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[deleted870381]

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[bergmistro]

Hello,

I am wondering if it is feasible to do medical retina and enter a retina-only group, while still maintaining cataract surgery skills.

Where would these referrals come from? Will retina-only groups want to take on a medical retina person, or do they not add enough value because they cannot take surgical call?

Thanks for your advice.

I'm not retina so I obviously might be wrong but I would think the latter. My understanding is medical retina is a tough sell to PP as most senior retina docs prefer to transition to a more medical retina practice later in their career (pays better, less stress) and want younger partners to handle the surgical care. I can also imagine that there is also the question of referral patterns and if keeping cataracts in house would affect relationships with referring comp ophthalmologists.

 

[airplanes]

Retina practices aren't equipped for cataract surgery. You need a biometer, topo, techs who BAT and refract. It's not efficient and not feasible for them to bring on a medical retina/cataract surgeon. Why would they? Retina clinic generates significant cashflow. More so than cataract surgery, and definitely more so than retina surgery. A practice is unlikely to bring someone on who would increase their overhead and decrease their average collections.

Regarding referrals, yeah, you wouldn't be anyone's favorite. Just do comp with a side of retina if you want to do both.

 

[docdoc2012]

PE groups are more likely to hire you for medical retina to handle the patient volume influx

 

[Baller2016]

Retina practices aren't equipped for cataract surgery. You need a biometer, topo, techs who BAT and refract. It's not efficient and not feasible for them to bring on a medical retina/cataract surgeon. Why would they? Retina clinic generates significant cashflow. More so than cataract surgery, and definitely more so than retina surgery. A practice is unlikely to bring someone on who would increase their overhead and decrease their average collections.

Regarding referrals, yeah, you wouldn't be anyone's favorite. Just do comp with a side of retina if you want to do both.

All great points. Cataract/refractive has more overhead for sure. Tough to do it in a retina only setting.

But cataract/refractive definitely can bring a ton of cashflow. I’m cat/ref and I out collect my medical retina colleagues by 1.5 to 2x every month (and I’m early in my career). It’s all so variable and tough to predict.