "why not!"
    "Oh! How nice it would be," said the patient with joy, "I have been illiterate for so long."


  14. #39
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    Any entity that inserts itself between me and a patient is an obstruction.

    -J Salk

  15. #40
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    Ooops. The above was meant to be a response to the question of Managed Vision Care...

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