ASCRS News
Winter 2024

In late September, ASCRS hosted a new meeting designed to help practices efficiently and effectively increase their confidence in and offerings of advanced-technology IOLs. The ASCRS Business of Refractive Cataract Surgery (BRiCS) Summit, which took place September 27–28 in Irving, Texas, brought together practice teams—a surgeon and implementor (a member of the business side of the practice) enrolled together—to emphasize the fact that for advanced-technology IOL adoption to be successful, all members of the practice need to be educated on various aspects. There were nearly 50 practices represented from 24 states and Costa Rica.

“This is not your typical weekend premium IOL meeting,” said ASCRS Executive Director Steve Speares. “This is about transforming the practice and building the necessary foundation for success as a business entity in addition to the delivery of excellent clinical care.”

Vance Thompson, MD, ASCRS President and Chair of the BRiCS Summit, said feedback from the participants was so positive because they felt there hadn’t been a meeting that offered the concentrated information on every step of the patient experience cycle in refractive cataract surgery and the business of refractive cataract surgery in the way this course did. 

“I think the main reason for the success of the BRiCS course was at its foundation, there was an equal respect for the doctors and their teams that deliver the care and the business leaders of their team who administer and provide structure to the practice,” Dr. Thompson said. 

Richard Lindstrom, MD, a member of the BRiCS faculty, emphasized that “it’s OK for an ophthalmologist to be a good business person. … It’s not only OK, I think it’s necessary for us to meet the future demands of our society. We’re going to need to be better business people.” 

The 2-day meeting held sessions focused in the following areas:

• The Business of Refractive Cataract Surgery: An Evo- and Revo-lution
• The Premium Practice Journey Preparation
• The Patient Clinical Journey
• The Advanced-Technology Implant Surgery
• Materials and Checklists for a Successful Premium Practice
• Aftercare and the Postop Journey: The Keys to Success

Interactive role-play sessions and roundtables also took place.

After the meeting, attendees were given access to an exclusive resource library, which includes educational materials for staff and patients, checklists, protocols, and more. These materials were developed by faculty and are currently in use in their own practices. Sessions from the meeting were also recorded and available on demand for those enrolled in the course.

“The Business of Refractive Cataract Surgery Summit … was something that we worked hard on to try to, for one, help patients who want premium implants at a significant rate, and they’re happening at a much lower rate,” Dr. Thompson said. “Knowing that doctor/practice confidence is the core issue, we can close this gap so patients get the technology they truly want, and what refractive cataract surgery does for the financial health of the practice, by them being comfortable delivering this hybrid of third-party pay along with patients investing in the implant technology, we think is the future of cataract surgery. … This was a big course, and we wanted to make sure that all the business aspects from A-Z … every step of the way, we looked at the business of it and the surgical and clinical pearls, everything that practices and doctors are looking for to confidently go to the next level in advanced cataract surgery. In those 2 days, learning from the other faculty and the participants about what worked well for them, in the end, we both grew, the faculty and the participants. This was one of the most rewarding things that I’ve been involved with.” 

Stay tuned for more information about a future BRiCS Summit and other ASCRS meetings that will focus on successful business implementation of advanced technologies.