John Doane, MD, joins Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and Gary Wörtz, MD, to share his experiences for this season’s theme of “Horror Stories” in cataract and refractive surgery. Dr. Doane reviews a few examples from his career in which he had to manage uniquely challenging situations and discusses what he learned from them. Listen to gain insights into his experiences using early surgical technology and how he approached challenges with observers fainting in the OR.

Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and Gary Wörtz, MD, kick off the latest season of Ophthalmology off the Grid. This season focuses on the subject of ‘Horror Stories,’ where surgeons will highlight their toughest, most complicated surgical cases and how they managed them. In this episode, Drs. Williamson and Wörtz start the discussion by sharing their own uniquely challenging cases. Learn how Dr. Williamson managed an inflammatory complication following ICL implantation, and how Dr. Wörtz approached a challenging case of suspected horror fusionis.

Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and Gary Wörtz, MD, invite Matt Jensen to round out the year of episodes dedicated to building a business and brand in ophthalmology. Jensen shares insights he gained early in his marketing career, highlighting how he adapted to variabilities in different markets and learned to grow the business at home. The trio also discusses the value of having strong, trusted partners in business when expanding into new markets, and Jensen emphasizes the importance of maintaining a consistent company culture during that expansion.

To learn more about Matt Jensen's expertise, visit https://mattjensenmarketing.com/ or https://matt-jensen.com/.

Cathleen McCabe, MD, joins Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and Gary Wörtz, MD, to discuss the challenges of moving across the country from an existing practice and referral network and starting in a new state. She shares insights into the dynamics of changing ownership and having a clear outline for the type of practice to join. Drs. McCabe, Williamson, and Wörtz further discuss the pros and cons of different business models and pearls for making decisions and taking risks with business in ophthalmology.

Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, joins this episode to speak with Gary Wörtz, MD, and Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, about his experience building his practice and working with industry. He shares insights into how he grew from a small private practice by constantly adapting to a dynamic specialty. Dr. Donnenfeld stresses the value of resisting stagnation, and he explains why it is crucial to incorporate new technologies and treatments as one’s business expands. He also shares successes and failures from throughout his career and his predictions for the future of ophthalmology.

Tom Tooma, MD, founder, owner, and medical director for NVISION, joins Gary Wörtz, MD, and Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, to continue this season’s topic of building a business and brand in ophthalmology. Dr. Tooma shares insights into his early days of building his refractive surgery practice, touching on the risks taken and lessons learned over the years. He further shares advice for surgeons to navigate the financial intricacies of running a successful practice and describes the current philosophy of his business.

Marnix Heersink, MD, joins Gary Wörtz, MD, and Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and shares his experiences and philosophy behind building his business in ophthalmology, philanthropy, and more. Dr. Heersink breaks down his career path, from his first practice to his growth in business ventures beyond medicine. He shares advice for young physicians just getting started in practice, and comments on his outlook for the future of ophthalmology.

Joseph Gira, MD, joins Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and Gary Wörtz, MD, to share his experience with building and growing a business in ophthalmology. He outlines his career history, commenting on his skills for working and collaborating with other doctors and the benefits of working with optometry as a backbone for success. Dr. Gira also describes his experience working in private equity, sharing potential pitfalls and successes for younger surgeons to consider.

Farrell “Toby” Tyson, MD, FACS, joins the podcast to speak with Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and Gary Wörtz, MD, about the lessons he has learned from expanding his practice. Dr. Tyson shares critical elements to success in expansion, including the value of location visibility, the pros and cons of having an optical shop, and strategies to manage cash flow, drive more revenue, and attract top talent.

In the next installment of how to build a business in ophthalmology, Blake Williamson, MD, MPH, and Gary Wörtz, MD, speak with Rupa Wong, MD, about her experience building her personal brand and business through social media. Dr. Wong shares insights into evaluating how to invest in one’s social media marketing efforts and gives advice for creating engaging, authentic content that resonates with a specific target audience. She also shares tips for launching and building a successful private practice and discusses learning experiences, tips for networking, and more.