Eyeworld

be defined for your practice. A good mission statement is usually one clear, concise sentence that describes what the practice intends to accom- plish. Next on the agenda should be to outline the practice's strengths and weaknesses. It is important to do this before planning the growth or addition of services, adding more ophthalmologists or other providers, branching out into additional loca- tions, etc. A good facilitator will have an agenda prepared in advance so each participant can study it and prepare thoughts for a good discussion. The facilitator will probably circulate a questionnaire to everyone involved in the retreat a few weeks ahead of time to assist the facilitator in plan- ning the key issues for the retreat. This also focuses the participants on what will be covered. Reference material It is a good idea to bring along refer- ence material for the retreat. Most fa- cilitators will ask for this ahead of time anyway so that they can "do their homework" before the retreat. The facilitator will likely want vari- ous practice/provider information re- lating to types of patients and patient volumes; surgical and other proce- dures performed and where; aged accounts receivable; provider productivity; gross charges, collected income, practice overhead expenses, and income available to compensate the practice owners; payer informa- tion/volumes; and demographic in- formation on your practice region (or on the area you plan to expand to). Brainstorming session A free-flowing brainstorming session should be the next part of the retreat process, starting with a listing of po- tential business/practice develop- ment ideas. These might include internal growth ideas, such as im- proving operating efficiency, expan- sion, or improved utilization of current services and improved uti- lization of current facilities and re- sources. Another strategy to focus on is provider growth in general oph- thalmology, subspecialty ophthal- mology, and with optometrists and other non-physician providers. Be certain to mention growth in other service areas as well, like ancillary services (optical shop, etc.), side businesses (audiology, hearing aids, etc.), and target patient expansion (young adults for refractive surgery). This free-flowing session should list all of the recommendations, without judgment—the list will be culled down later. For now, however, every- one's thoughts and input are essen- tial. Once strategies have been laid out, evaluate them for how much they will accentuate the practice's and ophthalmologists' strengths and if weaknesses will be avoided. Do the new strategies have the potential to fulfill the practice's objectives, yet at the same time fit into the con- fines of the available resources (human, financial, capital)? Con- sider if the resulting plan is consis- tent with practice policies and your newly developed mission statement. Some of the ideas will fall by the wayside during this process, but they all should be considered. Documentation and implementation Everything that is generated from the retreat should be documented in writing so there is a "game plan" for the future, with timelines if possible. In addition, having group members' ideas recorded will help them feel like they have contributed to the discussion. You do not need or want a fancy, bound business plan that will sit on a shelf. You need a work- ing document that should be re- ferred to often as your practice changes and develops. It should function as a checklist to ensure that you are still on target with your de- veloped practice strategies. How often? Practices typically schedule one large retreat every 12-18 months or per- haps two smaller sessions during that timeframe. Anything more than that is not needed. You need time for plans to be implemented, modi- fied, and retested. And you need enough time between to maintain interest. Summary For the retreat to be productive, the discussions need to be open, with all EW Ophthalmology Business 51 July 2011 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mr. Kropiewnicki is a principal attorney with Health Care Law Associates, P.C., and a principal consultant with The Health Care Group Inc., both based in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. He can be contacted at 610-828-3888 or mkrop@ healthcaregroup.com. Friday Focus Surveys are a member benefit of the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators. For membership information email asoa@asoa.org or call 703-591-2220. ASOA, 4000 Legato Road, Suite 700, Fairfax, VA 22033. www.asoa.org. ASOA Friday Focus Surveys Focusing on the BUSINESS of Ophthalmology 1. What percentage of your gross revenue is spent on information technology? Response Percent 1% - 3% 54% 4% - 6% 27% 7% - 9% 9% 10% - 15% 9% 16% or more 1% 2. What items do you include in that number? Response Percent Hardware 86% Software 89% Personnel 53% Transcription 9% Medical Records 14% Maintenance Contracts 63% NOTE: Other responses included: phone system, website, data center clearing house, cloud computing, computer backup systems, and insurance verification. participants actively contributing to the conversation. Encourage every- one to (using a clichéd expression) "think outside the box." Group members need to be willing to com- promise and to actively listen to each other. With these small rules in place, your retreat can be a valuable tool in making your practice more focused, more efficient, and more prepared for the future. EW

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