EyeWorld Today is the official daily of the ASCRS Symposium & Congress. Each issue provides comprehensive coverage editorial coverage of meeting presentations, events, and breaking news
Issue link: https://daily.eyeworld.org/i/124056
30 Monday, April 22, 2013 EW SHOW DAILY ASOA News Today Administrators hear about the femto for cataract revolution by Jena Passut EyeWorld Editor W hen deciding to bring femtosecond for cataract surgery technology into a practice, it isn't just the surgeon who has to adapt to a whole new way of doing things. Keeping that in mind, speakers at an ASOA session titled "Join the Revolution in Laser Cataract Surgery" gave attendees tips for implementing the laser. Lisa Cibik, MD, and Michael J. Lutz, MBA, Associates in Ophthalmology (AIO), which is located outside Pittsburgh, Pa., moderated the well-attended session. Dr. Cibik said patients are starting to get cataract surgery much younger and are willing to pay for a premium experience and items that will improve their way of living. Therefore, she said, surgeons need to "have more LASIK-like outcomes." "This is an active generation. They are not willing to compromise lifestyle," Dr. Cibik said. "This is a very demanding generation. My grandmother, when she turned 50, put on her black dress and orthopedic shoes and I never saw her in anything else." Mr. Lutz said being first in the region to offer laser cataract surgery ASOA Friday Focus Surveys® February 2013 Which position is responsible forfor obtaining change (petty cash) for your office? 1. Which position is responsible obtaining change (petty cash) for your office? Survey Information Topic ʹ Petty Cash Respondents: 349 (Number of members surveyed ranges from 21002500 depending on the topic) Response % Front Desk/Check-In Administrator/Manager Billing Department Other 20.3% 52.7% 14.3% 12.6% was a major reason AIO decided to buy in. "We wanted to be an early adopter, and we did see a significant advantage by doing that," he said. Another reason for implementing laser cataract surgery is better outcomes for the patients, which was "consistent with the partners' commitment to our brand and culture of providing the latest technology and advanced treatments and procedures," Mr. Lutz said. An important pearl is doing a breakeven analysis, Mr. Lutz said. "It's important for you to understand what your volume and costs are going to be," he said. Additional staff to educate and counsel patients will pay for themselves in the long run. "You need to make sure that all the doctors, including retina and multispecialty, understand the benefits of the technology from the patient's standpoint." EW Help shape the future of ASCRS Programming ASCRS needs your help. Beginning in 2013, ASCRS will look to tie future educational programming to measurable improvements in practice patterns and patient outcomes. We need you to identify the gaps between your thinking and our current programming. Your help, through a 15-minute survey, will enable ASCRS to tailor future programming and to track our educational progress. Scan the QR code or go to www.eyeworld.org/survey to begin the ASCRS 2013 Annual Clinical Trends Survey. Look for our survey staff to take the survey during the meeting. Survey will close May 10, 2013 In 15 minutes, you can make a difference. If you ... Identify your area(s) of principle interest and answer key questions questions that will govern the future decisions made by ASCRS' Programming and Clinical Committees and its CME and non-CME event developers. We will ... Send you a preliminary results report before they're published in a future EyeWorld supplement. All respondents will be entered into a drawing to receive one of 15 iPads. Make ASCRS work better for you. Complete the 2013 survey today.