Interest-ingly, when I bought the second laser, I raised my laser
cataracts fees to bring them closer to the average in the area, but
the increase had no effect on my conversion rate.
4
Create efficiencies. We changed our clinic scheduling and our
patient flow through the surgery centers to accommodate laser
cataracts. In the clinic, every Monday and Thursday I do only
cataract surgery evaluations. This lets me spend time with patients
while educating them in a controlled and relaxed atmosphere. In
post-op video testimonials that we record, most patients mention
the amount of time I spend with them and the clarity of the expla-
nations they receive. I see fewer patients on cataract evaluation
days than the average seen by most ophthalmologists in a day, 22
vs. 35 to 50. However, I schedule 37 cases in 2 ORs each Tuesday
and 25 cases in 1 OR each Wednesday —about two-thirds of which
are laser cataracts.
In the surgery center, the laser is in a procedure room, not an OR.
We schedule all of the laser cases before the manual cases. When I
arrive in the morning, I perform the laser portion of 2 cases. That
means there is always a patient waiting to be wheeled into the OR by
the anesthesiologist while I do another laser. Patients remain on the
same wheeled stretcher, which is a convertible chair/bed with remote-
control memory settings. Each time I implant an IOL in the OR, the
circulating nurse rings a wireless doorbell to signal the laser room
that I'll be there in about 2 minutes. I speak to the completed patient's
family while staff administer the topical anesthetic, place the lid
speculum and position the next laser patient in the laser room. While I
perform that laser, the OR is turned over and the next patient is
wheeled in. With this system, I am at no time waiting for anyone.
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