The world has changed rapidly and profoundly in 2020. Through the challenges we have faced, we have made discoveries, found efficiencies, and evolved in the way we manage our ASCs and deliver quality care to our patients. As we continue to move forward and conquer today’s challenges, we are finding ways to meet the needs of an increasing volume of patients while managing the complexities of coding, additional services, inventory management, and flow through the ASC.

In this issue, we will explore some of the discoveries made in the ASC this past year, pooling our collective experience and sharing our individual solutions to help move us all forward. You can read more about that on page 8.

We are fortunate to have a wide variety of IOL choices available to customize the optical outcomes for patients, including toric options for many lens platforms. When we consider the number of lenses we need to have on hand, keeping track of inventory as efficiently and accurately as possible can be difficult. Fortunately, tools are available to help manage this important task, as discussed in the article on best inventory practices. See how your colleagues are managing their inventories on page 20.

Glaucoma surgery continues to be an innovative and expanding area of ophthalmology, with new MIGS devices available every year and an ever-widening array of options available to customize glaucoma treatment to the needs of the patient. The expansion of options for standalone glaucoma treatments outside of cataract surgery will mean that even greater numbers of patients will benefit from interventions that may free them from the burden of drops and potentially delay or prevent the need for more invasive surgical options. On page 12, we discuss how it continues to be one of the rapidly advancing surgical subspecialties with a greater percentage of surgeries in the ASC.

In my area on the west coast of Florida, we often encounter complex cataract surgeries, either as a result of previous ocular surgery, trauma, or ocular comorbidities, as well as a greater number of dislocated lenses with a need for more complicated surgical interventions involving IOL exchanges and/or sutured lenses. Understanding appropriate coding practices in these cases can be confusing and is essential for proper reimbursement. This month’s coding column, “Compliance Issues in Complex Cataract Surgery Coding,” on page 23 will provide guidance in these complicated cases.

As we move through the novel and profound challenges of 2020, working together to solve problems has never been more important. The commitment of our colleagues to collaborate and share knowledge and ideas has been a bright light in the turbulence around us. Our directive now is to match the efficiency of communication with the speed of our changing world, as things begin to settle into a new pattern of providing excellence in ophthalmic surgical care. ■