bring lasers right to your door and handle all the logistics of setup. All
you have to do is schedule cases and count the profits.
Afraid of commitment
Ophthalmologist Paul Koch, MD, the founder of Koch Eye Associates
in Warwick, R.I., was drawn to the reported benefits of laser cataract
surgery back in 2013, but wasn't willing to invest in the hype. "We did-
n't know for sure what role femto lasers would play in cataract sur-
gery, and almost every comment made about it was by someone with
a direct tie to one of the manufacturers," he says. "So to purchase a
unit at that time was quite a financial commitment, and one we
weren't willing to make."
So he partnered with an outsourcing company instead. He pays a
per-eye fee in exchange for complete set up and removal of the laser
in one of his facility's ORs and a tech to help operate the laser.
Basically, Dr. Koch is paying for a worry-free, no-hassle day of prof-
itable surgery. "We have a situation now where we have a strong busi-
ness relationship," he says. "They provide a service and at the end of
the day, we make money, they make money and everyone's happy."
Ophthalmologist Jeffrey Starkey, MD, of NEOVision Group in Akron,
Ohio, knew the femto laser made accurate cuts, but balked at the ini-
tial investment and $50,000 or so in annual maintenance costs to own
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O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J U N E 2 0 1 5
Sightpath
Medical
z READY TO GO Trained technicians set up the platforms the night before surgery and are on hand to assist
surgeons during procedures.
