iOR Partners announced in a press release the launch of a collaboration model that brings together ophthalmologists and optometrists in a first-of-its-kind partnership. The company said this new approach creates a streamlined continuum of care that benefits patients while allowing MDs to maintain autonomy and creating a path to financial stability in the face of declining reimbursements.

To ensure physicians can continue to practice profitably, a strategic pivot to a primarily cash-based system is essential. This approach allows practices to create financial stability, enabling them to continue serving all patients, including those on Medicare and Medicaid--but on their own terms, said iOR Partners.

"With reimbursements declining and corporate giants entering the surgical arena, it's clear we must pivot from a third-party-dependent system to a primarily cash-based one,” said Tony Burns, chief strategy officer of iOR Partners. “This doesn't mean we stop caring for our Medicare and Medicaid patients; it means we create the financial opportunity to do so at our own discretion. The MD/OD OBS collaboration is the most optimal solution to get in front of the massive changes heading our way and to build a future where surgeons remain in control."

Legacy Eyecare and Kugler Vision in Omaha, Nebraska, are the first to employ this MD/OD OBS model, which they say breaks down traditional barriers between referring ODs and surgeons. Some of the benefits for ODs include new revenue streams, patient retention, and more cohesive care delivery. Benefits for surgeons include increased surgical volume, a steady referral pipeline, and full medical control and accountability of procedures. Finally, benefits for patients include a seamless, patient-centered experience without the compartmentalization of referral pathways.