Two Indiana optometrists have opened the state’s first optometrist-owned office-based surgical suites, offering cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange inside their own practices, Optometry Times reported Nov. 4.
Christopher Browning, OD, of VisionQuest Eyecare opened his suite Oct. 29. Nicholas Garn, OD, of Zionsville Eyecare opened a separate suite Oct. 30, according to the report. Both worked with iOR Partners, a company that develops and operates office-based surgical suites.
VisionQuest serves the greater Indianapolis area from locations in Greenwood and Fishers. Zionsville Eyecare operates alongside Carmel Eyecare and serves Zionsville, Carmel and nearby communities.
Each optometrist contracts with a surgeon who operates in his office. Optometrists cannot own an ASC, but they can own an office-based surgery suite.
At first, Dr. Browning doubted his practice could support a suite. Then the data showed it had been referring out more than 30 cataract patients a month. He credited iOR Partners with guiding his vendor choices, instruments, space plan and processes.
Dr. Garn named surgeon contract negotiations, detailed cost estimates and the femtosecond laser as the main hurdles.
“Our goal is to make surgery more convenient, accessible, and patient-focused,” Dr. Garn said in a statement to Optometry Times. He said patients will be able to schedule surgery sooner, travel shorter distances and go to fewer appointments.
Both optometrists plan to offer surgical time to other Indiana optometrists. Dr. Garn said he wants the suite to serve the wider optometric community, not just his own practice.
The Indiana openings follow an iOR Partners launch earlier in October at Butler Eye Care in Pennsylvania, which is co-owned by Jennifer McGrath, OD, and Michael McGrath, OD.
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