Archive for 2007

Eye Health and Diabetes

Posted on November 28th, 2007 by Rob L.

November is American Diabetes Month. Do you know that our eye doctors are sometimes the first person to see the symptoms of diabetes? One out of three people that have diabetes don’t even know it. Just because they’re unaware, doesn’t mean the disease isn’t causing problems for them.

Diabetes can damage the eyes and lead to blindness. Studies have even shown that diabetic eye disease can occur as early as the pre-diabetes stage. As with many eye conditions, there are no warning signs to let a person know they need to get their eyes checked. Regular eye exams can prevent blindness caused by diabetes 90% of the time.

When our doctors see symptoms of diabetes, they refer their patient to the primary care physician for follow-up care. This can make the difference between a person managing their condition or not. When you consider that people see their eye doctor more often than they have an annual check-up, our doctors play an important role in a person’s overall health.

Think about how important your eye sight and your health are to you. It makes sense that an annual eye exam should be a priority for everyone. As we continue to make progress with how we treat and manage this disease, we all have to work together. At VSP, we are committed to making a difference. VSP is not just a vision insurance company. We are an eye health company. Eye health is an important part of healthcare and particularly important for people that have diabetes.

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Becoming a Global Eyecare Leader

Posted on November 6th, 2007 by Rob L.

For more than 50 years, we’ve supported private practice and delivered the best eyecare benefits nationwide. But like many industries, eyecare is changing—and becoming more global. Because we’re committed to private practice, we’re taking steps now to become a global leader in eyecare delivery.

How? By making investments that expand our business. We’re always looking for ways to develop stronger relationships with others that work with private practitioners.

Just recently, to enhance our contract lab network we invested in Perfect Optics®, an optical laboratory located near San Diego, CA. This helps us strengthen our relationship with Carl Zeiss Vision, a current Perfect Optics partner and one of the top lens manufacturers in the world.

We also recently expanded our lab business in the Southwest by acquiring Legends 4.0TM in Lewisville, TX. Legends 4.0 is VSP’s third wholly-owned lab, making us more competitive. And because Legends 4.0 is now part of our National Contract Lab Network, it gives VSP doctors another option when selecting a lab. It also gives us the potential to grow and expand.

I’m excited about these investments and how they’ll help us continue supporting private practice. What do you think about the changing eyecare industry?

File under: Mergers & Acquisitions | Tagged: , , ,
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VSP Responds to the Recent Fires in Southern California

Posted on October 26th, 2007 by Rob L.

We want to do everything we can to help those affected by the recent fires in Southern California. That’s why we’re deploying our disaster relief plan. We’re working directly with our network of eye doctors and business partners to assess the situation and meet the eyecare needs of all those directly affected by the fires.

Here’s what we’re doing:

  • Any VSP member who loses or breaks eyewear, needs contact lens replacements or an eye exam due to the fires, can get them replaced at a minimal cost. Please call 800.877.7195 for more information.  Non-VSP members can request a VSP eyecare voucher from the American Red Cross.
  • We’ve shipped needed eyecare supplies, such as eyeglass repair kits, contact lens solution, artificial tears, lens cleaning cloths and other cleaning material directly to the evacuated areas. Backpacks, duffel bags and blankets are also on their way and we’ll distribute them to various emergency shelters throughout Southern California over the next several days.
  • We’ve activated our emergency response team and are working closely with the American Red Cross to determine needed supplies and services.
  • Our mobile response team is also on its way to Southern California to determine the eyecare needs of our eye doctors, clients and members, as well as of the local community and emergency services personnel.
  • We’re providing eyecare educational materials to all evacuation centers. These materials focus on eye injury and irritation prevention tips.
  • To ensure that those most in need continue to have access to eyecare during this crisis, we’re continuing to work closely with our over 2,000 doctors in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas, as well as the California Optometric Association.

We are committed to providing access to care for all Americans. During this time of great need, we will be there to help.

Related Links
It’s smoky out there. Protect your eyes.
American Red Cross

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Fresh Look at TV Advertising

Posted on October 8th, 2007 by Rob L.

For the first time ever, we’re adding a TV commercial to our media mix. TV brings our message to life in sight and sound. And as many of you know, TV is a great way to reach people—a lot of people—in a pretty short time. So what better way to help folks get to know who we are and what we do.

Our message is simple: imagine if someone had to explain to you every detail of your husband and son fishing together for the first time because you could not see it for yourself? Well, our new ads and messaging clearly bring home the point that: “Word’s can’t describe what your eyes bring to life.”

We’re plugging in to markets like Charlotte , NC ; Seattle , Wash. ; St. Louis , Mo ; and our home markets of Sacramento, Calif. and Columbus , Ohio .

But really, if just one person gets the message of how important eyesight is and decides to enroll for VSP Vision coverage then our campaign was a success. So I’m excited about the possibilities. And I think this might be our best advertising campaign yet.

What do you think?

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Turning Tragedy into Inspiration

Posted on August 30th, 2007 by Rob L.

VSP Vision Care is on a roll—literally. After months of planning, our first mobile eyecare clinic has hit the road ! Today our clinic debuted at our home base in Sacramento ! After so much time and planning it was amazing to see the clinic up close and personal. For me, the experience brought back a lot of memories.

Almost two years ago we were in the Gulf Coast to help after Hurricane Katrina , where we first saw the need for a mobile response unit. We set up temporary clinics to re-employ 24 of our doctors who had lost their offices, and helped almost 10,000 people affected by the storm. The devastation was intense, but our doctors and patients were so amazing. Everything we saw, and the people we met inspired us to want to create something good from the tragedy.

I think the Mobile Eyes clinic represents who VSP is as a company; it is the tangible face of all our efforts, to help people in need and to promote eye health. So, the next time a disaster hits, we’ll be there, even sooner and better equipped. And when we’re not helping natural disaster victims, we’ll be touring the nation, working with our doctors to educate about the importance of eyecare and providing care to those in need.

See a slideshow of our clinic and let us know what you think!

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Get Focused on LCA with Derrek Lee

Posted on August 10th, 2007 by Rob L.

Part of our mission is to increase Americans’ access to care and awareness about the importance of eye exams. VSP has teamed up with Chicago Cubs star Derrek Lee and Boston Celtics CEO/co-owner Wyc Grousbeck to put a call out to all eye doctors in the country – to find every person in the country affected by Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). The project is in association with vision researchers at the University of Iowa.

They call their effort “Project 3000” because a central part of their plan is to find every man, woman and child affected with LCA in the United States — an estimated 3000 people. LCA is a rare inherited eye disease that appears at birth or in the first few months of life, typically characterized by severe vision loss or blindness. Read article.

If you know of individuals affected by LCA, or their families, please direct them to the Carver Lab, Project 3000 website or call 866-495-CURE where they can sign up to learn more about Project 3000, and/or enroll in the Project 3000 Registry.

Lets all do our part to help in this effort.

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Shopping around for the best eyecare?

Posted on July 16th, 2007 by Rob L.

I would like to comment on the article “Going to the Mall for an Eye Checkup” in the Wall Street Journal on July 12th. The author Suzanne Barlyn, compared her experiences with a variety of optometrists (O.D.’s) who work for retail chains. While she did a great job highlighting the benefits of seeing an O.D., she didn’t include a visit to a private practice O.D. I think it’s important to remember that most private practice O.D.’s offer the same conveniences as retail, extended hours etc. but with the added benefit of personalized long term care.

Unlike O.D.’s who work for chains, private practice O.D.’s have autonomy regarding their patient load. The freedom to set their own schedule means they can give each patient as much time as they need, not as much time as the retail chain’s quotas dictate. Plus, because private-practice doctors are small business owners they move around less. This stability allows them to form long term relationships with their patients and have a deeper knowledge of their eyecare history. Also, many private practices are located in “retail” settings, similar to those compared in the article.

Quality eyecare is imperative for overall health and we feel that the optometrists who are best equipped to provide that care are private practice optometrists. But more important than my opinions are the opinions of consumers, the Jobson 2006 Adult Consumer Eye Exam Experience Research showed that consumers are more satisfied with their eyecare experience if they visit a private practice O.D. rather than a retail chain. Patients who visit a private practice O.D. are also more likely to return to the same doctor for their next exam. Customer Satisfaction with our exclusively private practice doctor network is also one of the reasons that VSP has been ranked " Highest in Member Satisfaction Among National Vision Plans, Three Years in a Row " by J.D. Power and Associates .

I’m interested in your opinion. What do you think about the retail vs. private practice comparison?

File under: Private Practice Doctors | Tagged: , , , ,
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It's not just a new logo …

Posted on June 21st, 2007 by Rob L.

Coca-Cola. Starbucks. BMW. Just reading those words conjures up emotions: refreshment from an ice cold soft drink, tranquility from the aroma of fresh coffee beans, stimulation of hugging a curve in a high-performance automobile. And if you’ve been to vsp.com recently you couldn’t help but notice the “brand” new VSP. We provide vision care for life, and it’s just not a new logo or tagline but a new brand that defines us. You’ll see that we look and talk differently, but we continue to provide the highest quality in eyecare and customer satisfaction – we are experienced, energetic, approachable, adventurous and of course, health conscious. We provide personalized eyecare helping people see well and stay healthy, maximizing their individual potential.

I have had an opportunity to show and discuss our new logo and brand with a number of our doctors, and clients over the past week and the early feedback is very positive. Some of the comments I have gotten include “it’s fresh”, “uplifting”, “inviting” and “positive”. I have also been asked for the meaning of the circles associated with our new logo. While we have a reason for them, I would be interested in hearing what you think they represent.

Bottom line, it’s who we are. It’s what we stand for. It’s everything we do. So take a look at the new VSP, we’re eager for your feedback …

Rob

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Message is Clear – Get Annual Eye Exams

Posted on May 15th, 2007 by Rob L.

Every so often a story makes the news that hits home and causes us to pay attention. If you’re a basketball fan like me, you probably heard about the struggle Utah Jazz Guard Derek Fisher’s young 10-month-old daughter faces with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer, in her left eye. The disease causes a tumor in the retina and affects between 200 and 300 children in the U.S. each year, typically age 5 and under.

Thankfully, the tumor was detected early through a comprehensive eye exam. Even so, once diagnosed, the NBA star and his family had 30 minutes to make a difficult choice — remove the eye and try to get all the cancer, or treat it with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy, and hope that she can keep her eye. They chose the latter, and she is recovering from a successful treatment. In the next few weeks, doctors will repeat the procedure or attempt to remove the tumor.

Immediately following the initial procedure, Fisher made a dramatic entrance to the second half of Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals and gave a stellar performance. After winning the game he had a clear and heart-felt message for the media and his fans. Fisher pleaded with all parents to make sure their kids receive a comprehensive eye exam every year. He said if they had waited any longer, his daughter could have lost her left eye, or much worse her life.

For each story like this in the media, there are hundreds, if not thousands out of the public eye. I hope you are all paying attention and spreading the word about the importance of annual eye exams.

–Rob

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Giving the Gift of Healthy Eyes to Children

Posted on May 9th, 2007 by Rob L.

Cochran_lg.jpeg
Patricia Cochran
Vice President of Finance &
Chief Financial Officer

As VSP’s vice president of Finance and chief financial officer, I oversee VSP’s charitable donations to the community. A key focus of these efforts is expanding access to eyecare for underprivileged children through VSP’s Sight for Students program.

When considering the important factors in a child’s development, things like a sound education and a positive self-image immediately spring to mind. Healthy vision plays a significant role in both of these aspects, for if a student cannot clearly see the blackboard or struggles to read the words in their books, their classroom performance and self-confidence are sure to suffer.

According to a 2007 VSP survey, 65 percent of children nationwide have not had an eye exam in the last 12 months. When low-income families must chose between living expenses and eyecare, these numbers increase further, resulting in tens of thousands of children each year who do not receive the eyecare that they require.

In response to this national need, VSP Vision Care launched the Sight for Students program in 1997 to provide uninsured and low-income students with free comprehensive eye exams and eyeglasses. Today, the program continues to thrive, and through VSP’s annual investment of $12 million, more than 50,000 children receive vital eyecare each year at no cost. I am pleased to announce that as of May 2007, VSP’s national network of eye doctors has served more than 400,000 disadvantaged children through the Sight for Students program.

As a not-for-profit, community benefit company, VSP can make these investments in our community to increase access to care. This is absolutely unique among vision care plans and ranks VSP among the leaders in all of healthcare.

Studies show that poor grades and behavior problems can be attributed to vision impairment. The eye exams provided through Sight for Students help diagnose vision problems and provide children with the vision correction that they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond. When eye exams unlock a struggling student’s potential, they open doors to better learning and new opportunities.

Coupled with our commitment to Sight for Students, VSP supports legislation to increase federal funding for children’s eye exams as a means to improve learning for all children. Expanding eye exams to all children would have a tremendous impact on the health and progress of America ’s young students.

Testimonials from the Sight for Students program show time and time again how a comprehensive eye exam can be a life-changing event for a child. Making a difference in other people’s lives is a core value at VSP, and we will continue to support efforts that help ensure that every child has the opportunity to rise to the head of the class. I look forward to your thoughts on Sight for Students and the importance of eye exams for all children.

─ Patricia

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