From a construction stand-
point, the first is the space
needed to house the laser
machine. At minimum, you
need a 10-by-10 foot area, and
some lasers have very precise
temperature and humidity
requirements. You'll also need
the correct electrical and infor-
mation technology (IT)
requirements. Most platforms
aren't Wi-Fi enabled, so IT con-
nectivity is needed to let the
unit communicate data and
allow for offsite troubleshoot-
ing.
So why not just put the laser
in your OR? That might be fine
if you have only a single OR, but if you have 3 cataract surgeons doing
procedures in 3 ORs, it can become a logistical nightmare. I've seen
practices that were on the first floor, but had their femto on the third
floor because that was the only space that worked. Again, location,
flow and efficiency are the important factors.
Femto lasers are costly pieces of equipment, both in terms of up-
front investment, per-click fees and annual service contracts. As an
administrator, you need to do an analysis and make sure the deal
being presented to you works financially for your facility. Finally, you
need surgeon buy-in. They need to understand the technology and
how it's going to affect their surgical day. Some surgeons aren't con-
vinced that femto lasers improve clinical outcomes when compared
M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 2 7
• ROOM TO GROW Floor-mounted surgical microscopes are best
suited for facilities that plan on hosting numerous types of eye
cases.
Anna
Conley
