Iridex reported a net income of $1.44 million in 2012, down from $2.61 million in 2011, according to a news release.Gross profit for the year was $16.35 million, up from $16.29 million the previous year, while total operating expenses increased to $17….
Author: Healio ophthalmology
PRK may treat myopia, astigmatism in suspected keratoconic eyes over long term
PRK was an effective treatment for mild myopia and astigmatism in select patients diagnosed with suspected keratoconus, according to a study.The retrospective case analysis included 62 eyes of 42 patients who underwent myopic PRK using an EC-5000 excim…
BLOG: President’s sequestration order cuts Medicare payments to physicians and hospitals by 2%
President Obama signed the long-awaited sequestration order on March 1, officially cutting more than $85 billion from the federal budget for 2013. Coverage of these cuts, in both the popular media and trade press, has focused on the impact on programs for some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens. Perhaps most notably for older patients and those who care for them, however, roughly 12% of the total budget cuts (approximately $11 billion) will come from reductions to the Medicare budget.
Surgeon explains reimbursement changes amid new billing environment
SAN FRANCISCO — Surgeons face a mixed bag of reimbursement increases and decreases, based on revised guidelines and valuation changes, a surgeon said here.“I think [there’s] probably a lot of good news for those using the femtosecond [laser] with premium IOLs. There’s bad news for cataract, but some good news with respect to the reimbursement for [microincision glaucoma surgery],” David F. Chang, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Using shunts to control aqueous flow to suprachoroidal space may be key to lowering IOP
SAN FRANCISCO — In glaucoma patients, the suprachoroidal space may be the ideal location for an IOP-lowering procedure, according to a presenter here.“Communicating the anterior chamber with the suprachoroidal space dramatically reduces IOP; however, if a procedure can control the amount of flow to the suprachoroidal space, it could be an ideal approach to lowering IOP,” Celso Tello, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
IOP reduced after implantation of two micro-bypass stents
SAN FRANCISCO — Two trabecular micro-bypass stents and a prostaglandin analogue may reduce IOP and medication use in patients with open-angle glaucoma, according to a prospective study presented here. Two iStents (Glaukos) were implanted in 41 open-angle glaucoma patients with travoprost prescribed postoperatively, Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, OSN Glaucoma Section Editor, said in a poster presented at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
BLOG: Fee-for-Service Reimbursement – The End is Near?
From international law firm Arnold & Porter LLP comes timely views on current regulatory and legislative topics that weigh on the minds of today’s physicians and health care executives.On March 4, the National Commission on Physician Payment Reform (NCPPR) released its final recommendations for reining in healthcare spending. Sponsored by the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the NCPPR is an independent commission created “to assess how physicians are paid, and how pay incentives are linked to patient care.” After a year of study and deliberation, the NCPPR identified twelve recommendations to address systemic and Medicare-specific issues in today’s prevailing physician reimbursement models.
Ophthalmic clinical registry would enhance compliance, outcomes and revenues
SAN FRANCISCO — An ophthalmic clinical registry would help ophthalmologists improve outcomes, comply with government regulations and boost revenues, according to a speaker.At the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting, William L. Rich III, MD, the medical director of health policy for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, outlined the form, function and potential benefits of registries.
Combination of micro-stent implant, cataract surgery lowers IOP in open-angle glaucoma
SAN FRANCISCO — In mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma, suprachoroidal micro-stent implantation in conjunction with phacoemulsification may safely lower IOP, according to a presenter here.The objective of the device is to sustain a low IOP, as well as reduce the dependence on antihypertensive medications, Steven D. Vold, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Physicians need to be prepared for IOP spikes after glaucoma surgery
SAN FRANCISCO — Glaucoma procedures, even minimally invasive ones such as trabecular meshwork ablation, require preparation for potential complications including IOP spikes, a presenter said here.”The best offense is a good defense, and avoiding such complications is truly better than managing them,” Carla J. Siegfried, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
BLOG: Is my practice overstaffed? Part 1
Some of the most common questions asked today, as practice costs rise and reimbursements decline, are, “Are we overstaffed? Are our staffing costs too high?” The fundamental productivity of your practice’s non-physician support staff can be assessed with one common ratio. A simple percentile ratio can be derived by adding up the fully burdened annual lay support staff wages, payroll taxes and benefits, and dividing the resulting total figure by your practice’s annual collections. In a general ophthalmology practice, the typical range falls between 28% and 32%, with that much of each dollar collected going back out for lay support staffing costs. It’s likely your largest single cost of doing business.
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Intra-Tenon’s injection of MMC for trabeculectomy may lead to better blebs
SAN FRANCISCO — A newer method of applying mitomycin C may create more ideal trabeculectomy blebs by better diffusion of the antimetabolite, according to a presenter here.“The ideal bleb is diffuse with normal vascularity. The scary bleb is focal, cystic and avascular; it is prone to leaks, blebitis and endophthalmitis,” Michele C. Lim, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Tubes alleviate increased IOP in young patients with juvenile immune arthritis
SAN FRANCISCO — Glaucoma can be blinding in young patients with juvenile immune arthritis, and although medical management is limited, surgical management with tube implantation can be somewhat successful, according to one presenter’s observations. “I prefer valved tubes in these situations, mostly because of their predictability,” Joseph A. Caprioli, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting, adding that he prefers a rigid plate design rather than silicone. Potential problems include tube exposure due to erosion from steroids or eye rubbing, as well as iris adhesions.
Glaucoma shunt compares favorably with trabeculectomy at 1 year
SAN FRANCISCO — A glaucoma shunt and trabeculectomy yielded largely similar outcomes, although the shunt offered faster visual recovery, a speaker told colleagues here.“There are some potential advantages of Ex-Press. Specifically, for people who are comfortable doing a trabeculectomy, it’s a very short learning curve,” Yvonne M. Buys, MD, FRCSC, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Innovative surgical technique may manage adult primary glaucoma
SAN FRANCISCO — A novel surgical procedure may be effective in reducing IOP in patients with adult primary glaucoma, according to a presenter here.“The fact that the conjunctiva and sclera is spared makes this surgical procedure a very promising first-line surgical glaucoma treatment,” David G. Godfrey, MD, said in a poster presented at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Hyphemas commonly follow trabecular meshwork ablation in open-angle glaucoma
SAN FRANCISCO — Trabecular meshwork ablation is generally safe in treating open-angle glaucoma even though hyphemas may occur afterward, according to a physician.“It is important to remember that hyphemas can occur anytime when there is blood reflux,” Arthur J. Sit, SM, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
IOP reduced after stent implantation, postoperative prostaglandin analogue
SAN FRANCISCO — Implantation of a suprachoroidal stent and use of postoperative topical travoprost may reduce IOP in phakic open-angle glaucoma patients who have uncontrolled IOP while on two topical ocular hypotensive medications, according to a presenter here.”Following stent implantation, IOP and medication burden were significantly lowered in the absence of significant adverse events,” Jonathan S. Myers, MD, said in a poster presented at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Ab interno micro-stent reduces IOP, glaucoma medication use
SAN FRANCISCO — A micro-stent was beneficial in reducing IOP and medication use alone and in combination with phacoemulsification, according to a study presented here. Manfred R. Tetz, MD, discussed data on the Hydrus micro-stent (Ivantis) at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Glaucoma CPT codes for shunt revision under review
SAN FRANCISCO — Notwithstanding a “hit” in 2013 to cataract surgeons, ophthalmology has fared better than other specialties with regard to reimbursement adjustments over the past 5 years, according to a presenter here.“We’re actually in the plus category,” Cynthia Mattox, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.