A decade ago, I joined a small but innovative ophthalmology practice in San Antonio founded by Dudley Harris, MD. The group had five physicians and a 700-square-foot ophthalmic ASC. I was new to the ophthalmic ASC and this tiny center was, in fact, one of the first in Texas — built even before surgery centers were eligible for Medicare reimbursements.

I quickly realized that I had a great deal to learn, so I immediately set out to find help.

OOSS had many of the resources and tools I was seeking, though, honestly, some were a bit hard to find and use. I wasn’t shy about sharing my first impressions and advice. Whereas some organizations might have been put off, OOSS welcomed my input. I was invited to join the OOSS board of directors, and later became the organization’s member services consultant. Through it all, I was — and continue to be — struck by how thoughtful, engaged, and helpful OOSS leaders are and what an important role OOSS has come to play in advocating for and advancing ophthalmic surgical care.

As member services consultant, I focus on making sure that members, partners, and the ophthalmic ASC community can access and experience the array of valuable resources that OOSS continues to build for the benefit of the ophthalmic ASC.

OOSS News & Events, a weekly email news channel available by subscription at no cost, provides the latest information about OOSS programs and initiatives, along with the Washington Update, and partner introductions.

Advocacy, representing ophthalmic ASC interests in Washington, has been central to the OOSS mission for nearly 40 years. Regular Washington Updates are available via OOSS News and at OOSS.org .

OOSS University, a robust 24-7 online repository of resources to help to manage and improve facility performance, provides easy access to information, course offerings, and expertise for the entire ASC team. Surgery center teams planning new centers or considering membership are granted trial access to OOSS University.

OOSS Talk, our popular online forum (free to sign up) is the place where ASC owners, surgeons, administrators, nurses, and specialty experts ask questions and share solutions.

OOSS ASC Performance Metrics, our benchmarking platform that addresses clinical and financial measures, is open on a limited basis to nonmembers, though deep data dives and comparative analytics are available only to members.

AAOE/OOSS Salary Survey is a collaborative effort with the American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives (AAOE) and BSM Consulting that enables facilities to enter their data online and compare their performance with others in the industry. The surveys are offered as a public service to participating surgery centers and practices.

OOSS Symposium and OOSS Perspective, annual meetings held in conjunction with AAO/AAOE and ASCRS/ASOA events, respectively, feature thoughtful and engaging sessions and speakers who address the most pressing topics facing our center’s today.

Today, the San Antonio Eye Center has 18 physicians and 170 employees and is building a new ASC with three operating rooms. The resources available to us through OOSS have been invaluable as we’ve grown and changed.

The great benefits I discovered with OOSS are also available to you, whether you’re looking to own and operate an ASC today or in the future.

Which leads me to ask, have you had the chance to experience OOSS? Members can visit ooss.org to check out our latest features, or email me [acastillo@ooss.org] for help. Not yet a member? Contact me via email or learn more at ooss.org/product/asc-facility-membership . ■