Profiles in Practice Success
Putting Faith in the Staff
This surgeon's practice has benefited from her management style.

THE PRACTICE: Ella G. Faktorovich, M.D., is owner and director of Pacific Vision Institute (PVI), which is located in San Francisco. She founded the practice 2 years ago, after completing a corneal and refractive surgery fellowship at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute.

Today, the practice averages a monthly volume of 100 refractive procedures and 35 anterior segment procedures.

Dr. Faktorovich is a member of the editorial boards of Ophthalmology Management and San Francisco Medicine.

PRACTICE SUMMARY: The practice focuses on the high-tech preferences of Bay Area residents.

"PVI is a 6,000-square-foot facility," says Dr. Faktorovich. "The waiting area provides computer stations with high-speed Internet access so our patients can e-mail and view relevant educational information."

The practice has four exam rooms and two operating suites, as well as various administrative and patient education areas.

Dr. Faktorovich employs two phone counselors, three technicians, one practice coordinator, two professional service coordinators, one optometrist and one billing specialist.

SURGICAL FOCUS: Dr. Faktorovich categorizes her caseload as being 80% refractive, 15% corneal transplants and 5% other anterior segment procedures, such as cataracts.

PREFERRED INSTRUMENTS: Summit Apex Plus, Alcon Summit Autonomous LADARVision, Sunrise Hyperion LTK System, Hansatome microkeratome, Bausch & Lomb blades and the Millennium Phaco system.

PREFERRED MEDICATIONS: FML, Ocuflox, Pred Forte, Polytrim, Refresh Plus, TheraTears, Celluvisc and Tears Again Gel.

GROWTH AREAS: "Recently, our professional service coordinators began to establish relationships with referring doctors. In 6 months, our volume of co-managed patients grew from 20% to 70%. Referrals have become the most important source of our volume growth."

SLOW SPOTS: Cataract volume growth has decreased due to efforts being concentrated on the expansion of the refractive and corneal practice.

MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY: "As surgeons, we're accustomed to being in control when performing procedures. I found that when I applied this style of management to administration, the practice stopped growing. The staff became passive and frustrated, and I had to supervise them even more. This, of course, distracted me from clinical care.

"I've since adopted a 'hands-off' management style and allowed my employees to take charge of their areas of expertise. I no longer micromanage. I now encourage my staff to solve problems on their own without consulting me. This means allowing them to make mistakes and learning how to correct them on their own. Consequently, the staff became more responsible, more enthusiastic and more creative, and our practice has grown tremendously.

"I think very few material rewards can match the sense that competency and power can instill in our staff."