Photo courtesy of Dr. Brittany Schauer who shares details on the office remodel powering positive change in her practice.
Office remodel powering more patients and greater revenue per visit
By Brittany Schauer, OD
Sept. 10, 2025
I’d been daydreaming about a clinic remodel for years, long before the construction dust started flying in the summer of 2023.
Why? Our practice was originally founded back in 1950, and we’ve called our current location home since 1987.
In 2014, I took over ownership, and since that time, we have consistently grown. That’s a good problem to have! But like any growing business, the need for more space and an updated look became urgent.
We broke ground on our remodel after I purchased our building. My goals were clear: I wanted our patients to have a smoother, faster visit and our staff to have room to breathe. We needed a space ready for modern care and future growth.
Major Changes—And Why We Made Them
Creating Room to Grow
One of my top priorities was patient flow. Before, each doctor had one exam room—which meant some days, we played a never-ending game of “musical chairs” with patient moves. Now, each of our three doctors has two rooms, plus a special, more accessible room for patients with mobility challenges. With this design, exam chairs slide out of the way for wheelchair users, and all crucial equipment is set lower for comfort. Seeing the smiles from our older patients has made this one of my favorite upgrades.
Streamlining Pre-Testing
Bottlenecks were a real problem in our original layout. We used to share a single pretesting room plus an “overflow” space. All too often, things would stall when our calendar filled up. The remodel gave us an open-floor concept for equipment, so our techs can quickly move patients through tests and into exam rooms. This change alone has made our days feel less hectic, kept our doctors on schedule and delivered a smoother experience for patients.
Bigger, Better Spaces
I also doubled our contact lens training area and substantially grew the optical department, adding more dispensing desks for our opticians. Honestly, it’s hard to believe we managed in the cramped quarters before—and now, some days, every dispensing desk is in use.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Brittany Schauer, who shares the office remodel powering improvements including a much better optical dispensary.
Finally, my office manager and assistant manager now have their own separate office space, and our front desk is much larger—another move that’s made daily work easier.
Cost and Decision Making
Let’s talk numbers. The entire remodel and addition cost well over $1 million. I did consider a brand-new clinic on another site, but that would have been even pricier. Staying put, and growing our space by another 2,000 square feet (for a total of about 5,200), was the smartest option, given the available space.
The Impact: More Patients, Smoother Days
Before the remodel, our building was about 3,200 square feet; now, with the addition, we’re at 5,200, plus a basement for staff. The increased footprint means we can see more patients in less time and with fewer bottlenecks.
Critically, we designed some “bonus” rooms empty—ready for future growth. When we’re ready to add a fourth doctor or bring in new technology and services, we’ll be able to do it without moving walls.
Crunching the Numbers: ROI, Patient Volume and Revenue
I know many will be curious about our return on investment. It’s not always apples-to-apples, since the business changes year to year. That said, here’s what we’ve seen so far:
- Patient Volume: For 2025, we’re on track to complete as many eye exams as we did in 2022—even after dropping a major vision insurance plan in 2023 and reducing our hours in fall 2024 (closing earlier on Mondays, and at 1 p.m. on Fridays).
- Revenue: Even with fewer hours, we’re getting more revenue per patient now, post-remodel.
- Workflow: Our staff report a 100% improvement in workflow and efficiency—no more working “elbow to elbow” and scrambling for space.
I truly credit my staff for making it all work—they’ve been remarkable through every challenge!
How the Remodel Elevated Patient Experience
The patient response has blown me away. Almost daily, we receive compliments on the clinic’s appearance. Many patients remark about how much faster their exams are compared to the old days—no more waiting to move between rooms or areas. Now, we can dilate patients in the exam room and send them straight out to optical, minimizing time and maximizing comfort.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Brittany Schauer, who shares how the office model powering significant practice improvements transformed the patient experience from check in to check out.
What Patients Are Saying
Patients absolutely love the open optical area. Even though we didn’t add more frames, everyone feels like there’s more to choose from. We’ve also heard compliments about our “new equipment”—which is funny, because most of it isn’t new at all! Improved space and flow just make everything feel fresh and more advanced.
Staff Workflow: A Night and Day Difference
If you ask my team, they’d tell you the remodel transformed their work lives. Before, everyone was on top of each other, which created stress and slowed us all down. Now, there’s space for everyone, and our workflow has improved across the board.
Staying Open During Construction
I won’t pretend it was easy, but we pulled it off—staying open nearly all the way through construction, thanks to a fantastic project manager and architect. We closed just five days total for big moves and painting. It meant living with some noise and cramming into new spaces temporarily, but the disruption was worth it. From groundbreaking to completion, the whole process took over a year.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Brittany Schauer, who shares what the office remodel powering transformative improvements looked like while it was in progress.
My Advice to Anyone Considering a Remodel
If you’re on the fence about a construction project, my advice is simple: do it. Costs won’t be lower next year, and you’ll always field anxieties about lost revenue or disruption. But the payoff—an efficient, beautiful, future-proof clinic—makes every headache worthwhile.
Got questions or want to hear more details? Reach out—I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned (and what I’d do differently) with fellow practitioners.
Read about another improved office environment in Review of Optometric Business
Read more office design stories in Women in Optometry
Brittany G. Schauer, OD, is the owner of Vision Source Mandan in Mandan, North Dakota. To contact her: bschauer@visionsource.com
