Stop juggling: OSRX compounded drops improve the patient experience
For Robert Weinstock, MD, medical care is in his blood: his father was also an ophthalmologist, and his grandfather was a pediatrician. Today, in addition to serving as Medical Director of The Eye Institute of West Florida, Dr. Weinstock remains active in the practice as a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained cataract and refractive surgeon.
“For years, I had been juggling post-op eye drops for my patients,” states Dr. Weinstock. “It started with prescribing two types of medications for patients (steroids and antibiotics), and eventually, it was determined that they required a third medication (NSAIDs) to promote healing. Most eye doctors can attest that the burden to prescribe multiple medications for patients is very cumbersome as well as costly for patients.”
This process became frustrating for both Dr. Weinstock’s practice and his patients, especially when certain medications were not covered by patients’ insurance, new post-op instructions were needed if the medications changed or if other challenges arose.
Compounded eye drops burst on the scene
When Dr. Weinstock started hearing about compounding pharmacies, he began researching combining multiple medications into a single formulation. OSRX® was attractive to him because he had heard the products were used by other ophthalmologists. He had an inherent trust in OSRX because he was personally acquainted with Dr. Francis Mah and Dr. Damien Goldberg, physicians who helped start its affiliate company, Ocular Science.
“I initially prescribed the compounded drops for 100 of my patients,” says Dr. Weinstock. “I need to be confident that any combination drop I prescribe is properly compounded, sterile, well-tolerated and affordable. I prescribe these drops for recovery, to help prevent infection, rebound inflammation and other complications.”
Following a smooth initial experience, he expanded the program and established the OSRX compounded medication infrastructure for his patients and staff.
“The OSRX process is seamless!”
Dr. Weinstock has been prescribing OSRX eye drops since 2021, and after approximately 10,000 ophthalmic surgery cases, he can’t identify any holes in the process. Rather than needing to keep track of three different medications, his patients enjoy the simplicity of one bottle per eye and one set of instructions.
“It’s about as easy as it can get for the patient and the practice,” remarks Dr. Weinstock. “It’s quality, reliable and simple. A win for everyone.”
Dr. Weinstock’s practice utilizes OSRX’s “bill to patient, ship to patient” model, in which billing, shipping and refills are all handled by the pharmacy. “OSRX has taken a huge burden off our practice,” explains Dr. Weinstock. “And the patients love it because the cost of these drops is affordable and transparent.”
What sets OSRX apart from other compounding pharmacies? Dr. Weinstock has found that OSRX drops are comfortable for his patients, which he believes makes them more apt to follow the dosing regimen he prescribed.
In addition, Dr. Weinstock’s patients seem to be happy with the customer support provided by OSRX for ordering prescriptions, receiving refills and getting their questions answered.
2024 OSRX survey results
The results Dr. Weinstock shared are supported by the 2024 Patient Satisfaction Survey from OSRX. More than 2,800 patients from ophthalmic practices around the country were asked about their satisfaction with OSRX prescription eye drops that combine multiple medications into a single bottle. Highlights from the findings include:
- 98% say they are satisfied or very satisfied with OSRX overall (4% increase over 2023)
- 98% say taking fewer drops helps them follow prescribers’ dosing regimen (4% increase over 2023)
- 98% say their shipment arrived within the expected timeframe (5% increase over 2023)
- 90% agree their OSRX medication was reasonably priced (3% increase over 2023)
- 99% agree their call was answered or returned in a timely manner (1% increase over 2023)
- 96% would recommend OSRX to a friend or colleague (2% increase over 2023)
Co-management and OSRX
Dr. Weinstock also participates in patient co-management with referring optometrists (ODs). It is not uncommon for him to return patients to their primary eye care provider after he has assessed their healing. When multiple eye medications are prescribed, it can be challenging to effectively communicate prescription and dosing instruction changes with the referring ODs and the patients. The patient experience suffers when communication is muddled.
“OSRX compounded medications are perfect for the co-management environment,” explains Dr. Weinstock. “Managing any changes to one eye drop is easy for our practice, the referring doctor and the patient. We are trying to craft the most perfect experience and outcome for the patient. Using OSRX’s compounded drops is a significant step toward that goal.”
Interested in exploring OSRX compounded medications for your practice? Contact a dedicated account executive to learn more.