Small Retina Practices Adopted New Survival Tactics
Independent practices are forming buying groups and limiting tech spending to navigate volatile drug costs and administrative hurdles.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Healthcare
Live Poll
Do you believe small local medical practices can continue to provide better care than large systems?
At the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, experts outlined strategies for small retina practices to compete against larger groups. These independent operators face mounting administrative and financial pressures that threaten cash flow and practice viability.
Why it matters
Small retina practices face unique financial strain from the high cost of drugs and volatile reimbursement rates that shift every quarter. Operators must prioritize efficiency and selective investment to maintain margins against larger consolidated competitors.
Approximately 60% of ophthalmology practices operate with four or fewer ophthalmologists, including 20% that are solo practices. These businesses must contend with quarterly changes in average sales prices and reimbursement rates for essential drug inventories.
The players
Asheesh Tewari
An expert presenter at the American Academy of Ophthalmology who provides operational strategy guidance for small, independent medical practices.
American Academy of Ophthalmology
A professional membership organization that hosts large-scale industry meetings for eye care practitioners to discuss clinical and business developments.
The details
To improve viability, small practices are encouraged to form buying groups, participate in clinical research, and cultivate relationships with ambulatory surgery centers. Operators are advised to implement new technology only when it demonstrably saves staff time, mitigating the administrative burden caused by Medicare Advantage plan step therapy and prior authorization mandates.
Timeline
October 11, 2026: Asheesh Tewari presented strategies at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.
Quarterly: Average sales prices and reimbursement rates for retina drugs shift.
Market Landscape
This guidance addresses the growing trend of administrative friction caused by Medicare Advantage step therapy and prior authorization requirements. It follows the pattern of independent medical practices seeking scale through collaboration to remain competitive against larger, consolidated health systems.
Independent practice owners should reevaluate their vendor contracts and buying group participation to stabilize cash flow against quarterly reimbursement changes. Managers must also audit current technology stacks to ensure every tool provides clear time-saving ROI for the staff.
The takeaway
Small practices must prioritize operational agility and collaborative purchasing to withstand financial volatility. Evaluate your current drug inventory procurement and administrative workflows against the quarterly shifts in Medicare reimbursement to protect margins.
Further reading
For more on navigating clinical business challenges, review the latest updates in Healthcare.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Healio.
Live Poll
Do you believe small local medical practices can continue to provide better care than large systems?
