Eyeworld Daily News

EW SHOW DAILY 19 O phthalmic practices face a host of challenges in keeping their practice growing and running efficiently. Still, there are ways to boost practice revenue and improve patient flow even in today's tough environment, said the speakers at Sunday's symposium "Survive or Thrive in the Modern Healthcare Environment: Clinical Changes to Practice." One way to keep tabs on your practice's image is to monitor pa- tient reviews of your practice on social media, said Candy Simerson, practice administrator at Minnesota Eye Associates, Minneapolis. "More patients are using online reviews of doctors," she said. By monitoring re- views, staff can respond to any nega- tive comments accordingly, she said. Practices should have at least two people who can monitor social media and add content when needed, said Ms. Simerson. Bringing on optometrists A way to expand your practice is to add optometrists to your practice, said Stephen S. Lane, MD, Stillwater, Minn. You may want to consider adding an optometrist if your waiting times are getting longer, you're scheduling patients 2 weeks out or more, or if the MDs at the practice are performing a large number of routine exams. However, you'll also want to consider the optometrist's role at your practic, hether he will operate as a colleague who sees patients independently or if he will serve more as a "super tech" or screener. Creating a dry eye center Practices can boost patient comfort and create revenue opportunities by adding special dry eye centers of excellence, said Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, Lynbrook, N.Y. Consider the various diagnostic tests now available, such as tests for tear osmolarity, tear meniscus height management, noninvasive keratog- raphy, tear film particle movement, and meibography of the eyelids, among other options, Dr. McDonald said. Dry eye patients will help grow your practice not only with office visits and when you perform diag- nostic tests, they also are likely to send additional patients to you, Dr. McDonald said. Plus, they some- times become surgical patients. Making an ASC work Ophthalmologists can boost practice efficiency—and patient satisfaction—by operating at an am- bulatory surgical center (ASC), said Bradley Black, MD, Jeffersonville, Ind. Medicare reimbursement for cataract surgery in ASCs is $930 versus $1,730 in a hospital, indicat- ing efficiency opportunities. Compared with hospitals, "ASCs are also a win for patients with conven- ience, proximity, safety, and easier scheduling," Dr. Black said. Even the easier parking to be found at an ASC versus a hospital can score points with patients, he added. Practices that already operate in an ASC should continue to maxi- mize their efficiency and profitabil- ity, while those that do not yet use one should consider doing so, Dr. Black said. EW ASCRS•ASOA SYMPOSIUM & CONGRESS, BOSTON 2014 Survive, thrive in a tough practice environment by Vanessa Caceres EyeWorld Contributing Writer Practices that do not yet use an ASC should consider doing so, Dr. Black said at the symposium.

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