Art of Eyecare Transforms Practice Performance with Strategic Protocols
The Practice
Dr. James Paulson leads a four-location optometry practice in rural Western Pennsylvania, committed to providing comprehensive primary eye care while maintaining profitability. With decades of experience, Dr. Paulson recognized the need to modernize billing practices and establish consistent standard operating procedures across all locations.
The Challenge
Despite running a successful multi-location practice, Art of Eyecare faced several critical gaps:
- Outdated billing practices: The practice billed only 1 level-four code for every 448 level-three codes, leaving significant revenue on the table
- Inconsistent protocols: No standardized operating procedures existed across the four locations
- Unrealized practice benefit from disease management: Only 3% of patients received optic nerve OCT testing despite higher glaucoma prevalence rates
- Revenue underperformance: At $501 per OD hour, the practice wasn’t maximizing its potential
“I looked at my OCT nerve number and saw 3%. That’s when I said I’m a lazy clinician. I’m not following clinical guidelines.”
The Partnership Solutions
Practice Performance Partners provided Art of Eyecare with Comprehensive Optometry Simplified, a structured program that transformed their approach:
Education & Training: All doctors participated in collaborative workshops, learning updated billing codes and clinical guidelines together.
Strategic Implementation: PPP guided the practice through systematic protocol development, starting with glaucoma management as the first pillar.
Data-Driven Accountability: Monthly metrics tracking revealed opportunities and measured progress against industry benchmarks.
Practical Tools: Clear conversation scripts and step-one solutions separated complex care from comprehensive exams.
The Result
Revenue per
OD Hour
OD Hour
Revenue per Comprehensive Exam
Chronic Disease Managment & Follow-up
Optic Nerve OCT Testing
Macular OCT Usage
Before PPP
$501
$294
23% of refractions
3% of patients
7%
After PPP
$653
$387
39% of refractions
15% of patients
13%
Improvement
30%
31%
69%
400%
100%
The Result
Revenue per OD Hour
Before PPP
After PPP
Improvement
$501
$653
30%
Revenue per Comprehensive Exam
Before PPP
After PPP
Improvement
$294
$387
31%
Chronic Disease Managment & Follow-up
Before PPP
After PPP
Improvement
23% of refractions
39% of refractions
69%
Optic Nerve OCT Testing
Before PPP
After PPP
Improvement
3% of patients
15% of patients
400%
Macular OCT Usage
Before PPP
After PPP
Improvement
7%
13%
100%
“It’s way easier now. We’re just improving things and making the patient experience better, making the practice better just by learning a little bit and moving forward with it.”
Dr. Paulson's Message to the Industry
Dr. Paulson’s team continues building on their success, with dry eye protocols next on the implementation schedule. The practice now operates with confidence, knowing they’re following clinical guidelines while maximizing both patient care and practice revenue.
“This is primary care optometry with a plan. You can do all this with things you have and make it better.”