Drowning in contact lens bills. What does your office do?

[fjpod]

Stop charging just enough to break even.

[tx11]

Charge what you think you need to net per box UP FRONT BEFORE ORDERING. IF the pt thinks you are too expensive ...give them their Rx and say thank you.

[opty4062]

We are tired of the poor ROI for contact lenses. We are thinking about starting a policy where we will either order an annual supply for them (obviously, preferred), or we will order just enough to satisfy their insurance benefits. As the patients leave the office we will give them a flyer that will tell them how to order from our website for any future purchases, and all the benefits that will entail.

Yes, we will lose sales. And we are prepared to just be ok with that. It's paying those $5,000+ bills that are just killing us every month. We've tried having the patients pay before ordering, and that just made them upset. I'm sure this new policy will as well. But it's so much less hassle for us, which allows us to concentrate on patient care.

What different things are you doing in your office to help combat the negligible ROI for contact lenses?

(We are a private practice/single location.)

Back to the OP here. Our office is trying to institute a similar policy, but going a bit further. We STRONGLY encourage (with discounts) a year supply purchase shipped directly to the patient. The goal being saving the time/trouble/money checking in, calling people, storing boxes until they tear one of their last pair, etc. We stock spheres in two brands as well. (one office, 30 years in business) Sometimes it is hard to change the way people are used to doing things. I understand.

[uncut]

Your business is there to be profitable.......the Coolstool method was to capture market, at great losses, and make enough flash and noise to be swallowed by a big "fish"....suckering accomplished. The prices charged were never sustainable. This should not be your aspiration, as it is only a race to the bottom.

OP, obviously your prices are presumed to be too low, or your profit expectations are too high. Charge the amount that satisfies the justification of your existence as a professional.....or cease providing the medical device and leave the dispensing to those that are willing to do the job. There is noting worse in medical industry than a unhappy, reluctant provider of medical devices.

[globaljp]

While we don't make much on contacts its easy to order and even at 1800 prices there is some money there. You may want to try some different vendors like Nassau. We collect at least half up front before we order anything.