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?
What do I think about retail vs. private practice?I ponder this question more regarding the eyewear than the exam. The exam pricing in the WSJ article seemed to be a fairly tight range, relative to the differences one could expect between private practice and retail when purchasing the frames and lenses.A private practice price of $300+ for basic rimless frames almost indistinguishable (I’m not even talking designers like Polo here) from those that can be purchased online or at Walmart or Costco for $125 seems excessive. Added charges for drilling the lenses, which is not extra at Walmart or Costco, adds to my impression that the exam is akin to a loss leader intended capture the customer for an eyewear sales pitch. For someone needing simple single vision lenses, I don’t see the benefit to a private practitioner with a limited selection of frames that seem overpriced, versus online or discount retailers’ typically larger selections and MUCH lower prices (LensCrafters and such nondiscount retailers excepted, as prices are just as high).I have experienced (more than once) the purposeful inattention and even hostility that comes from a private practitioner in trying to fill a lens prescription in a frame I purchased elsewhere. I’ve read somewhere that optometrists are the only medical practitioners that profit from the treatments they’re prescribing. While there are probably exceptions to that blanket statement, it certainly gives one pause in light of my experiences above, regarding the potential conflict of interest (particularly on price competition). And if I recall correctly, the retail examiners are typically independent of the eyewear (optician?) portion of the retail location. My medical doctor is more than happy to educate me in the ways of the marketplace so that I can find a more cost-effective source for drugs she has prescribed, or even to refer me directly to multiple sources she is aware of for me to compare. There’s nothing in it for her except service to the patient.I don’t want to make this post sound like a rant, but it seems ironic to me that the professional exam, with it’s exquisite importance, and backed by the years of training, seems to be discounted, in favor of high profit margins in the fashion aspect of eyewear. Speaking of irony, it’s the private practitioner where I have experienced the well-dressed, silver-tongued salespeople disparaged in the July 27 comments by Matt H., while the discount retailers tend toward the casually dressed, low-pressure staffers.OK. Soapbox dismounted.What am I missing? Can you point us to a WSJ-like review for the eyewear end of the transaction?
I believe that in modern day United States (U.S.) Society, most consumers who are not aware of the care that can be obtained at a private practice doctor, have a naive belief that the retail chains have more to offer. Larger IS Better is the message that’s being portrayed thoughout most of today’s world markets in the U.S.; the bigger the home, the more successful the owner, the better the car they drive, the bigger pay check they take home. It is teetering on more than a phrase, but possibly becoming a reality, in the U.S..Here’s an analogy that may be applicable:The Roseville Automall hosts serveral different types of cars of all makers, new and used. Armed with nice slacks, a tie, and a silver-tounge, sales associates are is willing to persude you into anything (you think) you need in automotive necessities with a firm hand shake and a smile.Hayes Autos, a used car dealership located in Roseville, offers used cars at fair prices. Casually dressed salesmen can be found here and there; who allow you to browse the lot as you wish. Their cars are clean and presentable, but not really anything special when compared to the brand new Chrysler 300C Hemi STR-8 you had previously seen at the Roseville Automall. It is understood that cars are a separate business all together, and VSP providers do not sell used glasses: but it is the same view that unknown and some uneducated consumers have on the private practices. Because our doctors don’t have a 4-5 acre lot to conjure up the metro-ultimate sales floor, complete with golden pillar displays and snazzy dressed sales associates–because the private practice is smaller, they are viewed upon as the "used car salesmen" of the eyewear industry.