Advantages of Office-Based Cataract Surgery - iOR Partners

Kugler Vision in Omaha, NE is heavily focused on refractive cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange. By moving procedures to an office-based cataract suite, they were able to increase the conversion rates and provide that LASIK-like experience that patients expect when having a refractive procedure. Advantages of office-based cataract surgery include a premium patient experience, more financial control, and increased staff enthusiasm.

A Premium Patient Experience

RLE and premium cataract surgery patients coming to Kugler Vision expect a LASIK-like experience and that the procedure will take place in the office. They feel comfortable in the environment and with the staff that has been serving them. Prior to having an office-based surgical suite, many patients felt anxious about having to go to a third-party facility that they had never heard of. Patients choose this practice for a reason and want to have everything done there. Dr. Kugler now does 100% of his premium services in his iOR office-based surgical suite.

Financial Control

By moving cataract surgery to an in-office suite, the practice has been able to decrease their cost-per-case significantly. They can control the supplies, vendors, and staff expenses. The practice has gained control of many aspects since going to a third-party center, which has allowed them to be much more efficient from a cost perspective.

The cost savings have extended to patients as well. Since moving procedures into the office, they do 80% of them with just oral sedation. Occasionally, a case will require a class B environment where a nurse anesthetist is present to help with monitoring and IV sedation is available if needed. Eliminating the anesthesia charges has been a huge cost savings for patients, and they really appreciate that.

Other hidden costs can be recouped by having an OBS suite such as travel time of surgeons going back and forth to different facilities or efficiencies gained by having control over the surgical schedule. In the COVID era, there is more flexibility to control the space between patients and still maintain the same volume and the same throughput as before. While some of those costs are hard to quantify, Dr. Kugler states that the savings are there when he looks at bottom line at the end of the year.

Staff Enthusiasm

An intangible advantage of office-based cataract surgery that Dr. Kugler has experienced is an enthusiasm from his staff around lens-based procedures. There has always been a lot of enthusiasm around LASIK and PRK, because they were done in the laser center and the staff was a part of the process. They could see the patient's smile afterwards and feel the impact it had on there lives. Now that the staff can participate in the lens-based procedures, the enthusiasm around it has gone up. In turn, they have become more knowledgeable with these procedures and are more comfortable recommending them to patients.

Why iOR Partners?

If you are considering transitioning to office-based surgery, it is a big undertaking to do it on your own. To do it right takes expertise. It takes people who understand everything that is required from A to Z - equipment, training, space design, billing, maximizing efficiencies and beyond. iOR Partners is the expert in ophthalmic OBS and offered Dr. Kugler the peace of mind for a smooth transition to an accredited OBS suite, built to the highest safety standards. Dr. Kugler expressed that his comfort level working with iOR was very high and continues to be. An ophthalmic OBS is a specialized of a service and requires the highest level of expertise. That is why Dr. Kugler highly encourages anyone to work with iOR Partners.

Learn more about iOR Partners office-based surgery suites here: https://iorpartners.com/office-based-surgery/