The learning curve: Is it really worth it?

Premium surgeons face many challenges on a daily basis, from managing patient expectations, managing the ocular surface and treating corneal astigmatism to calculating proper IOL powers, but the most daunting challenge is learning about and/or implementing a new surgical maneuver or device. Wikipedia describes the familiar expression “a steep learning curve” as intended to mean that the activity is difficult to learn, although a learning curve with a steep start actually represents rapid progress. Either way the steep learning curve is interpreted, the premium surgeon has to encounter it, whether it be starting femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, managing astigmatism and knowing his or her own surgical induced astigmatism factor, adding intraoperative aberrometry, and/or implementing any or all of the tiers of advanced/premium IOLs, such as aspheric, toric and presbyopia correcting.When implementing any or all of these aforementioned technologies, it usually involves a multifaceted approach and not just the surgeon learning his or her part of the procedure. It starts with proper front desk scripting, proper inclusion and adjustment of flow for new diagnostics that pertain to the new device/procedure at hand, technician training, surgery counselor incorporation of the new products and pricing with advanced beneficiary notices retooled to maintain CMS guidelines for Medicare patients, and lastly billing department involvement in the latter and description of co-pays and deductibles if applicable.