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The Power of “Wow”

Our practice, Virginia Eye Consultants, is a tertiary care referral practice specializing in cornea, refractive, uveitis, retina, glaucoma, and oculoplastics. We firmly believe in collaborative care, and we work closely with the optometric community. Recently, our practice celebrated our 50th anniversary providing world-classspecialty eye care to our Hampton Roads community.

We house 17 providers, including 13 ophthalmologists, 4 optometrists, and 225 support team members, and we perform in excess of 5,000 surgical procedures annually, with the majority being cataract surgical procedures. We have four locations throughout the Hampton Roads area, with our main office located in Norfolk, VA, and three satellite offices located within 30 minutes of each other.

Several years ago, we made one of our best strategic and business decisions when we acquired Marco’s EPIC-5100 for our main office. This is where the majority of our providers are based and most of our cataract and refractive evaluations are performed.

The EPIC-5100 combines two of Marco’s most advanced visual pathway assessment technologies: the OPD-Scan III wavefront aberrometer and corneal analyzer and the TRS-5100 digital refractor. The two technologies can be used together to evaluate the entire visual system in a fraction of the time it takes traditional manual systems.

Indeed, we chose the EPIC-5100 system specifically to address and improve our patient throughput and efficiency, and we couldn’t be more pleased. To say the EPIC-5100 has improved our performance in this area would be an understatement. The majority of our patients are referred to us for cataract and refractive surgery from our optometric referral network. Utilizing this technology has improved our efficiency through the technician workup alone.

Prior to implementing the EPIC-5100, our technicians took nearly 40 minutes to perform a patient workup, gathering data from visual acuities to topography to refractions. In the time since we’ve acquired the EPIC-5100, we have been able to get the same amount of data in just 15 minutes, allowing us to improve both efficiency and overall time for cataract/refractive evaluations.

The user-friendly platform enables technicians to quickly gather the critical data that are used to determine each patient’s optimal treatment, whether that is for cataract or refractive surgery. A wealth of information critical to each patient’s visual system from the refraction — wavefront measurements, pupil size, angle kappa, and corneal topography — is gathered swiftly and efficiently using the EPIC-5100. The EPIC-5100, combined with the OPD-Scan III, can give us more than 20 measurements to utilize in our decision making. Even better, all of the data can be captured in about 10 seconds.

Additionally, we have an OPD-Scan III at each satellite location, which allows us to gather the clinical information necessary to make our recommendations.

Patients and Practitioners Both Benefit
The decision of whether or not to adopt new technologies can be challenging. However, when it comes to innovative technology such as the EPIC-5100, the decision was easy for us. From the “wow” factor to patient education to informed clinical decision making, patients and practitioners both benefit from the EPIC-5100 and the OPD-Scan III.

Our biggest challenge prior to adopting the EPIC-5100 was patient wait times due to bottlenecks resulting from lengthy patient workups. As in any practice, patient wait times play a significant role in the patient experience, and it is important to continuously evaluate our practice processes and procedures to optimize care. With the Marco products, we are able to utilize the technology to improve throughput as well as the staff and patient experience.

The EPIC-5100 and OPD-Scan III technology differentiate our practice and provide information we can share with our patients. It gives them the confidence that they’re in the presence of state-of-the-art technology that will be used to determine which procedures and surgeries are best for them. We measure patient satisfaction with surveys after each visit and gauge the patient experience by using the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems survey; they show definitively that patients believe they’re receiving the care they need and deserve. Each survey provides different information about the experience they had and the level of satisfaction with their care.

Enhancing Patient Education and Experience
Regardless of the condition for which a patient presents, patient education is key to successful outcomes. With the OPD-Scan III, we have the ability to educate patients about the impact on the ocular surface using the placido rings from dry eye to pterygium to other corneal surface irregularities. We can use the topography maps to discuss either the normal or abnormal corneal curvature, which shows why patients may have compromised vision and what we can do to address the condition.

Another feature of the OPD-Scan III that we take advantage of to educate our patients is simulating their vision before or after correction. In a practice like ours, this is turning out to be a vital tool in helping patients recognize the benefits of a new refraction, contact lens prescription, or surgical procedure.

As an optometric referral center, our practice’s success and growth is focused on patient experience and outcomes. The “wow” factor experienced by the patient while going through testing as well as our ability to minimize wait times and the amount of time patients are seen for their cataract/refractive evaluation determines our success. The information the technology provides give us the ability to make a solid recommendation for treatment.

Marco has been a great partner with our practice in providing the support and resources we need to successfully implement and utilize their technology. From the initial training for the staff to the support for providers on how to understand and utilize the technology, Marco has truly helped us to maximize the technology in daily practice.

Innovative Technology Is Key to Success
It’s also worth noting that implementing innovative technology is a key way to help differentiate your practice, prepare it for the future, and, perhaps most importantly, protect it against competition of all kinds. Online refractions, for example, provide limited data with questionable reliability. Technologies, such as the EPIC-5100 and OPD-Scan III, however, provide an unmatched experience and information that patients simply can’t get online.

With changes in optometry due to supply and demand in eyecare providers, optometrists will be called upon to provide more medical eye care for our patients and communities. The EPIC-5100 and the OPD-Scan III can aid providers in gathering reliable data in an efficient manner while allowing us to concentrate on our patients’ medical needs, such as diabetes, glaucoma, and cataracts, something the online competition cannot do.

Optometrists would do well to recognize these benefits and respond accordingly.

– Walter Whitley, OD, MBA, FAAO, is the director of optometric services at Virginia Eye Consultants, which serves the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

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TRS-5100: A Win-Win

In using a manual refractor, I was facing two major and increasingly burdensome challenges. First, the technology was simply outdated compared to all the other technology I have in my practice, such as the OPD-Scan III (Marco), digital retinal photography, OCT, osmolarity testing, Visioffice, and my EMR system. Simply put, the refractor did not complement the level of care and patient experience I was providing throughout the rest of the examination and beyond, including the various touch points I have with patients through electronic media.

The second major challenge I faced was the inefficiency associated with manual refraction. I work just 3 days a week, so I need to maximize efficiencies to best serve my patients and my practice. The several extra minutes it takes for a traditional refraction really adds up, especially in a practice with patient volume averaging about 15 to 20 patients per day. I would prefer to spend that valuable time educating patients and making recommendations about eyewear and ocular health.

I reviewed auto-refractor systems from other companies, but I ultimately went with Marco’s digital technology because of their established success and consistency. Further, I received many strong recommendations from other doctors who successfully use Marco refractive technology in their own practices.

My selection of the TRS-5100 has proven successful in addressing my issues of compatibility, consistency, and efficiency. The system has improved the overall efficiency of the practice, and its compatibility with the OPD-Scan III wavefront aberrometer has proven to be invaluable. Combined and integrated with the OPD-Scan III, the TRS-5100 gives me a much better idea of a patient’s likelihood of achieving 20/20 vision, and a far more comprehensive picture of the patient’s complete optical pathway.

The OPD system delivers a statistical indicator (RMS, or root mean square), which gives the practitioner an idea of potential best-corrected outcome. This statistic is obtained via aberration measurements, topography, pupil sizes, and day and night refraction differences, among other data points. As a result, I know about how long I should spend refracting my patient with the TRS if his potential visual outcome is limited. I generally save several minutes per patient, and several minutes more on patients with more complex refractive errors (i.e., patients with moderate to advanced cataracts and corneal irregularities).

Positive Staff and Doctor Impact
My staff quickly embraced the system. They appreciate its ability to free them up for other tasks. The automated data transfer through the IC card-loading system minimizes staff involvement, as the patient’s refractive data is loaded onto a data card in the pre-test area, and the card is inserted into the TRS module in the exam lane, loading all data instantaneously. Staff members no longer have to enter refractive data, which saves time and reduces costly transcription errors.

As for myself, I really appreciate the system’s customizable ergonomic preferences. Although I see patients only three days per week, the upper shoulder and back strain I suffered prior to acquiring the TRS-5100 was nearly
constant. I’m sure other ODs who have used manual refractors can relate. Today, I have far less upper shoulder pain and back issues, thanks to the system’s ergonomics — ergonomics that may actually lengthen my career.

Positive Patient Response
The patient response to the new system has been overwhelmingly positive, both within and outside our practice. New patients and those unfamiliar with the system hear the TRS-5100 uploading data as they sit in the exam chair and are excited to see how it works, even before I start refracting. Patients who pay attention to medical technology can immediately appreciate how advanced our practice is compared to others.

Indeed, the system provides a true wow factor with patients. The TRS-5100 allows for a one-touch comparison of the patient’s current eyeglass prescription with the new prescription. Patients can immediately see for
themselves — in vivid detail — the impact of updating their prescription. While the previous processes left a fair number of patients uncertain about whether or not to purchase new eyewear — even with doctors’ recommendations — the TRS gives them far more confidence in their purchasing decisions, and applies more value to our practice.

Outside the office, my practice is enjoying many more positive online reviews, and our online referral stats are up by about 100% compared to the year prior, when we didn’t have the TRS. In addition, the comments from patient surveys now cite our technology, our professionalism, and the comprehensive, thorough nature of our eye exams as positive attributes in the patient experience.

Positive Financial Impact
In all honesty, except for the refraction, our exam flow hasn’t changed dramatically, so the transition was painless. I believe it’s the additional time I get to spend with and educate patients — enabled by the automation of the TRS-5100 — that is responsible for the favorable patient impressions. Thanks to this technology, I have more time to prescribe and recommend eyewear and contact lenses, and discuss treatment plans and general eye health with patients. All of this, of course, benefits our practice’s bottom line. Revenues-per-patient are already up about $50 over the previous year, and our capture rate in optical is up 10% since purchasing the TRS-5100. This automation further delivers a reduction in manual transcription errors and the cost of prescription remakes.

Bottom Line
With respect to improving exam flow efficiency and patient care, competitive standing among local optometry practices, and practice profitability, there’s simply no reason not to consider improving your practice with the TRS-5100. We are told to make purchasing decisions based on the goals of enhancing data, knowledge, profitability, and our care of patients. Marco’s TRS-5100 not only helps us meet all of these goals, it also makes our workday easier and far more pleasant. It’s a win-win for ODs and patients.

– Gina Wesley, OD, owns and operates Complete Eye Care of Medina, Medina, MN.

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With Marco, You’re Guaranteed to Succeed

Our 67-year-old Tennessee practice, Vision Source of Newport, recently opened a 9,500-square-foot facility, operating with three physicians and 18 staff members. We see roughly 350 patients each week, and we’re well on our way toward reaching our goal of becoming a $2 million practice. For the past 5 years, we’ve been using an OPD-Scan III integrated aberrometer and three TRS-5100 digital refractors in our office. Both have greatly contributed to our success.

Easier on Patients and Optometrists
As an optometrist, what’s good for my patients is also good for me. I can hit two buttons on the TRS-5100 and seamlessly compare their current refraction to their previous prescription. It makes it much easier to show the patient the difference, which increases Rx satisfaction and eyewear sales. In particular, the “night vision” refraction feature is helpful; I always perform this test on patients who complain that they just can’t see well at night. With only one machine, the OPD-Scan III, we can measure higher-order aberrations, detect corneal dystrophies and degenerations, show patients their cataracts, use images to explain why they’re having trouble seeing at night — and even find a floater. Also, the ability to measure phorias and tropias (both horizontal and vertical) in 0.1 steps using the TRS-5100 system helps uncover problems that manual refraction cannot catch. It is amazing how a vertical heterophoria even as low as 0.5 diopters can cause severe issues, especially in children and others still in school. I prescribe eyeglasses for these patients and refer them to our vision therapy specialist. This technology truly sets us apart from other offices.

Increased Efficiency
As someone who travels and lectures throughout the United States, being efficient in the office means a great deal to me. Between working with the OPD-Scan III
and the TRS-5100, I simply don’t have the words to describe how much efficiency has improved since we implemented these two technologies. Instead, I’ll let the numbers do the talking: Before I began using the Marco technologies, I was averaging collections of $3,400 per day. Now, with the OPD-Scan III and TRS-5100, I
average $4,500 per day (>32% increase). Utilizing scribes and the Marco technology has resulted in $200,000 more in revenue per year than we were achieving with manual equipment and without a scribe. This does not take into account additional savings from avoiding lens remakes, or the value of patient retention.

Training and Customer Service
One significant perk of purchasing Marco’s technology is that the company can train several members of your team at their Technology Vision Institute, in Jacksonville, FL., by teaching staff how to use the products and about the refraction process, various optometric terms, visual issues, and eyeglass prescription terms (phorias, vergences, binocular testing, etc). Marco also makes online courses available 24/7 to you and your staff.

Guaranteed to Succeed
In summary, Marco’s OPD-Scan III and integrated TRS-5100 provide an amazing array of diagnostic testing that a regular autorefractor does not. They make the patient’s experience easy and enjoyable. The improved efficiency has led to greater profitability, all while delivering educational and emotional “wow” factor for patients. With all this, your practice is guaranteed to succeed.

– Kurt Steele, OD is an optometrist with Vision Source of Newport in Newport, TN.

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Speed and Precision: Marco Helps Bring Both to Your Practice

I first had the opportunity to use Marco autorefractors in the 1990s while serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson, SC. There, I witnessed firsthand how Marco’s technology helped us swiftly and efficiently process the eyecare needs of 100 or more troops on any given day. I also appreciated the ability to transmit data directly to the lab with no need for data entry or writing out prescriptions. Having experienced the benefits of this technology, I knew that I would want the same technology in my own practice one day.

Technology I Can Trust
After completing my 3-year commitment to the Army, I moved to San Antonio and began looking for practice opportunities. I purchased my practice, Stone Oak Vision Source, in 2004 and began outfitting it with Marco’s automated technology as quickly as I could.

I started Stone Oak with one associate; we now have three associates and a staff of 20. We expect to gross more than $3 million this year. To this day, we still run an ARK-1 autorefractor and LM-1200 lensometer in our primary prescreening room, and an AR-510A autorefractor and an LM-1000 lensometer in our secondary prescreening room. Exam rooms 1, 2, and 3 each have an older generation RT-900 autorefractor, while exam room 4 has an RT-2100 autorefractor and exam room 5 has the latest TRS-5100 digital autorefractor that we acquired when we moved into our new building in 2016. Marco technology is clearly a part of the fabric of this practice.

Quick and Accurate
Today, just as when I was in the Army, one of the things I appreciate most about Marco’s technology is how easy it is to quickly and accurately transfer autorefraction and lensometry data. Indeed, I have no doubt this reduces prescription mistakes and remakes. The autorefractors and the lensometers seamlessly network into our phoropters and ExamWRITER software. We use the new manifest-to-old-Rx toggle feature at the end of the refraction to show our patients the difference between their new prescription and their old one. This allows them to more accurately appreciate the change they will see in ways they can understand.

In addition, the ability to transmit data with the touch of a button is a huge time-saver. Anything that can help improve accuracy and efficiency in our clinic is a win for us. In fact, spending less time on data entry and the refraction process as a whole gives us more time to discuss each patient’s condition and the solutions we can offer. For example, it’s easier to get patients on board with multiple pairs of eyeglasses when our doctors have enough time to discuss how each one will meet specific needs, and when patients are able to quickly assess the Rx differences themselves.

The “Wow” Factor
The technology is also a “wow” factor for our patients; they appreciate that our office doesn’t have the same old equipment they’ve seen for decades in other offices. We offer high-tech lenses and diagnostic options throughout our clinic. Performing examinations with anything less than state-of-the-art equipment simply wouldn’t correspond with our mission to deliver high-tech, cutting-edge service.

As fond as I am of our older RT-900s, I am looking to upgrade them to TRS-5100 digital refractors this year. They have served us well these past 14 years, so it almost pains me to let them go. Still, I know exactly where to turn to receive the same high-quality technology that I’ve come to trust for so many years.

– Monica Allison, OD, MBA, FIAO

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Technology That Patients — and Doctors — Love

Epic Refraction Workstation From Marco Ophthalmic

Our five-location optometric practice, Nittany Eye Associates, located in State College, PA, employs 12 optometrists and a staff of 55. We provide full-scope optometric care, on-site consulting for LASIK surgery and other ophthalmology services, and see approximately 800 patients per week.

Our practice has always been dedicated to providing the best clinical care, while also providing an outstanding experience for our patients. This commitment to excellence in care and customer service has allowed us to weather the storm that stems from the increasing pressures of managed care as well as commercial and online competition. Although our practice has grown, we have remained committed to reinvesting in our practice to fulfill our mission of providing excellent diagnostic care.

EPIC-5100 = Effortless Refractions
Due to limited space and a need to increase efficiency and improve outcomes, we acquired three EPIC-5100 refraction workstations and began delegating refractions to our technicians. This decision was not taken lightly, and we had some concerns. For example, would delegating refractions increase the number of remakes and decrease our patient’s clinical results? Would the investment pay dividends — experientially for the patient and financially for our practice? Well, it’s been more than a year and half since we began this process, and I’m pleased to report that none of our concerns materialized and the investment was, in fact, a wise one.

The EPIC-5100 combines the OPD-Scan III wavefront aberrometer and corneal analyzer, and the TRS-5100 digital refractor. The two technologies can be used together to evaluate the entire visual system in a fraction of the time it takes traditional manual systems. The OPD-Scan III takes more than 20 measurements in less than 10 seconds, while assessing all aberrations in the optical pathway and establishing refraction start points. The TRS-5100 then steps in to complete all refractions with unprecedented accuracy, also in just seconds per eye.

Patient Preferred
Indeed, our patients overwhelmingly prefer the automated experience of the EPIC-5100 over the previous manual experience. The dual-prism technology of the EPIC-5100 allows the patient to see two cross-cylinder images simultaneously and, as a result, the process induces less anxiety as patients make their lens choices with confidence. In addition, patients perceive the refractive process as more comfortable and more advanced than the traditional manual refraction. Every day, we receive positive feedback from our patients about their experience with the technology. As a result, our patients view our practice as far more advanced and cutting-edge, which helps differentiate our practice from that of our competitors.

Not only is the patient experience better, but we’ve also found that the EPIC-5100 provides a better experience for our doctors and staff. The EPIC-5100 delivers consistent, accurate refractive data results. Our remake percentage for eyeglasses has dropped by more than half — from 12.8 to 6.3 percent.

Increasing the Bottom Line
Finally, our investment in the EPIC-5100 has paid dividends. By allowing us to quickly and easily show patients the difference between their current and new prescription, the EPIC-5100 helps us demonstrate how much better we can help them see. This also gives us more time to talk to patients about how to improve their visual performance and, in turn, their quality of life. The data automatically provided by the EPIC-5100 and the time provided to discuss options have resulted in an average increase of $69 per lens sale.

A Win-Win Situation
This single technology has helped us not only to increase our efficiency, but also to improve our patients’ experiences and our practice’s own financial performance. We could not be happier with the EPIC-5100.

– Mike Talone, OD is a managing partner at Nittany Eye Associates, State College, PA.

 

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Succeed in Health Care Reform with Technology

Health care reform is an issue that affects every optometry practice. Tim Petito, OD, FAAO discusses how technology enables optometrists to provide better patient care.

“For us in the practitioner world, we tend to think health care reform as a problem because it makes things more expensive for us, it makes things more difficult for us, and sometimes it takes away time from our patient care or our relationship with our patients. However, there are some are very good points to health care reform and we point those out; it helps us become more efficient, it’s a reality that we have to see more people, make less mistakes, and with more collaborative care going forward. That’s good for the patients, that’s good for the system, that’s good for our practices. We use difficult cases to point out how the technology that we incorporated under the health care reform mandate really solved those patients’ problems and allowed us to take care of patients.”

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