ASC Management
IOL Reordering: It's Automatic
New barcode technology can free your staff from tedious tasks.

BY JERRY HELZNER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

To an administrator of an ophthalmic ASC, nothing is more tedious and time-consuming than replenishing IOL inventory and recording serial numbers and patient information for lenses implanted each day.

But thanks to Suppleye.com's new and proprietary v.ALL scanning technology, an increasing number of ASCs have automated their IOL reordering tasks. V.ALL is capable of reading the barcode of any manufacturer's IOLs and relaying the information to lens suppliers via Suppleye.com's Internet-based system. In doing so, it eliminates the manual compiling of information, the faxes and phone calls that made up the IOL "bill and replace" process.

Additionally, v.ALL technology automatically handles such tasks as tracking implanted IOLs (necessary in case of a product recall) and completely managing an ASC's IOL inventory.

In this article, we'll explore the efficiencies the v.ALL system is bringing to surgery centers' IOL management.

It's important to note that v.ALL is a natural extension of Suppleye.com's services that have enabled ASCs to order IOLs, viscoelastics, instruments and medical/surgical disposables from a broad list of suppliers for the past 2 years.

TURNING HOURS INTO MINUTES

But it's what Suppleye.com calls its "v.ALL solution" that's excited ASC administrators.

"I used to spend a lot of time on the phone reordering IOLs, and especially dreaded those 30-minute phone calls to straighten out a manufacturer's billing error," says Lisa Everson, R.N., ASC administrator at the Clarus Laser & Surgery Centre in Olympia, Wash.

"Now, I can just scan the barcode on the box of any IOL that we've used, and both the billing and the reorder are taken care of automatically, with no mistakes. Suppleye.com will be offering a wireless scanner soon. Then, I'll be able to do the scanning right in the OR."

Everson says v.ALL has already eliminated about 2 hours a week she used to spend on the phone with IOL manufacturers. She expects v.ALL's IOL tracking and inventory management features will save her several more hours per week.

Cheryl Crouse, R.N., clinical administrator for the Outpatient Eye Surgery Center in Metairie, La., is also enthusiastic about v.ALL

"We use about 50 IOLs a week," says Crouse. "Before v.ALL, I was transcribing data and faxing reorders to three different IOL manufacturers, which took me about 2 hours a week. Now, it's all handled through the scanner and the computer. I'm the only full-time R.N. at a very busy center, so anything that gives me more time is wonderful."

Both Everson and Crouse note that Suppleye.com provides free of charge the computer and scanner needed to implement v.ALL. (ASCs will have to pay if they want a wireless, handheld scanner.) The administrators also praise Suppleye.com for its on-site v.ALL training and continuing support.

CHARGES ARE MINIMAL

Suppleye.com doesn't charge ASCs when they order IOLs from a manufacturer that's in the company's network.

"We charge an ASC 2% of the purchase price for any IOL they order from a manufacturer that isn't in the network," notes John Meek, president and founder of Suppleye.com.

"Our goal is to get more manufacturers into the network because they also benefit tremendously from the efficiencies that v.ALL creates. Being in the network enables them to cut costs across several departments, including call centers, accounting, data entry and even production."

GROWTH IS THE GOAL

Thus far, about 120 ophthalmic ASCs representing approximately 15% of all ASC IOL purchases have implemented v.ALL, according to Meek. His goal is to have 25% of these purchases go through v.ALL by October.

"We're getting the big, high-volume ASCs to sign up," says Meek. "But we've only scratched the surface of v.ALL's total potential."