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SoloHealth Plans Expansion of Vision Kiosks’ Reach

March 15, 2010 12:03 AM


ATLANTA—SoloHealth, which currently has nearly 100 self-service EyeSite kiosks offering vision screenings to consumers in seven U.S. markets, will add three more cities this year while enhancing the kiosks’ technology, company officials said recently.

According to Bart Foster, founder and chief executive officer of SoloHealth, the existing kiosks “are getting great reception from doctors.” Manufacturers of eyecare products pay SoloHealth to sponsor lists of eyecare professionals on the kiosks in the various markets involved, so consumers doing vision screenings can see contact information for those ECPs.

In addition, retail chains can participate by sponsoring the kiosks in their own market areas; for example, Standard Optical has sited 14 kiosks in its Salt Lake City marketplace for referrals back to its optical stores.

The SoloHealth team (l to r): Tony Sommer, VP, sales and marketing; Stephen Kendig, VP, development and operations; and Bart Foster, CEO and founder.
The EyeSite kiosks are located in high-traffic retail locations such as supermarket pharmacies. Foster said initial usage patterns indicated kiosk users tend to be ages 18 to 49, and 52 percent have been male. About 38 percent of kiosk users reported their last eye exam was more than two years ago; another 24 percent said they had never had an eye exam. And data from the kiosks indicates that 17 percent of those consumers who did the vision screening had eyesight problems that would have caused them to fail their state drivers’ license vision test.

“Our kiosks provide a great opportunity to let these consumers know why an eye exam is important,” Foster noted. Added Stephen Kendig, SoloHealth’s vice president, development and operations, “Our intent is to drive eye exams in a measurable way.”

As part of the kiosks’ vision screening, participating consumers are asked if they want information about ECPs in their area; 13 percent have said they do, according to SoloHealth data. The newest version of the company’s kiosk also captures consumers’ email addresses for future contact.

Foster told VM that SoloHealth will install EyeSite kiosks in three more cities this year, although which three have not yet been decided. He also expects the company to broaden its presence in existing markets, taking the Salt Lake City kiosk total to 30, for example.

The company is also expanding its executive team. Tony Sommer recently joined SoloHealth as vice president, sales and marketing. Sommer previously spent six years in marketing and sales with CIBA Vision, the eyecare unit of Novartis AG. SoloHealth is a spinout of CIBA Vision.

While with CIBA Vision, he and his teams won awards for innovation, marketing breakthroughs, and distinguished performance, including the company’s Country of the Year award for his team’s performance in North America, a statement said.

“Having Tony join the team at SoloHealth continues our tradition of adding strong, skilled leadership talent to take us to the next level,” said Bart Foster.

Foster said SoloHealth is currently benefiting from two significant business trends: the growth of consumer-directed health care, and a movement toward more self-service. “We are at the cornerstone of those two major trends,” he said. ■ ■

Cathy Ciccolella
cciccolella@jobson.com

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