Eyeworld

EW FEATURE 52 January 2011 ing to Mark S. Fisher, MBA, FACMP, executive director. In addition to general ophthalmologists the prac- tice boasts two pediatric ophthal- mologists, a retinologist, three optometrists, and a certified hearing screener. "We do refractive, we do LASIK, we do LIOL's (lifestyle IOL's), we have cosmetics, we have low vi- sion, we have an optical shop, we contact lenses, and we just recently put in hearing screening," Mr. Fisher said. "So, we look at retail as a very important part of what we do in terms of providing services and products for our patients across those six areas." In the last four or five years the group has expanded into primary care eye services and into optometry. In addition they have instituted an active optometric co-management program across the region. "It works by connecting with and working with the optometrists in the various communities around the Stillwater area," Mr. Fisher said. "Optometric co-management would be working very closely with and strengthening the relationships between op- tometrists that would be within smaller communities in terms of why and how and if they refer pa- tients to the ophthalmologists here, particularly along the lines of surgi- cal services." The practice has staff dedicated to working closely with area optometrists to help cement that relationship. "There's a term that's used here – its vision for a lifetime," Mr. Fisher said. "I think that probably sums it up pretty well from the standpoint of can we provide services for pedi- atric patients from birth to any and all services along the road ultimately to glaucoma or to cataracts—all the kinds of things that you typically get later in your life." Most recently the practice has also begun offering hearing screen- ing, partnering with a company called PHSI (Physician Hearing Serv- ices Inc., Bonita Springs, Florida). Mr. Fisher sees the connection as a natural one. "Typically the patients that we see are along the lines of older Baby Boomer type patients that may have cataracts and every- thing else and who are also poten- tially candidates for hearing services," he said. Toward that end, the facility now employs a certified hearing screener. This has actually been inte- grated right into the eye exam process. "While I'm sitting in my eye lane waiting for my doctor to come in and do a standard refrac- tion or what ever it may be, we can do a hearing screening at the request of the patient," Mr. Fisher said. "If they don't pass and they have an in- terest and desire in undergoing a more detailed formalized screening process then we would set up an ap- pointment for them with our hear- ing screener." If these are needed, the practice then dispenses hearing aids. "It's kind of different," Mr. Fisher said. "But what we are finding is that it is very, very well received by our patients because as we know as Baby Boomers age when their eye sight goes, guess what for many their hearing also goes." Mr. Fisher sees the integrated eye care approach as mirroring what has been termed the medical home model. "It's very similar to what I would call a multi-specialty medical group where they can provide multi- ple kinds of services, whether it be family practice, internal medicine, surgery, gastroenterology, or what- ever," he said. "In the eye care world we have chosen to provide that scope and range of services." A high-tech high touch approach Not everybody agrees, however, that this varied approach is the way to go. At Advanced Vision Care in Los Angeles California, in the practice founded by Samuel Masket, M.D., they follow a more traditional model, according to Barbara Masket, office administrator. "It was a one- man show for most of the years and Sam just had various people who came in and worked with him," she said. Ms. Masket herself an architect by trade, joined her husband's prac- tice in 2003. Dr. Masket has in the last couple of years brought, Nicole R. Fram, M.D., on board with their partnership becoming official as of January 1, 2011. But the essence of the practice remains the same. "It's still general ophthalmology and an- terior segment," Ms. Masket said. Ms. Masket does not envision that the practice will ever take on an integrated eye care approach, since Dr. Masket favors an old-school, Marcus Welby way of doing busi- ness. "He will not put his name on Botox, he will not put his name on selling hearing aids or vitamins," Ms. Masket said. "Even Latisse he's averse to talking about." Instead, Dr. Masket chooses to focus expressly on anterior segment cataract surgery or complications of cataract surgery. "It's a really special office," Ms. Masket said. "There is not a person that comes in that everyone doesn't know their name—Sam will know their history, their grandchildren, and their stories since he has cared for their eyes for years." Ms. Masket sees it as a very personal, hands-on approach, something that she says that Dr. Masket refers to has high- tech, high-touch ophthalmology. She sees this specialized ap- proach as lending credibility to the practice. "Dr. Masket has become the surgeon of last resort," Ms. Masket said. "If you have your right shoul- der broken wouldn't you like to go to the right shoulder man?" Going forward, Ms. Masket en- visions the practice as continuing with its personalized approach. "Nicole is just like Sam in that she is buying into a practice that is just the same as what he has had – a high- tech, high-touch practice," Ms. Mas- ket said. "I hope that that lasts for a long time for her." For his part, Mr. Fisher sees the integrated eye model as continuing to buffer the practice in these uncer- tain economic times. "It's really a multi-pronged approach and as we look at the market right now, who knows what's going to happen with Medicare, and who knows what's going to happen with health-care costs," Mr. Fisher said. "We actually feel quite relieved and positive that we have some options and choices and can hopefully maximize those in order to stay quite frankly in busi- ness and be independent and still offer the type of care and service that we want to provide." EW Editors' note: Mr. Fisher, Ms. Masket, and Ms. Masket indicated no financial interests related to their comments. Contact information: Fisher: mfisher@associatedeyecare.com Masket: architart@aol.com Simerson: cssimerson@mneye.com continued from page 50 Equipment setup in a surgical room at the Minnesota Eye Consultants, PA Source: Candy Simerson

• Cover