Eyeworld

82 | EYEWORLD | FALL 2026 P RACTICE MANAGEMENT Contact Brink: drbrink@matthewbrink.com Micheletti: morgan.micheletti@gmail.com Okeke: iglaucoma@gmail.com Relevant disclosures Brink: AbbVie, Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, Dompé, Elios Vision, Glau- kos, New World Medical, Sight Sciences, Stifel Financial Corp, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Zeiss Micheletti: AbbVie, ACE Vision, Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, Diama- trix, Elios Vision, EmmAI, Glau- kos, Iantrek, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Lenstec, MicroSurgical Technology, New World Medical, Nova Eye Medical, RxSight, Syn- opic, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Visus Therapeutics, Zeiss Okeke: Eyecare Partners, Eyes on Eyecare, Glaukos, Iantrek, Kugler Publications, Johns Hopkins University Press, Leo Lens, MediPrint, MST, Nanodrop- per, New World Medical, Nicox, Novartis, Nova Eye Medical, Ocular Therapeutix, Ophthal- mology 360, Regeneron, Santen, Science Based Health, Sight Sciences, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Texere, Thea, Visionology, Visus Therapeutics I am already doing, rather than adding unrelat- ed commitments," she said. Practically, Dr. Okeke said industry com- mitments get dedicated, protected time on her calendar, just like clinic and surgical respon- sibilities. "I often schedule collaboration work during non-clinic hours, administrative blocks, or lighter clinical days," she said. "I have also learned that it is important to set clear expecta- tions early regarding timelines, scope of work, and deliverables. This helps prevent overex- tension and allows collaborations to remain productive rather than burdensome." Like Dr. Micheletti alluded, Dr. Okeke said it's important to say yes selectively. "Not every opportunity is the right fit, and maintaining balance requires choosing projects that align with long-term professional goals and personal bandwidth," she said. Practice management considerations When doctors do something outside of their patient duties, it can impact the practice itself. "Industry collaboration often extends well beyond the physician," Dr. Okeke said, noting that surgical coordinators, technicians, admin- istrative staff, and sometimes practice leader- ship get involved to help with everything from workflow optimization to patient education to data collection and logistics. "In many cases, successful collaboration benefits from involve- ment across the practice team, depending on the nature of the project." This involvement of the whole practice in the project can be positive on several fronts, Dr. Okeke said, such as with regard to staff educa- tion, strengthening clinical protocols, and/or enhancing the patient experience. "It is import- ant to ensure that any collaboration remains compliant, transparent, and does not disrupt clinical efficiency," she noted. "Clear commu- nication with the team about goals and expec- tations helps maintain alignment and prevents additional strain on practice operations." Dr. Micheletti said depending on what the industry collaboration activity is, sometimes practice leadership or administrative staff can be involved with scheduling, compliance, contracting, travel logistics, and/or purchasing decisions. "For research projects, administrators, coordinators, and staff can be involved as well. Ophthalmology is a small world, and encour- aging positive relationships between practice administration and industry can be helpful long term," Dr. Micheletti said. Final takeaways Speak about what you believe in and have a breadth of experience with. "As long as it's something you use, as long as it's something you believe in, and you're not contorting your- self into using this device that you wouldn't otherwise use, I think you remain credible and authentic and also feel morally that you've done the right thing," Dr. Brink said. Remember that industry, while they do want their product to be used and to make money from it, also want patients to benefit. "They have an ethical side and want what's best for the patient," Dr. Brink said. "Always put the patient first." Provide honest and meaningful feedback to the companies you work with. "You don't want to tell someone that the product is great and not really feel that way," Dr. Okeke said. "I tend to work more with companies when I use their products more often. But I've worked with companies whose products I don't like and consulted with them in a way where I let them know why I didn't like their products. That information was very valuable to them because they need to know what's working well, what's not working well, and why, so that they can fine-tune and make it better." Dr. Micheletti said when getting involved in industry collaboration projects, it's important to be "excellent clinically first." "Take great care of your patients and your staff. Get involved at meetings, present topics of interest or challeng- ing cases, and be collaborative both in person and through professional social channels. Work on developing a reputation for integrity and follow through, and stay engaged professional- ly," he said. From there, Dr. Micheletti said it's import- ant to be honest, genuine, and patient focused. "When working with industry, do not simply tell a company what you think it wants to hear. An echo chamber is not helpful for the company, the surgeon, or the patient. The best collaborations allow you to be constructive and supportive while still challenging assumptions," he said. continued from page 81

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