President’s Message: Tomorrow is Today
Whether 35 or 70, regardless of your age or how long you’ve been in practice, the time is now to begin thinking and planning for your exit. Why? Simply stated, sooner or later you will leave your practice. It’s inevitable! It may happen tomorrow, the result of catastrophe. Or it may be more than 20 years away and simply a dim light in the distance. Regardless, successful transition takes many years of preparation. And for one very important reason, it’s not something that should be left until retirement is just around the corner.
Meeting Experience Combines Power of Banzai Consortium & Cleinman Performance Network
Blending the best in medical optometry education and the power of wisdom sharing, the Banzai Consortium joined Cleinman Performance Network in Dallas for a unique weekend experience. While the Banzai National Meeting and the Network meeting operated separately as independent groups, all participants shared a weekend full of education, entertainment and exhibits.
Lessons from John Steinbeck
While here, I’ve had the pleasure of reading John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. This amazingly well-written and ambitious novel (Pulitzer Prize – 1940) is about the Joad family, who suffers the loss of their Oklahoma farm to the depression and dust bowl, and flees to California to seek their destiny. The story follows the […]
Optometry Ousted from Eyeware Business?
As you read this release, consider if there are implications for private practice optometrists? While perhaps a stretch, is this a precursor to the elimination of the ability for optometrists to sell eyeware? What impact might this have on Vision Plans, who both secure exams and sell eyeware direct to consumer? How about impact […]
An Open Letter to the Members of the Vision Council (VCA)
To my fellow members: Unfortunately, I cannot attend this year’s VCA Executive Summit due to a conflict. I provide this letter directed at the leadership of VCA member companies and ask for your consideration of its content. If you do not know me or of me, please allow me to introduce myself and my firm. […]
A Credo for Private Practice?
I describe myself as a serial entrepreneur, having established over 25 companies and company divisions and scores of products. I’ve succeeded and I’ve failed. Along the way, I’ve relied upon inspiration from many sources and am truly grateful for all of the assistance that I’ve received from so many wonderful people. One of my favorite […]
Why is HVHC (Highmark) Ejecting Viva?
MILAN, Italy and SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Marcolin SpA and its affiliates backed by leading European private equity firm PAI Partners together with HVHC Inc., the holding company for Visionworks of America, Inc., Davis Vision, Inc. and Viva Optique, Inc. (Viva International), today announced the signing of a Stock Purchase Agreement under which Marcolin agrees to […]
You’re an EyeMed Provider Because???
I read a report of a recent meeting between representatives of a group of Texas providers and EyeMed. The following is in regards to the recent bill passed by the Texas legislature that prohibits vision plans from enforcing discounts on non-covered services (Texas SB 632). “EyeMed’s new contract will honor the option of doctors to […]
Congratulations Maryland!!!
Maryland House Bill 1160 passed into law on May 16th. Similar to that of the Texas bill noted in my last post, the Maryland bill “prohibits a carrier from including in a vision plan contract a provision that requires a vision plan provider to …provide discounts on materials that are not covered benefits.” In my opinion, this […]
Lessons from the Road
Over the past sixty days, I’ve had the opportunity to drive over 4000 miles in Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the U.S. I’m writing this message from near Berlin, having just spent the past few days navigating Germany’s famous Autobahn. The Autobahn is famous because it generally has no speed limits. Cars are known to […]