Eye Care Practice Expansion & Diagnostic Device Study
Understand how eye care professionals view expanding their services, their interest in new diagnostic devices for conditions like macular degeneration, what would convince them to purchase new equipment, and their concerns about adding new services to their practice
Research group: 15 respondents, predominantly operations/admin leaders (scheduling, facilities, supply chain, revenue cycle, compliance) in US/Canada eye programs, plus EVS and OR materials managers with a few non‑eye ambulatory comparators. What they said: An operations‑first reality: a hybrid treat‑in‑house/refer model, imaging as the choke point, templates with protected retina/injection blocks, “kill the fax” interoperability with closed‑loop referrals, and prior‑auth as the top friction-compounded by rural transport and low‑bandwidth constraints.
Main insights: Expansion only flies when it cuts handoffs and minutes-same‑day diagnostics+first treatment, added imaging redundancy (e.g., second OCT/UWF/OCT‑A), tele‑retina and low‑vision lanes, extended hours-backed by staff and clear ROI.
Device buying is pragmatic: clean EHR/DICOM integration proven in‑workflow, 12–24‑month payback with transparent TCO, KPI‑bound pilots and firm SLAs with loaners, strong security (BAA/SBOM); subscriptions, consumable traps, siloed data, or weak service are deal‑killers. Takeaways: Lead with an interoperability spine and a no‑risk 60–90‑day pilot‑in‑a‑box (throughput, repeats, time‑to‑treatment, denials), reimbursement evidence for the local payer mix, and guaranteed loaners/response times.
Design offerings to deliver measurable cycle‑time cuts and same‑day starts while shielding core blocks-automate prior‑auth/cost at point of care, and ship offline/outreach modes for rural clinics.
If prioritizing investments, fund additional imaging capacity (second OCT/UWF), embedded retina and after‑hours sessions plus transport/navigation, and decline gadgets that lack integration, auditable compliance, and a 12–24‑month ROI.
Neil Mejorada
Neil Mejorada, 39, is a healthcare operations manager in Aurora, IL. A separated co-parent to an 8-year-old, Hindu, budget-savvy, and mobile-first, prioritizes reliable, privacy-respecting products. Walks to work, cooks plant-forward, runs, and volunteers l…
Michael Gallegos
Michael Gallegos, 37, is a healthcare operations coordinator in Frederick, MD, living on the rural edge. A budget-conscious co-parent to a 7-year-old, Michael carpools, cooks at home, hikes with a dog, and values reliability, privacy, and evidence-based, co…
Amber Ruiz
1) Basic Demographics
Amber Ruiz is a 39-year-old White (Non-Hispanic) woman living in Lakewood, Colorado (urban). She is married with no children, a U.S. citizen, and speaks English at home. She identifies as female (sex at birth: female). Educa…
Jeremy Rodriguez
Jeremy Rodriguez, 47, is a Naperville, IL–based healthcare operations lead managing a 12-person team. Married, no kids, he’s budget-savvy, community-minded, and tech-forward; values durable, fairly priced gear, favors Android compatibility, and spends free…
Robert Bolt
Robert Bolt is a capable, quietly generous 40-year-old healthcare operations pro in Rochester. A widower without kids, he keeps his world humming: reliable car, tidy bungalow, a dog who insists on sunrise walks, and a garage table dusted with sawdust from l…
Siobhan O'Neill
Siobhan O'Neill is a 63-year-old Canadian woman in urban Hamilton, ON — a married, childfree health‑services administrator (management) earning $75–$99k, employed, pragmatic and community-minded, valuing quality, privacy, and local impact. (Residence noted:…
Robert Hart
Robert Hart, 61, is a married healthcare operations lead in rural Kamloops, BC. Thrifty, eco-minded homeowner who works from home, enjoys canoeing, gardening, and practical, durable solutions.
Nicole Griego
Nicole Griego, 34, is a bilingual healthcare office coordinator in rural Pennsylvania, married with two kids. Practical and warm, she budgets carefully, values trust and community, and favors durable, time-saving solutions with clear, bilingual support.
Brian Boyd
47-year-old Black hospital operations director in rural Virginia. Married with one child, Yoruba-English bilingual, church-involved, pragmatic and data-driven. Optimizes for reliability, time savings, and total cost of ownership across work and home.
Jennie Bellamy
1) Basic Demographics
Jennie Bellamy is a 50-year-old Jewish woman living in Olathe city, KS, USA. She is married to Mark (52) and they have no children by choice. She is White, born in the United States, and speaks English at home. She holds a g…
Becky Kim
Becky Kim is a fifty-year-old rural Ohio hospital materials manager. Married, childfree, pragmatic and evidence-driven. Values reliability, privacy, and local support. Lives simply, gardens, quilts, cooks Lebanese family dishes, and prioritizes durability,…
Donnell Spiker
Orlando hospital operations director, married with two kids, high household income, renting for flexibility. Data-first, time-poor, and pragmatic. Prioritizes reliability, family routines, and evidence-backed convenience. Moderate politics, community-minded…
Danae Hunt
1) Basic Demographics
Danae Hunt is a 56-year-old White woman living in a sparsely populated area listed as Rural, PA, USA. She was born in the United States and speaks English at home. She is married, has no children, and identifies as Mainline…
Crystal Montana
Crystal Montana, a 44-year-old LDS hospital EVS shift lead in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Married, no kids, mortgage, carpool commute, uninsured. Frugal, routine-driven, community-focused. Chooses durable, cash-price, low-maintenance solutions with transparent pol…
Rachel Williams
Rachel Williams is a 55-year-old rural Louisiana medical billing clerk. Married, no kids, low household income, frugal and practical. Prefers durable, low-commitment options, clear pricing, and neighbor-tested solutions; balances work, carpooling, pets, and…
Neil Mejorada
Neil Mejorada, 39, is a healthcare operations manager in Aurora, IL. A separated co-parent to an 8-year-old, Hindu, budget-savvy, and mobile-first, prioritizes reliable, privacy-respecting products. Walks to work, cooks plant-forward, runs, and volunteers l…
Michael Gallegos
Michael Gallegos, 37, is a healthcare operations coordinator in Frederick, MD, living on the rural edge. A budget-conscious co-parent to a 7-year-old, Michael carpools, cooks at home, hikes with a dog, and values reliability, privacy, and evidence-based, co…
Amber Ruiz
1) Basic Demographics
Amber Ruiz is a 39-year-old White (Non-Hispanic) woman living in Lakewood, Colorado (urban). She is married with no children, a U.S. citizen, and speaks English at home. She identifies as female (sex at birth: female). Educa…
Jeremy Rodriguez
Jeremy Rodriguez, 47, is a Naperville, IL–based healthcare operations lead managing a 12-person team. Married, no kids, he’s budget-savvy, community-minded, and tech-forward; values durable, fairly priced gear, favors Android compatibility, and spends free…
Robert Bolt
Robert Bolt is a capable, quietly generous 40-year-old healthcare operations pro in Rochester. A widower without kids, he keeps his world humming: reliable car, tidy bungalow, a dog who insists on sunrise walks, and a garage table dusted with sawdust from l…
Siobhan O'Neill
Siobhan O'Neill is a 63-year-old Canadian woman in urban Hamilton, ON — a married, childfree health‑services administrator (management) earning $75–$99k, employed, pragmatic and community-minded, valuing quality, privacy, and local impact. (Residence noted:…
Robert Hart
Robert Hart, 61, is a married healthcare operations lead in rural Kamloops, BC. Thrifty, eco-minded homeowner who works from home, enjoys canoeing, gardening, and practical, durable solutions.
Nicole Griego
Nicole Griego, 34, is a bilingual healthcare office coordinator in rural Pennsylvania, married with two kids. Practical and warm, she budgets carefully, values trust and community, and favors durable, time-saving solutions with clear, bilingual support.
Brian Boyd
47-year-old Black hospital operations director in rural Virginia. Married with one child, Yoruba-English bilingual, church-involved, pragmatic and data-driven. Optimizes for reliability, time savings, and total cost of ownership across work and home.
Jennie Bellamy
1) Basic Demographics
Jennie Bellamy is a 50-year-old Jewish woman living in Olathe city, KS, USA. She is married to Mark (52) and they have no children by choice. She is White, born in the United States, and speaks English at home. She holds a g…
Becky Kim
Becky Kim is a fifty-year-old rural Ohio hospital materials manager. Married, childfree, pragmatic and evidence-driven. Values reliability, privacy, and local support. Lives simply, gardens, quilts, cooks Lebanese family dishes, and prioritizes durability,…
Donnell Spiker
Orlando hospital operations director, married with two kids, high household income, renting for flexibility. Data-first, time-poor, and pragmatic. Prioritizes reliability, family routines, and evidence-backed convenience. Moderate politics, community-minded…
Danae Hunt
1) Basic Demographics
Danae Hunt is a 56-year-old White woman living in a sparsely populated area listed as Rural, PA, USA. She was born in the United States and speaks English at home. She is married, has no children, and identifies as Mainline…
Crystal Montana
Crystal Montana, a 44-year-old LDS hospital EVS shift lead in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Married, no kids, mortgage, carpool commute, uninsured. Frugal, routine-driven, community-focused. Chooses durable, cash-price, low-maintenance solutions with transparent pol…
Rachel Williams
Rachel Williams is a 55-year-old rural Louisiana medical billing clerk. Married, no kids, low household income, frugal and practical. Prefers durable, low-commitment options, clear pricing, and neighbor-tested solutions; balances work, carpooling, pets, and…
Sex / Gender
Race / Ethnicity
Locale (Top)
Occupations (Top)
| Age bucket | Male count | Female count |
|---|
| Income bucket | Participants | US households |
|---|
Summary
Themes
| Theme | Count | Example Participant | Example Quote |
|---|
Outliers
| Agent | Snippet | Reason |
|---|
Overview
Key Segments
| Segment | Attributes | Insight | Supporting Agents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural operations / clinic admins |
|
Prioritize outreach, transport coordination, offline-capable devices, mobile/satellite imaging kits and simplified workflows that reduce patient trips and enable same-day starts locally. | Robert Hart, Neil Mejorada, Rachel Williams, Jeremy Rodriguez, Michael Gallegos, Nicole Griego |
| Hospital / health‑system operations leaders |
|
Favor solutions that demonstrably reduce cycle time and rework, can be pilot‑measured against KPIs (e.g., injection/retina block utilization), integrate to enterprise systems (DICOM/HL7/SSO) and fit funding/partnership models. | Brian Boyd, Jennie Bellamy, Donell Spiker, Siobhan O'Neill, Amber Ruiz |
| Procurement / OR / materials managers |
|
Purchase decisions hinge on predictable supply, consignment/loaner options, traceability and minimizing cancellations due to missing disposables - service and logistics often trump advanced feature sets. | Becky Kim |
| Compliance / legal stakeholders |
|
Act as hard gatekeepers: lack of contractual, privacy or software‑supply transparency will block pilots regardless of clinical or operational benefits. | Danae Hunt, Jennie Bellamy |
| Facilities / EVS / front‑line operations |
|
Devices requiring long dwell times, exotic cleaning agents, or large footprints face practical rejection; simple disinfection SOPs and low‑maintenance hardware increase likelihood of adoption. | Crystal Montana, Robert Bolt, Michael Gallegos |
| Rehab / allied health / non‑eye clinicians |
|
Value immediate functional impact, group programs and durable devices with fast payback; their procurement calculus differs from ophthalmology’s imaging/treatment workflow focus. | Nicole Griego, Neil Mejorada |
| Younger, rural, bilingual practitioners |
|
Emphasize culturally competent outreach (churches, senior centers), low‑bandwidth/portable solutions, family‑friendly scheduling and payment flexibility to improve access and adherence. | Nicole Griego |
| Senior system‑level administrators |
|
Look for enterprise‑grade interoperability, same‑day treatment pathways, scaled satellite micro‑clinics and realistic winterization/operational planning for throughput gains across populations. | Siobhan O'Neill |
Shared Mindsets
| Trait | Signal | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Operations‑first purchase calculus | Across roles, solutions must improve throughput, reduce rework and be staff‑friendly; clinical benefit alone is insufficient without workflow gains. | Brian Boyd, Jennie Bellamy, Amber Ruiz, Donell Spiker, Jeremy Rodriguez |
| Imaging as the chokepoint | OCT, visual fields and fundus capture are recurring bottlenecks; respondents request redundancy (second OCT/UWF/faster platforms) and sequencing to avoid clinic delays. | Brian Boyd, Michael Gallegos, Siobhan O'Neill, Amber Ruiz, Robert Hart |
| Skepticism of vendor hype and subscription traps | Widespread distrust of non‑integrated, subscription‑heavy offerings; buyers demand short‑term, measurable ROI and prefer capital/consumable models with clear SLAs. | Crystal Montana, Jennie Bellamy, Jeremy Rodriguez, Amber Ruiz, Brian Boyd |
| Service, uptime and loaner guarantees are decisive | Strong service contracts, uptime guarantees and guaranteed loaners frequently outweigh feature differentials when selecting devices. | Jeremy Rodriguez, Brian Boyd, Becky Kim, Michael Gallegos, Donell Spiker |
| Integration into primary EMR/chart is essential | Separate portals or proprietary viewers are non‑starters; device outputs must flow into the primary chart (DICOM/HL7 preferred) and populate measurable fields. | Nicole Griego, Siobhan O'Neill |
| Prior authorization and payer friction are universal blockers | Prior auth delays or denial risk influences whether clinics will adopt new services or expand treatment pathways; solutions that reduce authorization friction are valued. | Amber Ruiz, Jennie Bellamy, Brian Boyd |
| Rural constraints demand offline and outreach‑first design | Weather, transport, and low bandwidth make offline-capable devices, mobile kits and simple patient navigation (transport vouchers, interpreters) high‑impact features for rural sites. | Robert Hart, Neil Mejorada, Rachel Williams, Jeremy Rodriguez |
Divergences
| Segment | Contrast | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Rehab / allied health vs Ophthalmology operations | Rehab leads prioritize functional, group‑based interventions, retail DME and immediate payback, whereas ophthalmology stakeholders focus on imaging redundancy, procedural throughput and same‑day treatment funnels. | Nicole Griego, Brian Boyd, Amber Ruiz |
| Younger rural bilingual practitioners vs Senior system administrators | Younger rural actors emphasize bilingual outreach, low‑cost cash options and community partnerships; senior system admins emphasize enterprise interoperability, funding mechanisms and systemwide KPIs. | Nicole Griego, Siobhan O'Neill |
| Facilities/EVS vs Clinical/Procurement | Facilities focus narrowly on cleaning, dwell time and physical footprint (rejecting devices needing special disinfectants), while procurement prioritizes traceability, consignment and supply continuity-both can block adoption for different practical reasons. | Crystal Montana, Robert Bolt, Becky Kim |
| Compliance/legal vs Clinical innovators | Legal stakeholders demand contractual and software‑supply transparency (BAA, SBOM, audit trails) that can veto pilots even when clinicians see clear operational or clinical benefit. | Danae Hunt, Jennie Bellamy, Siobhan O'Neill |
| High‑volume system sites vs Low‑volume rural sites | High‑volume systems invest in interoperability and protected clinic templates to scale treatments; low‑volume rural sites prioritize portability, offline operation and patient transport solutions over enterprise integration. | Brian Boyd, Robert Hart, Michael Gallegos |
Overview
Quick Wins (next 2–4 weeks)
| # | Action | Why | Owner | Effort | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot-in-a-Box kit | Buyers demand a 90-day pilot with KPIs and an off-ramp. Packaging templates, success metrics, and project plans accelerates decisions. | Product + Customer Success | Med | High |
| 2 | Interop demo + sandbox | Clinics will not buy without a live EHR/DICOM flow. A click-through demo and sandbox cred pack reduce IT anxiety. | Engineering | Med | High |
| 3 | Compliance bundle (BAA, SBOM, MDS2, data-use one-pager) | Legal/compliance can veto deals; a ready audit pack speeds value analysis and security reviews. | Legal/Compliance | Low | High |
| 4 | Service SLA with guaranteed loaners | Uptime and loaners are non-negotiable. A written SLA with penalties builds trust and de-risks adoption. | Service Ops | Med | High |
| 5 | TCO/ROI calculator by payer mix | CFOs want a 12–24 month payback under realistic volumes; a transparent model closes gaps fast. | Finance + Sales Enablement | Low | Med |
| 6 | No‑fax image/referral connector | Closed-loop referrals and image sharing are a universal ask; a lightweight utility shows minutes saved quickly. | Engineering + Partnerships | Med | High |
Initiatives (30–90 days)
| # | Initiative | Description | Owner | Timeline | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interoperability Layer (DICOM/HL7/FHIR + Vendor-Neutral Archive connectors) | Ship a robust integration spine: orders/worklists, image ingest, encounter-accurate labeling, and viewer-free EHR embedding. Include offline queueing + batch transfer for rural sites. | Engineering | 0–6 months: MVP at 2 pilot sites; 6–12 months: scale + VNA adapters | EHR vendor interface specs, VNA partner agreements, Security review (SBOM/MDS2) |
| 2 | Pilot Program at 5 Reference Sites | Run 90-day KPI-driven pilots (minutes/test, throughput, repeat rates, time-to-treatment, denials). Provide on-site enablement, bilingual patient materials, and a no-penalty off-ramp. | Customer Success | Months 2–7 | Pilot-in-a-Box kit, SLA + loaner inventory, Analytics dashboard |
| 3 | Service & Loaner Network | Stand up regional loaner pools, named field engineers, 24–48h response SLAs, and credits for misses. Publish a customer-facing uptime tracker. | Service Ops | 0–4 months setup; continuous improvement | Loaner inventory financing, 3PL/courier contracts, Field tech hiring/training |
| 4 | Prior-Auth & Real-Time Benefits Integration | Integrate with payer/clearinghouse APIs (e.g., CoverMyMeds/Availity) to surface point-of-care cost and auto-launch auth packets. Export results into the chart. | Product | 3–9 months | Payer API partnerships, EHR embedding, Compliance sign-off |
| 5 | Offline/Outreach Mode | Add ruggedized, offline-first capture + battery-backed workflows for outreach/mobile days; batch sync with conflict resolution and audit trails. | Engineering | 3–8 months | Device partner specs, Local cache encryption, Field usability testing |
| 6 | Ops-ROI Playbooks (Imaging flow + Injection pathways) | Codify scheduling templates (protected retina blocks), room sequencing, chain-of-custody checklists, and bilingual after-visit summaries to reduce handoffs. | Product Marketing | 1–4 months | Clinical advisor council, Design for bilingual materials, Pilot learnings |
KPIs to Track
| # | KPI | Definition | Target | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot conversion rate | Percent of pilots converting to purchase within 30 days post‑pilot | ≥60% | Monthly |
| 2 | Integration time-to-first-image | Calendar days from contract to images landing in the EHR encounter correctly | ≤30 days (median) | Monthly |
| 3 | Throughput delta at pilot sites | Average minutes saved per visit in imaging/diagnostics vs baseline | ≥5–10 minutes saved/visit | Pilot 30/60/90-day reviews |
| 4 | SLA adherence | Percent of incidents meeting 24–48h onsite or loaner ship SLA | ≥98% | Weekly |
| 5 | Denial reduction | Change in imaging/therapy denial rates after benefits/auth integration | −20% or better | Quarterly |
| 6 | Tech satisfaction (ops NPS) | Technician/ops NPS for ease of use, integration, and uptime | ≥50 | Quarterly |
Risks & Mitigations
| # | Risk | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EHR/security reviews delay deployments | Ship prebuilt compliance pack (BAA, SBOM, MDS2), sandbox demos, and reference architectures; start IT reviews during pilot scoping. | Legal/Compliance |
| 2 | Service capacity fails SLA (loaners/field techs) | Regional loaner pools, 3PL SLAs with penalties, cross‑trained tech bench, proactive PM schedules and telemetry alerts. | Service Ops |
| 3 | Payer rule volatility undermines ROI | Multi-payer integrations, real-time eligibility fallbacks, conservative ROI calculator with sensitivity ranges, and clear cash-pay backups. | Product |
| 4 | Integration brittleness (proprietary viewers, interface fees) | Standards-first (DICOM/HL7/FHIR), vendor-neutral archive adapters, contractually include interface work, and forbid data lock-in. | Engineering |
| 5 | Perception of vendor hype/complex training | Lead with time-and-motion data and on-site pilots; cap training to one shift with laminated quick guides; measure competency attainment. | Product Marketing |
| 6 | Rural/offline failure modes | Offline-first design, battery-backed capture, batch sync with integrity checks, and clear paper fallback SOPs. | Engineering |
Timeline
90–180 days: Run 5 pilots, ship interop MVP + offline queueing, stand up loaner network, begin payer/benefits integrations, publish first case studies.
6–12 months: Scale integrations and service coverage, expand pilots to references, ship ops playbooks (injection/imaging lanes), formalize channel/partner program for outreach kits.
Objective and Context
This qualitative study explored how eye care teams think about expanding services, interest in new diagnostics (e.g., macular degeneration), what convinces them to buy equipment, and what worries them about adding services. Most respondents occupy operations, admin, and systems roles that enable care (templates, imaging flow, device uptime, prior auth, compliance) rather than direct clinical work, framing decisions through throughput, reliability, and auditability rather than features alone.
What We Heard (Cross‑Question Insights)
- Operations-first mindset: Leaders optimize door-to-provider time, total cycle time, and imaging/dilation sequencing; cataract lists and retina/injection days anchor schedules (Brian Boyd; Donnell Spiker).
- Hybrid care model: Keep repeatable monitoring/injections in-house; escalate surgical/unstable cases. “We keep what is safe and repeatable… Safety over pride.” (Brian Boyd).
- Interoperability and closed-loop referrals are non-negotiable: “Kill the fax.” Direct image/EHR flow and booking before the patient leaves prevent loss to follow-up (Robert Bolt; Robert Hart).
- Prior auth is a systemic bottleneck: Desire carve-outs or real-time benefits/auto-auth to protect time-to-treatment. “Kill prior auth for sight-saving drugs.” (Amber Ruiz).
- Imaging is the choke point: Demand for second/faster OCT, UWF, OCT-A, and redundancy to eliminate queues (Brian Boyd).
- Conservative, KPI-led purchasing: Standard core stack; decisions hinge on in-clinic proof, seamless EHR/DICOM integration, transparent TCO, and service/loaner SLAs. “Loaners in writing.” (Jeremy Rodriguez; Danae Hunt).
- Clear payback window and workflow fit: 12–24 month ROI expected; devices must run with minimal training and one tech. “If it cannot be run by one tech… hard pass.” (Amber Ruiz; Michael Gallegos).
- Compliance and data ownership gate deals: Executed BAA, no secondary data use, SBOM/MDS2, and auditable logs are required (Danae Hunt).
- Magic-wand asks are practical: Cross‑EHR image/referral rails, same-day diagnostics→first treatment with protected injection blocks, imaging redundancy, ride support and weather-aware scheduling (Danae Hunt; Jennie Bellamy; Amber Ruiz).
Persona Patterns and Nuances
- Rural ops: Prioritize offline-capable devices, mobile/satellite imaging, transport help, and same-day starts to reduce trips (Robert Hart; Rachel Williams).
- Hospital/system ops: Favor KPI-governed pilots, enterprise interoperability, protected subspecialty templates (Brian Boyd; Jennie Bellamy).
- Procurement/OR: Decide on supply continuity, consignment, traceability; uptime beats features (Becky Kim).
- Compliance/legal: BAA, SBOM, data retention/deletion block or greenlight pilots (Danae Hunt).
- Facilities/EVS: IFU-cleanability, dwell times, and footprint matter; avoid exotic disinfectants (Crystal Montana).
- Younger rural/bilingual staff: Emphasize outreach, bilingual materials, and simple cash options.
Implications and Recommendations
- Be interoperability-native: Deliver DICOM/HL7/FHIR orders, encounter-accurate ingest, and embedded viewing to truly “kill the fax.” Include image exchange with optometry.
- Offer a no-risk, KPI-backed 90-day pilot: Predefine success (minutes/test, throughput, repeat rate, time-to-treatment, denials, margin/hour, tech satisfaction, patient NPS) with a clear off-ramp.
- Guarantee service and loaners: Contracted 24–48h onsite or loaner shipment, named field engineer, credits for misses.
- Publish transparent TCO/ROI: Model capital vs service, seats, interfaces, consumables, and realistic payer mix; target 12–24 month payback.
- Automate payer friction: Integrate real-time benefits and prior-auth packet generation; write back to the chart.
- Design for outreach/offline: Battery-backed capture and secure batch sync for rural/mobile days.
Risks and Guardrails
- EHR/security delays: Arrive with BAA, SBOM/MDS2, data-use one-pager, and a sandbox demo.
- SLA capacity risk: Stand up regional loaner pools and 3PL couriers; publish uptime.
- Payer volatility: Build sensitivity into ROI; provide cash-pay fallbacks.
- Training burden: Cap to one shift; laminated quick guides; avoid superuser dependency.
- Cleaning/footprint: Verify IFU compatibility with standard wipes; confirm room flow with EVS.
Next Steps and Measurement
- Stand up interop demo and site sandbox; begin IT/compliance review early.
- Select 3–5 pilots (rural + system) with signed SLA/loaner terms and bilingual materials.
- Execute 90-day pilots; track KPIs at 30/60/90 days and adjust templates (imaging, injection blocks).
- Launch real-time benefits/prior-auth proof at two sites; write outcomes to EHR.
- Publish case studies and a payer-mix ROI calculator; scale offline/outreach kits.
- KPI targets: Integration time-to-first-image ≤30 days; ≥5–10 minutes saved/visit; SLA adherence ≥98%; denial reduction ≥20%; pilot conversion ≥60%. Track protected-slot utilization and no-show rates post-transport support.
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For each relevant role in your organization, how much influence do they have on selecting and approving purchases of new diagnostic devices?matrix Maps decision-making influence to target stakeholder engagement and approvals.
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In a typical month, approximately how many patients do you evaluate for each of the following: age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy?matrix Enables market sizing and realistic throughput/use-case forecasts for device ROI.
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What is the maximum payback period you would accept for a new diagnostic device investment (in months)?numeric Anchors pricing, ROI messaging, and payback modeling for offers and proposals.
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Which acquisition/commercial model do you prefer for obtaining a new diagnostic device?single select Guides packaging, financing options, and revenue model design vendors should offer.
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Before purchase, how do you verify interoperability between a new diagnostic device and your EHR/imaging systems?open text Shapes demo plans, sandbox/test interfaces, and contract language for integration proof.
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During a standard clinic visit, what is the maximum additional time you can allocate per patient for a new diagnostic test (in minutes)?numeric Informs device workflow design, throughput claims, and scheduling templates.
Research group: 15 respondents, predominantly operations/admin leaders (scheduling, facilities, supply chain, revenue cycle, compliance) in US/Canada eye programs, plus EVS and OR materials managers with a few non‑eye ambulatory comparators. What they said: An operations‑first reality: a hybrid treat‑in‑house/refer model, imaging as the choke point, templates with protected retina/injection blocks, “kill the fax” interoperability with closed‑loop referrals, and prior‑auth as the top friction-compounded by rural transport and low‑bandwidth constraints.
Main insights: Expansion only flies when it cuts handoffs and minutes-same‑day diagnostics+first treatment, added imaging redundancy (e.g., second OCT/UWF/OCT‑A), tele‑retina and low‑vision lanes, extended hours-backed by staff and clear ROI.
Device buying is pragmatic: clean EHR/DICOM integration proven in‑workflow, 12–24‑month payback with transparent TCO, KPI‑bound pilots and firm SLAs with loaners, strong security (BAA/SBOM); subscriptions, consumable traps, siloed data, or weak service are deal‑killers. Takeaways: Lead with an interoperability spine and a no‑risk 60–90‑day pilot‑in‑a‑box (throughput, repeats, time‑to‑treatment, denials), reimbursement evidence for the local payer mix, and guaranteed loaners/response times.
Design offerings to deliver measurable cycle‑time cuts and same‑day starts while shielding core blocks-automate prior‑auth/cost at point of care, and ship offline/outreach modes for rural clinics.
If prioritizing investments, fund additional imaging capacity (second OCT/UWF), embedded retina and after‑hours sessions plus transport/navigation, and decline gadgets that lack integration, auditable compliance, and a 12–24‑month ROI.
| Name | Response | Info |
|---|