BUSINESS OF EYECARE

  o.d. alliances/buying groups

Optometric Alliances and Buying Groups

A look at the offerings of selected leading organizations

The list of benefits offered by today’s optometric alliances (also referred to as purchasing alliances, optometric networks and buying groups) include product discounts and rebates. In addition, today’s alliances provide the independent optometrist with a growing list of services that may include practice management, consulting, business analysis, benchmarking, IT assistance, networking with other O.D.s, marketing resources, education, training and talent development, among others.

With such a diverse group of offerings, the choice to join an alliance — and exactly which alliance to join — can be challenging. To help bring focus to the decision-making process, Optometric Management has polled some of the leading alliances, asking them questions about membership size, services offered, fee structure and additional features. We hope their answers, which begin on the following pages, serve as a starting point for your research. OM

ADO Buying Group

“Be profitable. Be organized. Be ONE.”

The Alliance

“Your growth is our vision. Your success is our mission.”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

The Alliance currently has 2,350 members, whom represents 2,050 practices.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

Our goal is to partner with our members to increase their efficiency, profitability and long-term success of their practice. We accomplish this by offering the following to our members:

► Profit-Enhancing Advantage Program, which provides aggressive product rebates and a broad scope of practice support services.

► Annual product flow analysis conducted by Alliance market business coaches. This analysis points out missed opportunities for increased profitability.

► CE reimbursement for doctors and staff.

► Social media platforms and support, including website building, mobile device apps and related maintenance and monitoring.

► Marketing services, including print production and in-office business promotion.

► Partnership with leading industry education consultants in which members receive significant price reductions.

For more information, visit The Alliance online at www.thealliancebg.com.

► Benchmarking and in-depth analysis through “The Edge” practice enhancement software.

► Regional education meetings focused on key topics that have an impact on the industry and member practices.

► Periodic webinars providing practice management training, staff education and business growth opportunities.

► Discounted pricing on medical and surgical supplies.

► Consolidated billing from more than 250 suppliers providing low net-product costs to our members.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

Alliance membership is open to all practices; there is no size requirement. Also, we do not charge any administration or membership fees.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

Members are required to sign an open-ended contract, which they can terminate at any time. Our members commit to pay for products and services purchased in an agreed upon time frame.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

At The Alliance, practice growth is our vision, and continued practice success is our mission. We succeed in these guiding principles by working closely with each of our members. Our growth since our founding in 1996 exemplifies this strong commitment.

C&E Vision

“We help members save time”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

Membership is currently comprised of more than 4,000 member practices representing approximately 5,000 doctors.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

Ensuring that members save money on their purchases has always been at the core of C&E’s service offering. By consolidating and billing its member purchases, C&E is able to offer unique benefits to its members, such as the following:

► Bolstering the cash flow of its members by deferring the billings of one or more vendor payments or their entire monthly statement for up to 60 days.

► Extending the payment terms on vendor stock orders.

► Periodic greater discounts than that offered by the vendors on selected promotions.

► Allowing members to deduct vendor credit memos that have been issued before they are applied to the monthly statement.

C&E helps members save time. Recognizing that each practitioner’s time is precious, by consolidating the billing of its member purchases and through related ancillary services, C&E enables its members to save time in a number of ways:

► Single pay. Single monthly payment for all vendor purchases.

► myCloud. C&E members have 24/7 access to all documents related to their purchases, including statements, vendor invoices, credit memos and member purchase reports. Purchase information is saved and made available for up to six years.

► BeyeRight. This is a service providing a pictorial listing of the top-selling frames among C&E member practices.

C&E Vision offers it members many educational opportunities, including its online program, ECPinteract.

► IEP Benchmark Analysis. This provides a template for comparing the key metrics of your practice to industry standards.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

Membership in C&E is free. No annual fixed fee contracts are required. Members pay only a nominal administration fee of 5% that is offset by a monthly cash rebate of up to 5% based on purchases. In addition, C&E can customize memberships based on purchasing habits to maximize practice savings.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

C&E requires no annual fixed-fee contracts.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

C&E offers ECPinteract Engagements, a new model of interactive education. Through a small group setting, Engagements are designed to create or offer an idea, shape that idea through questions, discussion and experience and then apply that idea to members’ practices. This ensures that good ideas come to your practice, are implemented into your practice and stay there.

The Engagement consists of three parts:

► Expert presentation

► Group discussion: peer-to-peer sharing of ideas

► Application: trying the idea in your office.

For more information about ECPinteract Engagements, visit www.ecpinteract.com.

FYidoctors

“We are owned and controlled by optometrists”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

FYidoctors has more than 110 locations, with 280 O.D.s and more than 1,200 staff.

In addition, Vision Source Canada (our franchise model) has more than 100 locations with 160+ O.D.s.

Q: Please list the services and/or tools that you provide.

FYidoctors provides the following to its members:

► In-house legal counsel to manage leases, contracts, etc.

► Marketing and graphic design.

► A dedicated team focused on patient experience and implementing best practices in all areas of the office.

► Accounting.

► Operations to manage supply chain and equipment purchases.

► Renovations and design.

► A fully automated free-form lab with AR coating and edging facilities.

► More than 12 frame lines for which we have exclusive Canadian distribution rights.

► Semi-finished and finished lenses, contact lenses, frames, accessories, etc.

► Insurance platform through VisionMarc joint venture.

► Canadian exclusivity for optical with the Aeroplan loyalty card.

► Online B2C site for patients to buy glasses and contact lenses.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

FYidoctors requires no membership fee. We are one private company, and the O.D.s who join FYi become shareholders in FYidoctors.

For more information about FYidoctors membership, visit www.fyidoctors.com.

A small franchise fee is paid to Vision Source Canada in exchange for all of the management benefits, training and supply chain, as well as others.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

Doctors become shareholders in the company when they join FYidoctors and work as independent contractors making their own decisions in practice.

Vision Source Canada doctors become members through a simplified franchise agreement, and the term is variable.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

► We are the largest eyecare provider in Canada, with our combined FYidoctors and Vision Source Canada locations’ sales.

► We provide a fully integrated model — FYidoctors — as well as a buying group/franchise model with Vision Source Canada.

► We are a licensed manufacturer of Zeiss-branded lenses through our lab, Eyence, in Burnaby, B.C.

► We carry the distribution of frame lines, such as Converse, Quiksilver, Roxy and John Varvatos, to name a few.

► We are owned and controlled by optometrists.

► We offer a management team based on a resource approach. They are there to help members deal with all the challenges they now face, and help them grow with everything we can provide.

► We provide a strong published strategy for current and future threats to the profession.

IDOC

“Ensuring the long term success of independent optometry”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

We have more than 1,950 member optometrists and more than 1,350 practice locations in 48 states, representing double digit percentage increases in 2014.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

► Discounts and rebates. IDOC offers extensive price discounts and significant rebates from more than 60 vendor programs for the products and services members use every day. These include contact lenses, labs, frames, equipment, software solutions (EHR), data management, web/social media, credit card processing, staff education and office supplies.

► Practice growth. IDOC education is focused on helping members grow their practices’ top-line sales, thus, topics are mainly related to the business of running a successful practice. We believe this focus is unique to IDOC. Though we do offer COPE-approved CE, there are many opportunities for O.D.s to satisfy CE requirements. As such, IDOC focuses on business learning in all our conferences and meetings. In addition, members interact with vendors who exhibit at conferences.

► Online offerings. IDOC Online University provides comprehensive online education to IDOC members. The topics include business planning, marketing, human resources and clinical care. The library of information contains short videos to use for training and also has an extensive repository of documents that can be downloaded and used in the practice setting.

► Business consulting. Business consulting from industry experts, including Mark Wright, O.D., Jay Binkowitz and Mark Hinton, at discounted rates.

The IDOC annual conference.

► Healthcare reform efforts. IDOC has engaged leading healthcare reform experts and, along with the focused involvement of CEO Mark Feder and president Dave Brown, is actively in discussions with many entities negotiating on behalf of members for the new patient and program access opportunities resulting from ACOs and marketplace changes.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

Membership dues are $129/month, plus $10 for each additional location, and members can leave at any time. The ROI of joining IDOC is strong, with many members paying for a year of membership with their very first rebate check.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

There is no contract required. IDOC encourages and supports independent O.D.s to retain their independence.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

► Meetings. IDOC hosts more than 40 study group/meetings per quarter, which are hosted by IDOC member director O.D.s and sponsored by IDOC Vendor Partners. Participants discuss key industry issues and share their challenges and successes.

► Staff. IDOC has 15 internal staff located at our headquarters and 10 consultants and freelance support working on behalf of our members and vendor partners.

► Member feedback. We recently instituted a Net Promoter Score program to measure member satisfaction with IDOC with excellent results. The responses help us to guide and prioritize improvements and determine additional programs to implement.

Infinity Vision Alliance

“Our members enjoy the buying power of a million-plus office”

The Infinity Vision Alliance website, www.infinityalliance.com, provides detailed information on the benefits of membership, including a full list of vendors.

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

Infinity Vision Alliance has 340 members inside 310 locations.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

Infinity Vision Alliance is focused on making the independent practitioner more profitable. We offer a range of benefits and services to our members, including:

► Lowered cost of goods on contact lenses, ophthalmic lenses, frames, merchant services, payroll services and equipment, as well as optical supplies.

► A network for practice owners to share business knowledge.

► Our members receive 100% of their discount, regardless of the size of their orders.

► We do not charge members an administrative fee to process the order or a percentage of their gross business.

► Free practice management education to all members, as well as their staff.

► We have an online networking community, which provides a platform to communicate on topics, including medical coding, human resource issues and back-ordered products.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

IVA has a small annual fee of $500 per year.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

IVA has a contract with no penalty or risk if you decide to discontinue membership. We provide a full refund of pro-rata share.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

► Members of IVA enjoy direct billing using their same account numbers when joining.

► We create a cost analysis that compares a potential member’s current pricing to new IVA member pricing.

► In January 2014, IVA created a strategic partnership with PERC (1,000 multi-million dollar offices in 40 states). Sharing resources and infrastructure in southern California, our combined network offers value to all size practices.

OD Excellence

“Helping O.D.s maximize efficiency and profitability”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

We have 809 members in five categories. Many practices are single locations. We have 435 members with multiple locations.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

► Free one-on-one coaching. This is done by experts in their respective areas of the industry on any practice management or operational issues.

► Office Management Certification program. This is for staff members to master the skills to excel as an office manager.

► Vendor Alliance Program. This affords best pricing from leading vendors.

► Staff training. Customized staff training program for all optometric practice positions.

► Getting Connected, A Health Care Reform Project. This program helps members understand the importance of the language of healthcare reform, as well as the significance of communication with other healthcare professionals. It features articles, monthly webinars and one-on-one coaching.

The Health Care Reform program teaches members how to make the appropriate changes in their practices so they can be part of the vision component with ACOs and Patient Centered Medical Homes.

► Message Board. An online interactive message board answers members’ questions on any practice-related issues.

► Billing/coding help. Certified billing and coding experts answer member questions on any subject, including ICD-10 CM.

Visit www.odexcellence.com for more information.

► Education. COPE-approved education on relevant clinical and practice management topics. All education is archived.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

Monthly membership runs from $329/month for one location to a maximum of $399/month for locations of 11 or more. Membership dues are paid for by several of our vendors.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

OD Excellence has no contract. Membership is monthly. We do not charge a percent of our members’ practices, and there is no penalty for discontinuing membership.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

We are currently securing contracts with Coordinated Care and contractual care medical entities that will ensure our members are not left out of healthcare reform opportunities. Also, we are moving to a large, integrated practice-based networking culture.

All members can ask questions, engage with experts and participate in conversations relevant to their needs and challenges. We will offer ways and ideas to change their outlook and life.

PECAA

“Created to promote and protect independent eye care”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

PECAA currently has members in 43 states.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

► PECAA partners with select vendors to create exclusive programs to increase practice proficiency and profitability.

► The IncentivEYES Member Rebate Program consolidates each participating vendor’s rebate into one quarterly check.

► SuccessTRACK Production Tracking Software instantly measures and tracks all aspects of practice performance, highlights growth opportunities, identifies unresolved billing issues, forecasts future trends and anonymously compares your benchmarks among peers.

► The Member Business Analysis (MBA) Program provides personal, in-office financial consultation.

► All-new practice branding and design services, including promotional materials, such as signage, posters and flyers. We also offer affordable printing and delivery services for your materials.

► Practice website design, development, hosting and maintenance, including HIPAA-compliant online forms.

► Facebook, Twitter and Google+ page management.

► Online education.

► PECAA annual events, which include professional speakers, vendor exhibits and empowering business-focused education.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

PECAA’s membership fees are $149/month for the first year with a $600 one-time travel rebate allowing new members to experience one of our national member events. Monthly fees are $199/month after the first year.

Visit www.pecaa.com for more information.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

PECAA does not require a membership contract. All members are on a month-to-month agreement, maintaining total flexibility in their decision making.

We are fully committed to providing business solutions that are equal to or greater than the cost of our monthly membership. If not, the next month is on us — guaranteed.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

► PECAA founders still see patients on a regular basis, so they know and understand what is happening in the industry and use that information to make decisions that will benefit PECAA’s members.

► PECAA owns and operates all of its programs in-house, never contracting with third party providers.

► We believe that joining a doctor alliance group is about so much more than just getting the best pricing. Our goal is to continually strive to bring our members new and innovative programs designed to help in every area of their business.

PECAA recently launched a new Student Membership Program, open to current optometry students who want to get a head start on preparing for their future as independent eyecare professionals. The program currently includes business and clinical webinars, newsletters, as well as networking opportunities.

PERC

“Member engagement drives value for all”

For more information, visit the PERC website, www.percalliance.com.

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

Professional Eyecare Resource Co-Operative (PERC) limits its services to large, million and multi-million dollar practices. We are represented in 40 states with more than 1,000 locations representing roughly 1,800 independent eyecare professionals.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

PERC is dedicated to bringing value and efficiencies to independent ECPs. Member benefits include the following:

► Purchasing channels. Narrow purchasing channels increase value to the doctor and vendor.

► PERC Advantage B2B Platform. This platform delivers name brand frames at discounted prices through a central distribution model.

► Education. PERC sponsors four education events per year.

► Networking. Regional dinners with round table discussions.

► Online member support. Private member website with an accompanying blog for community involvement.

► Rebates. Members receive yearly and quarterly cash rebates.

► Profit distribution. Year’s end profit distribution.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

PERC is a co-operative-based model in which member engagement drives value for all. Members receive year-end distributions and work together to achieve value for the group as a whole. PERC is free to join and free to leave, and members are not subject to monthly or annual fees.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

PERC has a legal contract for membership. However, our members are able to exit at any time without penalty.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

PERC has aligned with several healthcare entities, working with various ACOs, health plans and hospital systems to connect its members to new ways of delivering eye care. One of those entities is VERGE Alliance (www.vergealliance.com).

PERC will continue to build forward-thinking business models designed to keep the large independent eyecare practice profitable, relevant and ready for the challenges of the new marketplace. From business management tools to help with smart inventory management to online platforms, PERC invests in its members’ future.

In January 2014, PERC entered into a strategic partnership with Infinity Vision Alliance (see page 37 for more information about IVA). This partnership allows PERC to enjoy the synergies and cost effectiveness of running two distinct organizations. It also increases its purchasing volume to secure some of the best prices in the industry.

Prima Eye Group

“Practice management solutions for optometrists”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

As of August 2014, Prima Eye Group has 330 member practices, which includes 456 locations and 790 O.D.s.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

► Meetings and study groups. Study groups are a highlight of Prima’s twice-annual practice-building meetings. They are a powerful tool for both networking and learning from like-minded, successful O.D.s.

► Practice management consulting. Prima president Dr. Neil Gailmard coaches members on strategies and tactics he used to build one of the highest-grossing single-location practices in the country.

► Financial consulting. Dr. Jerry Hayes and Nathan Hayes provide extensive support in the way of detailed overhead and profitability analysis. Prima’s 3-Year Growth Plan and Prima Metrics 2.0 (benchmarking) are designed to increase practice net and improve cash flow.

► Practice transitions. Key transitions services for members include estimates of practice value, buy/sell negotiation support, start-up support, as well as transition and retirement planning.

► Staff management consulting. Lauren Styron, M.B.A., gives member practices the help they need to hire and manage a top-notch staff. Prima members receive a variety of useful tools, including job descriptions, policies and manuals, as well as employment testing.

Neil Gailmard, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O, president of Prima Eye Group, discusses the company’s mission at www.primaeyegroup.com.

► Marketing consulting. Marketing support helps members approach marketing as a process, not a one-time event. Lauren Landrum works with members to plan and strategize their marketing programs.

► Vendor discounts. Members receive significant volume discounts and rebates from Alcon, Vistakon, Essilor and others to increase profits and offset dues.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

Membership is $395/month. This fee includes all doctors and all locations in the practice.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

Although Prima asks that new members make a good-faith effort to join for at least one year, a contract is not required. Membership is satisfaction guaranteed.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

At Prima, there is no cookie-cutter approach to helping O.D.s take the next step to practice growth. Members receive a tailored ev-aluation and support. Our consultants work to provide a plan of action.

Primary Eyecare Network

“Choice, value and the education to make good business decisions”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

Primary Eyecare Network (PEN) serves more than 2,500 doctors in 1,400 practice locations throughout the United States.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

► Vendor rebate programs.

► Vendor and PEN products and services discount.

► Consolidated vendor invoicing and billing.

► Annual bonus program. Practices can receive up to 1% of their annual purchases back.

► Practice management resources. Business services, hiring and staffing solutions and partners with expertise in areas such as compliance, coding, medical billing and audit protection.

► Doctor education. A wide variety of seminars and educational programs, including Partners In Optometry and the Annual Billing, Coding & Compliance Events with Dr. John A. McGreal.

► Staff education. Covering all aspects of the office from customer service to technical skills (many with ABO credits). Of note, the CPE (Center for Paraoptometric Education) is a three-day intensive program for new staff.

► Webinars. Monthly staff “lunch & learn” and practice management webinars.

► Optometric office forms.

► Medicare billing guidebook and tools.

► Regional small group meetings. Colleagues network and share best practices.

► Dedicated staff. Individualized solutions and support.

► Key account liaison services.

Visit www.primaryeye.net to learn more.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

There are no membership fees and no annual dues. A small administrative fee for purchases from our vendors is added to cover the costs of consolidating bills, negotiating discounts and rebates, and to cover a small portion of education costs.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

There is no contract and no sign-up fee. Members must be independent optometrists, and practices are required to maintain an average monthly minimum purchase in order to remain in good standing.

Q: Can you describe any other features of your group?

► PEN is known for a high level of education for doctors and staff.

► PEN provides excellent customer service and offers consolidated billing, exclusive rebate programs and access to expert partners in legal, finance and marketing, among others.

► Independent optometrists like to be just that — independent — but they also like to compare notes with peers and have a larger voice when needed. PEN allows them to do just that, and to customize the services offered to fit their practice profile.

► PEN delivers choice, value and the education necessary for optometrists to make good business decisions.

Vision Source

“More profits, more patients, more time”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

Vision Source currently has 2,900 locations branded with the Vision Source logo representing 3,500+ members in our network.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

Our goal is to partner with our members to increase the efficiency, profitability and long-term success of their practices and enriching lives by enabling independent optometrists to reach their full potential. We accomplish this through the following:

► Member-only rebates. Vision Source members benefit from member-only rebates, ICD-10 training, in-office growth programs and locally contracted ACO patient sourcing and managed care/ACO preparedness kits. The team at the Vision Source Member Support Center, located in Kingwood, Texas, provides practice management consultation, marketing toolkits and additional resources to help the practices grow under the Vision Source brand.

► Patient care. Vision Source member optometrists provide a wide spectrum of eye health services. In addition to the distribution of retail optical products, Vision Source provides an integrated, collaborative care model with primary care physicians, treatment of eye injuries, allergies and early detection of diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Vision Source’s 2,900 locations are spread throughout the United States

► Talent development. Vision Source is committed to all staff members who work in each doctor’s practice and, as such, has created the Vision Source Representative (VSR) Program.

In addition, the VSR group, other practice staff and their doctors have taken more than 44,000 education courses through the more than 100 online programs Vision Source offers as a part of its ongoing education.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

Vision Source members pay a revenue-based monthly royalty.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

In accordance with franchise laws, Vision Source is a franchisor, and its members are franchisees who own their respective practices.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

► The business model. The Vision Source model allows independent O.D.s to grow, enjoy low costs and share best practices to increase profitability.

► Annual conference. Each year, Vision Source hosts a member meeting called “The Exchange,” where optometrists and vision industry partners gather to learn about the company’s vision and new products, network and take advantage of continuing education classes.

Vision Trends

“Our buying group is raising the standard of eye care”

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

As of June 2014, there are nearly 300 member/practices utilizing Vision Trends’ products and services.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

Vision Trends is owned by practicing O.D.s, so it is uniquely qualified to offer its members valuable services and tools designed to improve profit and administrative simplicity. Examples include the following:

► Lab and lenses. Preferred pricing for quality lenses and lab services from major fabricators and large lens manufacturers, including unique promotions, rewards programs and rebates, as well as competitive prices for proprietary lens designs.

► Frames. Negotiated pricing on diverse frame brands and private-label house designs from companies within the luxury and designer ophthalmic frame categories. Programs include fashion frame vendors that specialize in high-quality and value, with negotiated discounts on accessories and sunwear.

► Contact lenses. Members receive negotiated rebates from large contact lenses distributors. Contact lens manufacturers offer growth incentive programs and national account pricing for independent-only contact lens products.

► Business support. Members receive exclusive business support programs and consulting to ensure the back office adds profitability and runs effectively.

► Third party payers. Vision benefit companies offer our members special pricing and discounts for lab services, as well as enhanced negotiated reimbursements on exams and materials.

► Professional development. We offer educational programs, business training and an annual conference about market trends and industry innovations with experts and peers.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

It’s simple. Members pay a one-time membership fee of $500 per clinic and 1% of gross-collected sales each month.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

Members sign a five-year independent licensing agreement. If members are not satisfied with the program, they can terminate the agreement at no cost at any time during the first 24 months.

Learn more about the benefits of Vision Trends at www.visiontrendsusa.com.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

With Vision Trends, members enjoy the freedom and choice to run their practice how they want:

► We offer vendor choice, and members decide what works best for their practice.

► Vision Trends members remain true independent practices.

► There are no required co-op marketing fees.

► We subsidize travel and meeting costs.

► Members receive the total discount given and 100% of the vendor rebates earned.

Vision West

“Member engagement drives value for all”

For more on the benefits of membership, visit Vision West online (www.vweye.com).

Q: How many members and practices currently utilize your services?

Currently, Vision West has approximately 3,000 active members/practices.

Q: What services/tools do you provide members?

Vision West offers its members a variety of services and tools, including the following:

► Purchasing power. Members receive special discounts and terms from more than 250 optical-related vendors.

► Consolidated billing. Members receive one statement each month with all purchases included.

► Online payment options and flexible payment plans available.

► Vendor invoices are accessible online.

► Live customer service support.

► No fee early credit service to assist with vendor billing issues.

► Sales reports for the month, year-to-date and prior years available online.

► Top sellers data for the most purchased frames by vendor available online.

► Education. Online courses are available, and peer-to-peer roundtable dinners and seminars (for both doctor and staff) are hosted regionally. ECPinteract provides virtual, online peer-to-peer learning groups built around specific subject matter experts.

► Social media guides and resources available online.

Q: What is your membership fee structure?

There is no cost to join and no minimum monthly billing requirement. In terms of the buying side, Vision West passes on the full discounts negotiated from its vendors to its members.

We charge a nominal admin fee, as low as 1.5%, on the monthly purchases billed through Vision West. Special rebates/incentives are available to members with select vendors.

Education costs vary. Online education can be as low at $5 per course. Our peer-to-peer roundtable dinners are no cost to members, and our educational seminars are generally exclusive to Vision West members with special pricing.

Q: If a contract is required, what is the term of your contract?

Vision West does not require a contract. Members can close their account at any time.

Q: Can you please describe any other features of your group?

By offering a true buying group service, Vision West has the ability to share sales reports and buying patterns with its members, saving time and providing tools to reduce cost of goods. We offer a large selection of vendor offerings and resources available to help with every aspect of running a successful practice.