and operating the equipment;
• inventory acquisition and management for IOLs and other sup-
plies;
• space required to house equipment even when it's not in use;
• unexpected equipment repair fees;
• annual preventative maintenance costs; and
• time to re-train a technician with each equipment upgrade.
Speaking of upgrades: Cataract surgery is constantly advancing,
necessitating investment in new machines, handpieces and instrumen-
tation. No way could we afford the constant upgrades, but our out-
sourcing firm certainly can, so we can offer our surgeons the latest
technology for safety and efficiency.
Peace of mind
Although we outsource because it's best for our bottom line, the quali-
ty of service we receive and the technical expertise we benefit from
are invaluable. It's nice to know that if our volume should dip, we
wouldn't be saddled with paying for equipment that we're not fully uti-
lizing. Outsourcing is the most cost-effective way for us to deliver
excellent cataract care that's affordable for patients, appreciated by
surgeons and profitable for investors. Our fundamental mission is to
provide first-class surgical services to every patient, every family,
every time. There may be no better testament to how outsourcing
helps us fulfill that mission than the fact that my own mother had
both of her cataract surgeries at our facility.
Well, gotta run now. The Cataract Van just pulled up.
OSM
1 2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Ms. Boland (shboland@uspi.com) is administrator of Chesterfield (Mo.)
Surgery Center.
