As the optical industry evolves, and as more people turn online for their needs, the demand for effective software has never been greater. Optrafair was the place to see some of the latest developments in the field, with new technologies that can facilitate holistic management, improve communication and ensure regulatory compliance all on display.
Cosium
Beginning UK operations in October 2017, Cosium aims to emulate its success in France, where it has sold 800 of its flagship Digi-Hub products. ‘We call it dispensing 2.0. Everything you need in just one unit,’ says Alessandro Messeri, Cosium’s UK operations manager.
Dispensing 2.0, or the Digi-Hub, is Cosium’s ‘innovative sales support tool’ that is designed to offer practices a simpler way to dispense their products. Messeri says Cosium has a ‘philosophy of asking what practices need and designing products in line with that’.
Features of the Digi-Hub include a virtual try-on function, a digital mirror, document scanner, card readers, RFID dispensing abilities, 3D HD fitting measurements, contactless authentication, barcode scanner, e-signatures and item tracking. It is delivered in tablet form using Microsoft technology.
Also catching delegates’ attention was Cosium’s range of software packages. Starting at £195 per month (per site), Cosium Optic or Audio starter pack enables the ‘complete management of your patients’, says Messeri. Functionalities include patient history, stock management, after sales follow-ups, invoicing and advanced searching.
‘Installation and training are the only upfront costs,’ says Messeri. ‘Clients are much happier after the second training session as they are taught more, become more comfortable and are better able to maximise its potential’.
i-Clarity
Cardiff-based i-Clarity used Optrafair to demonstrate how smaller, bespoke practice management systems can bring greater benefits to independent practices than the larger ones supplied by bigger firms.
Rob Ward, founder of i-Clarity, explains how the system uses a ‘industrial strength database’ from a Microsoft SQL Server that is ‘absolutely fit for purpose but is not a particularly expensive option’. Smaller groups, of four or five practices, get the SQL Servers for free, says Ward.
i-Clarity is a system that allows the user ‘to create glossaries and shortcut menus to avoid repetitive typing or spelling mistakes’, he says. ‘And a system that would interface with instruments so that you don’t have to key in details downloadable from a lens meter, an autorefractor, or a tonometer.’
Started in 2010 and developed in collaboration with 20 opticians, the system covers clinical records, accounts, communication, dispensing and ordering and contact lens management.
The company, lamenting the fact that ‘most practices are doing things the same way they were 30 years ago’, aims to work with independents to improve their efficiency. ‘We want to make optician practices as efficient as other businesses,’ says Ward.
Eyeplan
Celebrating its 20th birthday this year, Eyeplan sought to convey the benefits of Eyeplan schemes for patients. Working with independent optical practices across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, the company specialises in providing a variety of eye care schemes.
Eyeplan introduced two new schemes at Optrafair – its hearing plan and eyeplan medical. Aimed at a patient’s audiology needs, the hearing plan scheme can serve both optical practices that offer the service, or pure audiology outlets. Its Eyeplan medical scheme ‘enhances the care services offered by independent optometry practices by offering some ophthalmology services via remote telemedicine,’ says Chris Clemence, commercial director at Eyeplan.
In addition to the two new schemes, Eyeplan was unveiling its ‘latest version of the advanced care scheme (direct debit) management software, known as PIMMS’.
‘PIMMS is an advanced configurable online system that will be released fully later this year,’ says Clemence. ‘The system features the ability to create custom, tailor made, eye care packages for patients as well as contact lens packages.’
Primary Care Support England
Often in the news pages of Optician, but not the first name that pops to mind when thinking of PMS, Primary Care Support England (PCSE) was at Optrafair to publicise the upcoming launch of its new electronic GOS submission system.
Starting this summer, PCSE, through a ‘services transformation programme’, has created a ‘easy-to-use’ system that will streamline and simplify ophthalmic payment processes.
In order to do this it is introducing two new digital options for submitting GOS claims. The ‘eGOS’ will deliver an interface between practice’s PMS and PCSE systems, allowing claims to be submitted electronically. Patient details will be taken directly from existing PMSs, meaning claims can be authorised using e-signatures with users able to track their progress.
PCSE says it is ‘working with PMS providers who are developing this technology to offer to their clients, as well as some of the multiples who we anticipate will adopt this approach’.
For practices without PMS systems, PCSE Online will soon provide a web-based option for submitting GOS forms. Practices can log-in to the PCSE website, choose the appropriate form and fill out the required details.
At present, PCSE processes almost 20 million physical GOS forms a year, which is ‘crazy in this digital age’, says Lucy Scarborough, communications manager for PCSE.
‘The move to electronic processes will bring a number of benefits including greater accuracy of payments. It will also remove the need for paper, reduce supplies, storage and postage costs, offer greater visibility of claims,’ says Adam Warmington, engagement and adoption manager for ophthalmic payments.
Thompson Software Solutions
In the field of software, it pays to stay ahead of the curve. This is what Thompson Software Solutions has been aiming for since the 1990s when it developed its computerised test charts. ‘The charts have been our premium product over the years,’ says David Thompson, founder of Thompson Software Solutions. ‘We’ve now got nearly 8,000 test charts in the UK alone.’
Thompson’s Clinical Eye Tracker software
Boasting a wide range of products at Optrafair, Thompson says: ‘There’s nothing like having the software demonstrated to you in person.’
On display was Thompson’s ReadEZ, designed to assess and diagnose visual stress syndrome. Thompson says the product has been very successful so far, with around 400 practices in the UK now using it.
‘It’s a rigorous scientific approach to diagnosing the condition and it will print out reports, keep a database and it’s a fraction of the cost of some of the other systems out there,’ says Thompson. ‘That caused a bit of a stir at Optrafair.’
The company has also introduced an instrument called the Clinical Eye Tracker, which uses a bar attached to the base of a monitor to measure the exact movements of a patient’s eyes. For sufferers of visual stress or reading difficulties, it enables more accurate gathering of information in terms of what colours they find it easier to read off as the computer will present them with a range of stimuli.
‘It’s completely non-invasive and takes about 10 seconds to do the calibration, then it works out exactly where each eye is looking. So instead of simply relying on the patient saying, “I prefer that colour”, it provides objective information that they are reading better,’ says Thompson.
My Locum Choice
An online marketplace allowing locums and practice owners to engage directly, My Locum Choice was originally created for the pharmacy sector four years ago.
The ‘innovative online platform’ aims to provide transparency for both parties involved, says Miraj Patel, CEO of My Locum Choice.
The two-way-interface, which is also being developed into an app for this summer, enables locums to receive work offers and find information about the practice before agreeing to the role. ‘After logging-in, locums can see times, locations, track invoices and even get directions to the practice,’ says Patel.
Practices are also able to view and assess potential locums before offering them work. Initially, practices will only be able to see what multiples the locum has worked for. But there are plans to update this in future, building a reviews system into the platform so that owners can leave feedback and rate locums. ‘Due to such great success within the pharmacy sector we thought it was only natural for us to transition into another similar sector – optics,’ he says. ‘Optometry is now going through what pharma did 10 years ago.’
Optinet
As the IT arm of the National Eyecare Group, Optinet was displaying its latest edition of the FLEX PMS. Representatives were keen to stress how FLEX enabled an ‘efficient optical practice’, with patients managing their own appointments online and being the only system to be compliant with GOS 1,3 and 4 in Scotland.
In use in over 400 sites across the UK, FLEX has a number of exciting features, such as configurable appointment lengths, automatic text reminders, EPOS management that allows loyalty plans, recall and capabilities, and Eyeplan payments.
Chris Smith, business development manager at Optinet, says: ‘Visitors to the show were impressed to see a host of new features including; OPS – an integrated paperless direct debit collection service; Docmail postcard & letter printing; NHS GOS claim integrations; and a new online appointment booking system.’
Starting at £170 per month per practice FLEX can run on any practice computer. The monthly fee includes basic training, continued support and updates.
VPM Data Protection
Are you ready for general data protection regulation (GDPR)? This was the question that VPM data protection was asking delegates at Optrafair. With only a week to go before the new EU regulation comes into effect, businesses across the Continent are scrambling to get to grips with it.
VPM’s GDPR toolkit has been designed by certified GDPR practitioners to help businesses achieve and maintain compliance with the new regulation. Including more than 60 policy and procedure templates that can be customised to suit a practice’s needs, VPM’s software contains ‘easy to use tools’ that guide the user through all their compliance processes.
The cloud-based software provides a top down, holistic view of an optical practice, allowing it to track GDPR compliance status throughout the business. All GDPR documents and records are centralised, helping to demonstrate adherence if subjected to checks.
There are also staff testing modules built in that allow owners to assess staff’s knowledge of the regulation as well as updates to keep them informed about the latest regulatory developments.
Mark Povey, one of VPM’s representatives at Optrafair, says: ‘we were delighted with the show and signed seven clients up on the stand with a large number of follow ups as well.’
Opticabase
While most practice management software tries to look ‘flashy’, Opticabase’s PMS is all about ease of use and simplicity, says Michael Prais, owner and director optometrist. His ‘opticians software for opticians by opticians’ prides itself on delivering ‘what you expect from a PMS’, without what Prais calls the ‘theatre of optics’.
Opticabase was displaying its three-tier product line at Optrafair this year. Reception Plus provides a practice with a host of features, including NHS GOS form printing, text and email reminders, prescription and contact lens history.
A step above, the dispensing software adds dispensing features, frame stock control, lens ordering, analytics (KPIs) and is all powered by a SQL server database. The dispensing software costs £80 per practice: ‘people tell me I’m not charging enough,’ says Prais.
He adds: ‘What was interesting about this Optrafair was that we had a lot of people coming to see us that already had our basic system, but who were wanting to upgrade to the dispensing or the clinical.’
The clinical system builds on the dispensing one by including full clinical records and retinal photos and fields view. All of the systems include annual updates and technical support.
Prais started creating the system nine years ago with his own three practices. Opticabase is now running in over 500 practices across the country, ‘its sold itself,’ he says.
OCUCO
OCUCO’s impressive stand at Optrafair showcased its latest software for both independents and multiples. In business for more than two decades, OCUCO has a team of more than 70 developers and 40 operations engineers that are continuous looking to improve the service it provides.
Acuitas is OCUCO’s flagship PMS, managing the entire patient journey from marketing through to appointment and dispensing. It can be integrated with all types of diagnostic equipment and is GDPR compliant. The system avoids repetitive orders and can request new models into store in a ‘seemly process’, says Simon Hirst, professional services engineer at OCUCO.
With the ability to link to a portable device such as an iPad, Acuitas enables instant dispensing through a scanning system. ‘People don’t want to be behind the till in a practice. They would much rather be on the shop floor assisting customers with purchases,’ says Hirst.
The paperless system can be customised to fit any practice, both independent and multiple, and provides an ‘omnichannel’ for patients, meaning they access the same interface online as is delivered in practice.
Acuitas allows optical professionals to review and compare products with their customers on the move and before purchasing. ‘practices want this mobile capacity,’ Hirst adds.
Orasis
Orasis PMS for opticians has been in the market for more than 20 years. Using the latest Windows technology, it is designed to deliver a clean and simple layout to maximise a practice’s efficiency.
In use in over 80 practices, it has a number of features, including but not limited to a colour coded system for easy use, a patient filter, internal and external messaging, key performance indicators and clinical imaging integration. All data is stored in practice or via a cloud, meaning safety and flexibility in storage.
A ‘minimalist’ look aims to ‘make it as easy as possible to use for both independents and multiples’, says Chris Smith from Orasis.
Venom IT
Manchester-based Venom IT offer cloud hosting and cyber security solutions for optical practices. Providing 24/7 support to its customers, Venom boasts an extensive range of services, including online and encrypted back-up for files, hosted servers for practices with a lot of traffic, network cabling and remote working.
Fully GDPR compliant, the system actively hunts for, identifies and then stops attacks on the system to prevent data breaches and protect patient information.
With around 30,000 customers already on the network, the company wants to ensure that it helps practices maximise the potential of the software. ‘We don’t reinvent the wheel,’ says Christoan Smit, business development manager at Venom. ‘Instead, we make sure the right wheels are in the right place.’
XEYEX
Designed specifically for independent optician, XEYEX’s design has an easy to use drag and drop diary. Configurable records allow a practice to customise its use and unlimited users across multiple devices enables more co-ordinated management.
Available on PCs, Mac, iPads and tablets, the software can connect with fundus images, OCT scans and other equipment easily. It also has the ability to process eGOS forms in Scotland and is GDPR ready.
Dispensing is fully integrated with the sales process and fully coded system makes the interface user friendly. XEYEX has been operating in the UK for around seven years and currently holds roughly a quarter of a million patient records.