Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/15/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  my mom doctor recommend company "Vital Tears" to fill prescription with serum tears. I called them and asked about price. I was told it $399 plus $20 for technician to come to my home to collect blood. When I try to order, I find out that prescription sent to this company was wrong. It was for 40% concentration, and I need 100% concentration. The order was changed. I order tears and I asked if I have to pay upfront. I was told, that they take payment before they deliver tears. I called today and I was told that my payment will be $720. I have to go with another company, and my tears will be disposed. My 90 year mom was taken a lot of blood. This is dishonest company.
  I had another company before, they never change the price depending on concentration and everything was upfront.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2024

  The response is detailed in the attached word document. 

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2024

  Resubmitting the attachment.  Please confirm receipt. 

  We are responding to a complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau. Vital Tears takes all patient concerns seriously and strives to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and care. We believe that Vital Tears conducted its business in accordance with these high standards with respect to the incident described in the complaint.
  Vital Tears prepares serum eye drops made from a patient’s own blood. The order is prepared in accordance with a physician order. Patients schedule a blood draw either at one of Vital Tears’ blood collection facilities or in their home. Once the blood is collected, it is shipped to a laboratory where trained technicians process the patient’s serum tears. Patients typically receive their serum eye drops within 48 hours of the blood draw. The price of the eye drops depends on the type of order submitted by the physician. The pricing also varies based on the percentage concentration of serum in the ordered eye drops. Higher concentration drops have a higher price. 
  Vital Tears has conducted a thorough investigation of the matter described in the complaint. The chronology of events in this patient’s case is as follows: 
  On 5/20/24, Vital Tears received an order from the prescribing physician for a Half Order of serum eye drops prepared at a concentration of 40%. 
  On 5/21/24, a Vital Tears representative spoke with the patient’s daughter and explained the process for obtaining serum eye drops. Our representative reviewed the price of the patient’s order and the options for blood collection. The patient was quoted $399 for the Half Order + $20 for mobile phlebotomy service. 
  On 6/07/24, the patient’s daughter informed Vital Tears that the patient was not ready to schedule the mobile phlebotomy draw and would reach out at a more convenient time the following week. 
  On 6/27/24, the patient’s daughter called to verify the order details submitted from the physician on 5/20/24 and indicated on that call that the patient wanted a100% concentration.   The Vital Tears representative explained that Vital Tears is not authorized to make the change without a new physician order and offered to reach out to the physician’s office for an updated order.  Our representative neglected to inform the patient on that call that the price for the High Concentration serum eye drops would be higher. A new order for Vital Tears High Concentration (100%) serum eye drops was received from the patient’s physician on the same day. 
  On 7/09/24, the patient’s blood was collected by a phlebotomist.
  On 7/10/24, Vital Tears received the patient’s blood and processed the order. 
  On 7/12/24, Vital Tears contacted the patient for electronic payment and to arrange for shipment of the eye drops. On that call, our representative quoted a price of $699 for the High Concentration eye drops, and a mobile phlebotomy fee of $20. The patient’s daughter was surprised to learn of the higher price. Our representative explained that the new order for 100% High Concentration eye drops was more expensive and acknowledged that the patient should have been notified of the higher price when Vital Tears received the new order type from the patient’s physician. Our representative apologized for the miscommunication and offered to escalate the matter to a supervisor. Later that same day, the Vital Tears manager reached out to the patient and apologized for our representative’s failure to advise the patient of the higher price for the 100% High Concentration eye drops and told the patient that Vital Tears would honor the $399 price initially quoted. 
  This was a simple oversight of our patient representative to advise the patient’s daughter of the higher price for the higher concentration eye drops and, when contacted by the patient’s daughter, Vital Tears promptly acknowledged the miscommunication on that same day and honored the price initially given to the patient for the 40% Half Order that was initially submitted.  The patient’s concerns were addressed and resolved prior to receiving notice of the complaint. 
  If you have any additional questions regarding this complaint, please contact us at 1-800-###-###-####.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  Vital Tears, LLC