question regarding salary

[hello07]

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Can anyone tell me what do optometrists get paid on a hourly basis working for a busy ophthalmology practice? refractions and CL's fitting say 35-40 patients a day? I tried to google it but cannot find any answers as to per diem.

Any idea in the Northeast- NY NJ?

Thanks

 

[jefguth]

Can anyone tell me what do optometrists get paid on a hourly basis working for a busy ophthalmology practice? refractions and CL's fitting say 35-40 patients a day? I tried to google it but cannot find any answers as to per diem.

Any idea in the Northeast- NY NJ?

Thanks

Unfortunately, they're probably not paying a per diem commensurate with seeing 35+ patients per day...

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

Unfortunately, they're probably not paying a per diem commensurate with seeing 35+ patients per day...

I've never seen 35 patients in a day before. The only time i saw that many was when i did one my internships at an OMD cat/glaucoma office. I could pay off my student loans if i saw that many patients a day for a year.

I would guess around 80k, benefits. But you really have no possibility of ever being the owner, maybe partner.

 

[Commando303]

I've never heard of an optometrist's evaluating 35–40 patients in one day; the figure seems to lie closer to a dozen, and that makes a liberal claim. Also, as far as I know (and I admit I might be incorrect, here), most practices aren't structured such that an O.D. will be compensated per the number of customers he or she sees; rather, he or she will receive fixed stipends.

Concerning your inquiry into income, I should think it would vary substantially just by location. A "national average" for starting optometrists may be in the range of $80,000/year (in fact, I think, as of 2009, it is), but you ought to be able to ascertain a more accurate figure by checking statistics specific to your intended region of practice (e.g., state, population [urban or rural setting]).

 

[RTM]

I have to agree. 30+ patients a day is excessive and, frankly, would cause me to want to slit my wrists after about a year of that even if I was being paid 6 figures.

The best plan of action is to call in the area where you want to work and begin to assemble your own consensus of the going rate.

I would focus more on the office environment and less on pay. A Lexus and a 5 bdrm house don't make a bad work environment any more tolerable, IMHO.

Good luck.

 

[Commando303]

I would focus more on the office environment and less on pay. A Lexus and a 5 bdrm house don't make a bad work environment any more tolerable, IMHO.

Hear, hear.

 

[hello07]

30-40 pts a day is excessive? There are many optometrists in private practice or in retail optical stores depending on the neighborhood that see that many pts. Perhaps not 5 days a week but at least 2 or 3. Ophthalmologists in NYC and the boroughs see 25-30- even 35 patients or more in any given week usually (2-3 days a week). Why are all of you staggered at the numbers? Do you guys examine 5-7 pts a day and call it a day? Any busy ophthalmolgy practice w/ VF's, OCT, retinal cameras, etc.......techs, etc....see that many pts.
To rephrase my question: what is the going rate for an OD working in a MD office? Or no one has a clue like me? be honest

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

30-40 pts a day is excessive? There are many optometrists in private practice or in retail optical stores depending on the neighborhood that see that many pts. Ophthalmologists in NYC and the boroughs see 25-30- even 35 patients or more in any given week usually (2-3 days a week).Do you guys examine 5-7 pts a day and call it a day?

I examined 4 CL patients today x $100 =$400 (return patients no changes)
One regular spectacle exam x $80 = $80
Then examined a Mac Deg 92004 $100 92015 $20 and 92250 Fundus Photo $70. Probably get around $150 from her Coventry Advantra.
Called it a day at 5pm.

Total of 6 patients for a gross of $630. I run a corporate practice with rent at $200 a month or $7 a day (no 20% rent like most Walmarts).

My average patient load is about 8-10 a day. I run without a receptionist as my wife schedules appts from home via a cell phone and text messages me appts. This month has been down to averaging 6 pts a day. Charging higher amounts allows me to examine fewer patients.

I've always wanted to start a private practice, but right now have decided not to b/c of economics. Overall, and finally I am happy with my set-up now b/c it allows my wife to be home with our child. Overall, I'm not always happy with Optometric decisions...i.e. board certification, high tuition rates, disparity w/ medical insurance panels, over-supply of OD vs new schools openings, or no state to state license mobility.


Would I trade my 200k corporate practice for an 80k OMD job? Probably not, b/c of constant geriatric patients.

I wouldn't say 30-40 patients is excessive, its usually not present. Even when I lived in St. Louis w/ higher population i never even saw it in private practices, only OMD offices. After 16 full exams a day (my max) I'm exhausted.

Good luck in your OMD search, it can be very exciting practicing in that modality.

 

[yOyOYoo]

I did a residency with an Ophthalmology clinic, and it was not out of the question to see 20-40 patients in any given day. However, not all of these patients were refractive cases, only a handful of them were.

Most of the cases were short visits such as post operative follow up exams, glaucoma pressures checks, sometimes just 5-10 minute quick exams with each patient.

Before I would go see these patients, a technician had already worked the patient up with all applicable entrance testing including VAs, EOMs, pupil assessment, refraction (yes, COTs can refract), Goldmann applanation tonometry, and even case history!

I would pop in, say hello, do a quick slit lamp and fundus lens evaluation of posterior segment - then make an assessment and diagnosis and leave. On very busy days, I had a scribe with me to document all of my findings. The clinic was extremely efficient and would see up to 60+ patients in a day. It's definitely possible to see 35-40 patients a day.

Now back to the original poster's statement about doing 35-40 refractions in a day... I think that is just ridiculous! I can't imagine doing this many refractions in an 8 hour day. I would be exaughsted, and I seriously think that patient care would be compromised. I like to trial frame many of my patients and I like to take the case history myself. Refraction for glasses, and especially contact lenses, needs more than just ~15 minutes to be done properly in my opinion. I think i'd go crazy asking "which lens is better, 1 or 2" all day long on 40 different people.

I work for an ophthalmology clinic right now, as do a few of my colleagues. The pay runs between $80-90,000 a year, with full benefits such as medical, dental, association fees, CE fees, paid vacations, etc. It may not be the most amount of money, but it's definitely an interesting place to work. The diversity of patients and unique cases that come in definitely keep my job exciting and challenging. This, and being able to practice to the highest level of optometry (therapeutics and glaucoma management included) make it a great career for me. Any time an especially challenging case comes in we have OMDs to refer to within the clinic for second opinions.

please, don't be just a refraction machine seeing patients every 15 minutes!!

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

please, don't be just a refraction machine seeing patients every 15 minutes!!

That's why i like my setup of roughly a patient an hour. Gives me time to talk, and do DFE's.

I would hate to work for America's Best doing q 15 min exams.

 

[stonegoat]

That's why i like my setup of roughly a patient an hour. Gives me time to talk, and do DFE's.

I would hate to work for America's Best doing q 15 min exams.

A patient an hour?!!? I would be bored to death. What can you do that possibly takes an hour?? I book full exams every 20 minutes, with minors and CL checks in between....fast paced, but boy do the days go fast.

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

A patient an hour?!!? I would be bored to death. What can you do that possibly takes an hour?? I book full exams every 20 minutes, with minors and CL checks in between....fast paced, but boy do the days go fast.

I don't usually take an hour for an exam, but then again I have no tech or secretary for paperwork gathering. Most exams are thirty minutes long. Sometimes I talk to an interesting patient about their family, or lifestyle. Insurance billing, accounting, paying bills, accounts receivable all done by myself.

I'll read CE articles, or on the internet. Sometimes I'll go home for an hour. I'm fine with what I make in income now after 3 1/2 years.

 

[RTM]

To rephrase my question: what is the going rate for an OD working in a MD office? Or no one has a clue like me? be honest

Reading all the posts it is clear that all offices function differently. There really is no concrete answer to your question. Wanna know what you can get paid? Get out there and see! Popping in to see a patient for 5 minutes and then having a tech finish the exam or a scribe complete the documentation is hardly "seeing a patient". Everyone has their own defn of what "seeing a patient" means. Working in a busy hospital-based ocular disease clinic, I only schedule patients every 30 mins. And, if there wasn't a certain amount of no-shows, I'd get crushed! I certainly spend more than 5-10 mins with a patient.
Ophthalmology practices function differently, most examinations are problem specific and surgery revenue certainly helps pay for all that tech/scribe support. 30-40 patients a day is just a cocktail party number. Post a reply and let us know when you can see 30-40 full exams w/ DFE in an 8 hour day. Then I still won't believe it.
If you don't like the responses, get out there and formulate your own answer.
Best of luck to you.
Peace.

 

[Meibomian SxN]

...
Ophthalmology practices function differently, most examinations are problem specific and surgery revenue certainly helps pay for all that tech/scribe support. 30-40 patients a day is just a cocktail party number. Post a reply and let us know when you can see 30-40 full exams w/ DFE in an 8 hour day. Then I still won't believe it....
Peace.

No one cane see 30-40 full brand new exams. But when working in a high volume practice, you learn to master the art of "cut to the chase". At an average high volume oMD or OD medical practice you will have a blend of brand new full exams, f/u's, emergencies etc. They all account for something.

The difference is the staff support you have. If your doing 30 exams and you only have a technician that can do auto-refraction, then you will definitely be running behind. I've interviewed at a practice before (oMD) that had certified tech's that did GAT, refraction and basically the external exam. Doc pops in and reviews the info and does the DFE.

The days of sitting with patients chatting about the lastest football game are over!