Responses to "Opinion: Advertising in O&P Business News with Prices"
Marty Mandelbaum
Description
Collection
Title:
Responses to "Opinion: Advertising in O&P Business News with Prices"
Creator:
Marty Mandelbaum
Date:
7/3/2008
Text:
On Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 8:37 AM, Marty Mandelbaum CPO wrote:
In my humble opinion, I feel that the Business News should eliminate
publishing pricing in advertisements. These magazines are read by other
allied health professionals, patients and managed care organizations. The
sale or promotional prices advertised could be misleading to patients and
payors and not account for other costs involved in providing services.
Manufacturers and suppliers could advertise via mail or internet directly to
providers to promote their sales.
I am interested in hearing other opinions and will post summary of
responses.
Responses: It seems as though Buisiness News might want to consider the
viewpoints and let advertisers educate us about their products, services,
turn around times etc., but leave out the prices. I am very interested in
seeing advertisements, they help me choose and try new products and
services, I also understand magazines need the advertisers to exist. all we
are asking is to leave out the prices. See comments below.
-I agree, I think it is the dumbest thing they do. It makes them look cheap,
and negates the time involved to select and fit them. It also makes us look
like surgical supply clerks which really is insulting. rick/cpo
-I agree with you. I have patients that enjoy reading some of the tech
sections of the O&P mags but I hesitate to let them out of my office due to
this very fact. Advertising with new products, etc is excellent and
informative, but pricing and L-code info should be separate. Christopher J.
Phillips, C.P.O
-Have you not considered that perhaps these vendors want other allied fields
to know what you pay for supplies? If a PT knows you pay, strictly an
example, $150 for Ritchie brace and can charge Medicare $1200, hmmm, maybe I
should look into providing Ritchie braces to the patient I now send to
Marty. The vendor has now increased his target audience and if more
practitioners that used to be strictly referrals directly provide the
device, then by human nature usage will increase. Its the old adage, if you
sell hammers then every problem can be fixed with a hammer. Just a thought.
I agree with you that prices should be kept out, but the prices in ad are
usually not what we pay anyway. Morris Gallo, LPO
-I agree with your comments. We specifically avoid putting prices or
cost-related promotions in our advertisements because we don't control who
may read the ad. While professional journals have a targeted audience, these
publications do sometimes end up in the hands of patients or others. The
monetary difference between what a manufacturer charges for a product, and
what the medical provider bills, is not readily understood by consumers or
insurers.
-Agree
-SOUNDS FAIR AND PROFESSIONAL TO ME! Steven Fries, LPO
-In a perfect world that would be great. In the Real World that we live
in we (Manufactures & Vendors) have to advertise in our periodicals to get
our message out cost effectively. If we did not advertise in these
magazines and try to increase revenue through pricing specials then the
magazines would go out of business. Tell me a industry that does not market
like we are doing as an example?
-Absolutely agree. David Goris
- I concur 100%. Unfortunately we are caught-up in an era of crass
commercialization and unrestrained ethically challenged money grubbers.
Should this demeaning and uncouth practice stop immediately? Yes without a
doubt! Will it end any time soon? I'm not holding my breath. It is nice to
see that a few practitioners still understand that propriety and decorum are
essential in maintaining our status and dignity as a profession. Sincerely,
Kim L. Ruhl LPO
-Hi Marty, I contacted all the O&P magazines a few years ago and made the
same point. Regards, John
In my humble opinion, I feel that the Business News should eliminate
publishing pricing in advertisements. These magazines are read by other
allied health professionals, patients and managed care organizations. The
sale or promotional prices advertised could be misleading to patients and
payors and not account for other costs involved in providing services.
Manufacturers and suppliers could advertise via mail or internet directly to
providers to promote their sales.
I am interested in hearing other opinions and will post summary of
responses.
Responses: It seems as though Buisiness News might want to consider the
viewpoints and let advertisers educate us about their products, services,
turn around times etc., but leave out the prices. I am very interested in
seeing advertisements, they help me choose and try new products and
services, I also understand magazines need the advertisers to exist. all we
are asking is to leave out the prices. See comments below.
-I agree, I think it is the dumbest thing they do. It makes them look cheap,
and negates the time involved to select and fit them. It also makes us look
like surgical supply clerks which really is insulting. rick/cpo
-I agree with you. I have patients that enjoy reading some of the tech
sections of the O&P mags but I hesitate to let them out of my office due to
this very fact. Advertising with new products, etc is excellent and
informative, but pricing and L-code info should be separate. Christopher J.
Phillips, C.P.O
-Have you not considered that perhaps these vendors want other allied fields
to know what you pay for supplies? If a PT knows you pay, strictly an
example, $150 for Ritchie brace and can charge Medicare $1200, hmmm, maybe I
should look into providing Ritchie braces to the patient I now send to
Marty. The vendor has now increased his target audience and if more
practitioners that used to be strictly referrals directly provide the
device, then by human nature usage will increase. Its the old adage, if you
sell hammers then every problem can be fixed with a hammer. Just a thought.
I agree with you that prices should be kept out, but the prices in ad are
usually not what we pay anyway. Morris Gallo, LPO
-I agree with your comments. We specifically avoid putting prices or
cost-related promotions in our advertisements because we don't control who
may read the ad. While professional journals have a targeted audience, these
publications do sometimes end up in the hands of patients or others. The
monetary difference between what a manufacturer charges for a product, and
what the medical provider bills, is not readily understood by consumers or
insurers.
-Agree
-SOUNDS FAIR AND PROFESSIONAL TO ME! Steven Fries, LPO
-In a perfect world that would be great. In the Real World that we live
in we (Manufactures & Vendors) have to advertise in our periodicals to get
our message out cost effectively. If we did not advertise in these
magazines and try to increase revenue through pricing specials then the
magazines would go out of business. Tell me a industry that does not market
like we are doing as an example?
-Absolutely agree. David Goris
- I concur 100%. Unfortunately we are caught-up in an era of crass
commercialization and unrestrained ethically challenged money grubbers.
Should this demeaning and uncouth practice stop immediately? Yes without a
doubt! Will it end any time soon? I'm not holding my breath. It is nice to
see that a few practitioners still understand that propriety and decorum are
essential in maintaining our status and dignity as a profession. Sincerely,
Kim L. Ruhl LPO
-Hi Marty, I contacted all the O&P magazines a few years ago and made the
same point. Regards, John
Citation
Marty Mandelbaum, “Responses to "Opinion: Advertising in O&P Business News with Prices",” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/229610.
