o.d. to o.d.

Optometry is Rooted in the Business of Vision

Navigating managed care, 3D vision needs, how to dispense high-definition eyewear and more are provided in this issue.

BY SCOT MORRIS, O.D., F.A.A.O. Chief Optometric Editor

As Optometry’s Meeting approaches, OM turns its focus (pardon the bad pun) to vision. In fact, the whole magazine is about vision. It is our roots. Vision is what we do every day. So, let me ask you to fill in the following blank: The most common disease I see is__________.

The most common disease we see is ametropia. That’s right. The ICD-9 we, as eyecare professionals, see is a visual disorder. It is the disease state on which our profession is based.

However, the visioncare side of what we do has many different facets these days. There is managed care, 3D vision, high-definition (HD) eyewear, HD contact lens technology and retail merchandising strategies. So this month, we are going to do our best to cover it all and get you, our readers, to think about what we do every day and hopefully how to do it better.

Managed vision care

As a provider/practice owner, I struggle with managed vision care just like you. Which plans should I take? If I do take one, how do I position my services, fees and retail pricing strategies to be both competitive and profitable? And perhaps even more importantly, when do I decide to drop a managed care plan? After all, it is my job to manage the visioncare plans, not have them manage my business.

This month, our three main features spotlight a subject that most eyecare magazines seem to shy away from: managed care. To start, Jay Petersma, O.D., discusses patient perception when you fire plans.

Next, John Rumpakis, O.D., M.B.A., talks how to hire a managed care plan. (That’s right. You don’t have to participate. It is each provider’s choice to participate in a plan. There is no law that says you have to take managed vision care. It’s a business choice.)

In addition, Contributing Editor Karen Appold interviews managed care experts on how to get the most, in terms of profit, out of the plans in which you do participate.

Business intelligence

Columnist April Jasper, O.D., explores how to better utilize business intelligence to judge your performance with various managed care plans. Fellow columnist Leah Colby, O.D., talks about how to “market” managed vision care within your practice.

3D vision is here to stay

Jim Chabin, the president of the International 3D society, has written an article on the impact 3D technology is having and will have on both society and the eyecare profession as a whole. Specifically, he discusses why now, more than ever, binocular vision must be a focus for each and every optometrist.

HD eyewear and more

Dr. Petersma provides a script in this month’s “Scriptopedia” on dispensing HD eyewear.

David Mills, O.D., M.B.A., talks ratios and benchmarks to determine your ideal staff number.

Finally, guest columnist John Mc-Greal, O.D., discusses the NEW audit rules you MUST KNOW about the 92 codes.

In summary, eye care is centered around vision. OM