Dr. Licausi in the practice’s new satellite location. Dr. Licausi says that having a second location makes it easier for patients to comply with their full vision therapy programs while also increasing practice profitability.
ROI of opening satellite office
By Miki Lyn Zilnicki, OD, FCOVD,
and Jessica Licausi, OD, FAAO, FCOVD
March 26, 2025
As an optometry practice dedicated to providing exceptional care, we recognized the need to enhance access to our specialty niche of vision therapy.
This journey led us to add hours to our second location, which focuses solely on vision therapy and is situated about 40 minutes west of our main office.
Here is how this decision positively impacted our patients and practice.
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We decided to increase our access to vision therapy by expanding the hours at our second location. Initially, we opened this site one day a week to test the waters and gauge the demand for our services.
The response was overwhelming; our office was inundated with vision therapy patients needing similar time slots, particularly in the afternoons.
Once our one-day schedule was fully booked, we made the decision to add an additional day to better accommodate our patients.
Why Did We Do It?
The primary goal was to provide more accessible care for our patients who had long commutes to our main location.
By increasing the hours at our second location, we aimed to reduce travel time for those seeking vision therapy, ultimately improving their experience and compliance with treatment.
How Did We Do It?
To make this expansion happen, we created a small satellite location dedicated to vision therapy. We chose this site strategically, as it was closer to a significant subset of our patients who had been traveling from further west.
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The largest change involved discussing the opportunity with our associate doctor, who was initially working with us one day a week. Once she agreed to add an additional day, we coordinated with our landlord to secure a larger, more functional space with reliable internet access.
This transition did come with a slight increase in rent, but it was a necessary investment for our growth.
What Made This Change an ROI Winner?
One of our largest referral sources practices in the area. Being able to provide vision therapy services closer to her patients is a game changer.
Our capture rate of patients scheduling initial evaluations from her referrals has significantly increased. We never anticipated that patients would be hesitant to drive 30 minutes to see us, but we now realize how many more patients we are capturing with this location.
Additionally, we’ve seen improved compliance with our recommended therapy sessions, as patients no longer have to commute as far.
What Were the Costs?
The costs associated with this expansion included the monthly rent for the new location and an increase in our associate doctor’s pay for the additional day.
We also invested in a pricier piece of vision therapy technology and the typical equipment setup. We calculated that it took us about three months to break even on our initial investment.
What Are the ROI Results?
On average, we are able to provide care to about 20 patients per week at this location.
This translates to a significant increase in our overall patient volume and revenue, showcasing the profitability of our decision to expand.
What Training Was Needed?
We needed to train our staff on how to schedule appropriately for each location and effectively communicate available days and services.
Our current texting system for confirmations did not automatically identify different locations, leading to some patients going to the wrong site. We have since implemented systems to remind patients of their correct location to avoid confusion.
Changes to Patient Flow and Staff Workflow
We had to rework our doctor schedule to ensure coverage at the secondary location. This included hiring our associate doctor for an additional day and shifting one of our primary doctor’s patient care days to the secondary location, which is a much closer commute for her.
As this location grows, we foresee further changes, including the potential to pull our vision therapists and staff to assist.
Future Optimization Plans
Currently, this location offers vision therapy sessions only. For regular examinations and evaluations, patients still travel to our primary office.
However, we envision expanding into a larger space with a full exam lane and additional staffing to meet all our patients’ needs at both locations. This would allow us to pull primary care patients into the secondary location as well.
Bottom Line: Thinking Long-Term
While this expansion has been a win for our patients, we did experience a temporary decrease in vision therapy patient volume at our main location. Our focus for 2025 is to continue increasing patient volume so that both locations’ vision therapy schedules are full.
This strategic move has not only enhanced patient care, but also positioned our practice for future growth and success.
Miki Lyn Zilnicki, OD, FCOVD, and Jessica
Licausi, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, are co-owners of Twin Forks Optometry and Vision Therapy in Riverhead, N.Y.
To contact Dr. Zilnicki: DrZilnicki@twinforksoptometry.com.
To contact Dr. Licausi: DrLicausi@twinforksoptometry.com
