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May 04, 2023
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Ophthalmologists deem reimbursement cuts, inflation biggest challenges to practice growth

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SAN DIEGO — While cuts to reimbursement, inflation and the threat of recession were seen by survey respondents as the biggest practice challenges, one respondent wrote “all these will affect the ability to see more patients and grow.”

The “all” survey respondents were asked to identify were factors that will have the greatest impact on practice growth in 2023. These factors were cuts to reimbursement (35%), economic recession/rate of inflation (27%), hiring/staffing shortages (22%), competition of other practices (12%) and office/ASC space constraints (2%).

Eyecelerator Data slide 1-challenges

Healio/OSN commissioned Healio Research to conduct a survey on ophthalmologists’ sentiment toward innovation in key product areas. Healio Research disseminated a survey of 10 questions to U.S. ophthalmologists and residents. The questions were created in partnership with Eyecelerator, and the survey received 256 responses.

Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 2-procedures
Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 3-Post FDA approval factors

“This was really great teamwork and expanded our ecosystem,” Gil Kliman, MD Eyecelerator’s program director, said during a presentation at Eyecelerator@AAO.

Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 4-MIGS factors
Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 5-incorportating drug delivery implants

When respondents were asked to look prognostically at what procedures would most likely increase practice revenue in the next 5 years, 40% chose premium channel cataract surgery, followed by bilateral simultaneous in-office cataract surgery (25%), management by private equity consolidator (16%) and MIGS (13%).

Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 6-roles of topical therapies
Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 7-adoption rate of presbyopia eye drops

When asked what post-FDA approval factors inhibit their adoption of ophthalmic technology, one-third of survey respondents indicated cost was the biggest factor, followed by the learning curve (24%) and reimbursement (21%).

Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 8-femto cataract surgery

Enlarge  Eyecelerator data slide 9-drug categories

Respondents were asked to project what drug categories would see the greatest growth in 2023. Not surprisingly, dry eye, glaucoma drug delivery, glaucoma topical therapeutics and intracameral medications for cataract led the pack.

Enlarge  Eyecelerator Data slide 10-anterior segments

In September, Healio/OSN published survey data on technology trends.

Healio Research conducted a survey in February on health care provider adoption of digital therapeutics. The results were published on Healio’s sister company’s site.