Editorial

Staying ahead of the latest technology, surgical devices and procedures to hit the market can be a challenging, but often necessary, task for any refractive cataract surgeon looking to create the “premium practice.”

As one of the newest procedures being implemented into the field, femtosecond laser cataract surgery has brought with it quite a buzz. From whether or not to incorporate the procedure into one’s practice to how to properly charge patients for the service, the introduction of femtosecond laser cataract surgery has sparked a number of debates.

In light of this, Premier Surgeon posed questions surrounding the incorporation of this procedure to the PS250 in its latest survey. To see how the PS250 responded, click here. Additionally, if you’d like to weigh in on this subject yourself, find us on Facebook and leave us a comment. We’d love to hear what you have to say!

Keeping with the theme of technology, this issue also takes a look at how one physician has incorporated the “high-tech mentality” into designing and running an efficient surgical practice. See the latest Photo Feature spread, highlighting the practice of James S. Lewis, MD, found here.

– Cara Hvisdas
chvisdas@slackinc.com

You’d be hard-pressed to find a company advertisement nowadays that doesn’t include a plug to become a fan on Facebook, or even a local news website that doesn’t include the option to share an article or video clip through the avenues of Twitter or StumbleUpon. A number of companies even recruit their employees through sites like LinkedIn because of the ability to instantly see a potential candidate’s work history and recommendations from his or her references. The age of social media is truly upon us, and the tools that have come along with it can be quite effective in the right settings.

In light of this, Premier Surgeon asked members of the PS250 about their use of social media in a recent survey, specifically which social media tools premium practices are using for their external marketing efforts. We also wanted to know how useful these tools have been — or have not been — for such a purpose. To see the results for this survey, along with some perspective from several of the PS250 members, click here.

Have you found social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be helpful? Let us know! We’d love to hear about what’s worked for your practice, as well as any suggestions you might have for others also looking to jump onto the social media bandwagon.

And finally, of course, don’t forget to check out Premier Surgeon on Facebook.

— Cara Hvisdas
chvisdas@slackinc.com

By now, you have probably become accustomed to reading your favorite newspapers and magazines in both print and online formats. There are websites you visit on a regular basis, be it several times a day or weekly, for news, entertainment, shopping and the like. The digital world has truly become an integral part of our everyday lives.

In light of this ever-expanding online culture, you may have noticed, in the world of print media and beyond, little square barcode images known as “smart tags” — a feature Premier Surgeon hopes you will find useful in this and all future print issues. Along with our sister publications from SLACK Incorporated, PS has incorporated smart tag technology to help bridge the gap between print and online.

“But what does a smart tag do?” you may ask. For those of you with an iPhone, you can use an app, like ScanLife, to scan the tags, found within several articles throughout this issue, to view the article online or be brought to a piece of related content. Once online, you can then do things such as provide commentary on the article, share the item with your colleagues via email or post the link to your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts.

We hope you enjoy this feature and would love to hear your feedback. Feel free to send us an email at the address below.

– Cara Hvisdas
chvisdas@slackinc.com

Happy birthday to us! With this issue marking the completion of our first full year in print, Premier Surgeon strives to continue its forward momentum, bringing our readers a newly revamped column — “State of the Art” by John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, which debuted a new format last issue — and several informative reader-submitted features along the way.

In this issue, PS is proud to present the first in a 10-part series by Mitchell A. Jackson, MD, founder and medical director of Jacksoneye in Lake Villa, Ill. Dr. Mitchell’s “Fine Art of Premium IOLs” series will discuss the art of managing premium IOLs to maximize surgeon and patient outcomes, providing recommendations for dealing with the top 10 problems seen in premium IOL surgery. To read the first installment, click here.

As always, the editors of PS welcome and encourage your input. Have an idea for an article series or special feature of your own? Want to suggest a case for our “Consultation Corner” column by Y. Ralph Chu, MD? Let us know! Send an e-mail anytime to the address below — we would be happy to hear from you.

– Cara Hvisdas
chvisdas@slackinc.com

It seems hard to believe, but the time has already come to flip the calendar page and kick off a new year! Similarly, as Premier Surgeon heads into its first full year in print, it is time to show off the newest version of the PS250 list, which can be found by clicking here.

As you take a glance at our compilation of esteemed surgeons, you may notice a few new names added into the mix. Or, if you are newer to the PS dialogue, you might be wondering what this list is about. So, here is a brief refresher.

The PS250 is, simply enough, a list that the editors developed to help frame the premium IOL movement. To do this initially, we gathered the names of surgeons who we knew were educating their colleagues about the topic at Hawaiian Eye, Kiawah Eye, OSN New York and large ophthalmology meetings; conducting research to optimize patient clinical outcomes; digging into the diagnostic technology to assist in selecting the best patient and the best lens for that patient; and looking into the unique business aspects of premium IOL surgery. Of course, we also included the early adopters who saw great promise in the IOL technology. Although the list certainly does not encompass all of the talented surgeons out there, quite a few of you have let us know it is a good list — one that we believe will continue moving the premium IOL dialogue forward. You will see PS250 Survey results in each issue, as we tap the members’ expertise to help draw out ideas and quantify them.

If you would like to be a part of this list, or to nominate someone else, contact me at the e-mail address below. We are always looking to expand our community and would love to hear from you!

– Cara Hvisdas
Managing Editor
chvisdas@slackinc.com

Some of our new readers asked us to explain further what exactly the PS250 is. Thank you for asking, and welcome again to the Premier Surgeon community.

The PS250 is, simply enough, a list that the editors and publisher developed to help frame the premium IOL movement. We wanted to know who are the movers and shakers of premium IOL surgery.

So, we gathered together the names of surgeons we knew were educating their colleagues about the topic at Hawaiian Eye, Kiawah Eye, OSN New York and AAO; conducting research to optimize patient clinical outcomes; digging into the diagnostic technology to assist in selecting the best patient, and the best lens for that patient; looking into the unique business aspects of premium IOL surgery; and, of course, the early adopters who saw great promise in the IOL technology.

There is no grand formula or algorithm. We went with our collected knowledge and our gut. While we know we missed a few of you, we also heard from quite a few of you that this was a good list. We hope to use this list as a dialogue opener. Want to join that dialogue? Contact us. Cara Hvisdas is the PS Managing Editor (chvisdas@slackinc.com) and wants you to reach out to her.

PS is a community, and the PS250 is a tool for kick-starting conversations and expanding that community. In fact, in the list you’ll find on this website, if you were the accounting type, you just might find there are a little more than 250.

We are also pleased to share with you the results of our first PS250 survey. You’ll see survey results each issue as we tap the PS250 expertise to help draw ideas out and quantify them.

Thank you for all the excellent feedback that will help PS do even better for our community. Please keep it coming.

– Joan-Marie Stiglich, ELS
(jmstiglich@slackinc.com)