Guests: Thomas Stone, MD – Program Committee Chair, ASRS Business of Retina Meeting Maria Berrocal, MD – CEO, Drs. Berrocal & Associates; Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico David Mandell, JD, MBA – Co-Founder & Partner, OJM Group

Show Summary

Tom Stone, MD, previews the upcoming ASRS Business of Retina Meeting in Houston (March 20–22), outlining an agenda covering staffing strategies, AI in practice operations, drug inventory management, coding updates, and a new full-day clinical trials workshop designed to help practices launch research programs from the ground up.

In the Vitreoretinal View segment, Maria Berrocal, MD, shares her experience with the Alcon UNITY VCS system, focusing on flow-based vitrectomy, 30,000 cpm performance, and the evolution of 27-gauge surgery — including early observations on case times and complication rates versus legacy systems.

David Mandell of the OJM Group then offers a structured framework for physician wealth management across career stages, covering early-career planning, mid-career tax strategy and asset protection, and retirement-phase portfolio positioning.

Topics Covered

ASRS Business of Retina Meeting

• The 2026 meeting agenda: staffing, AI implementation, and drug inventory strategy

• Coding updates and compliance (including Modifier -25)

• Launch of the Clinical Trials Workshop (capped at 80 participants, so register soon!)

• Dedicated business curriculum for fellows

Vitreoretinal View – Surgical Innovation

• Transition from vacuum-based to flow-based vitrectomy on Alcon UNITY VCS

• 27-gauge adoption and surface vitrectomy precision

• Reduced instrument frustrations

Physician Wealth Strategy

• Why retina specialists are unique when it comes to wealth strategy

• Early-career debt balancing, disability protection, and lifestyle creep

• Mid-career tax optimization and liability protection

• Retirement red-zone portfolio repositioning

• Assessing private equity offers

Key Takeaways

The Business of Retina Meeting will be in Houston March 20–22. Registration link below. Flow-based vitrectomy may meaningfully refine 27-gauge surgery. Financial discipline — not peak income — is what ultimately determines long-term security.

Resources Mentioned

ASRS Business of Retina Meeting – Register Here OJM Group – ojmgroup.com Use the code RetinUp26 to get a free copy of Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician: Residency to Retirement at the OJM Bookstore.