Turning OD Referrals into Revenue
Turning OD Referrals into Revenue: Insights from AE Magazine and ASCRS 2025
As ophthalmology practices face challenges from decreasing reimbursements and increasing costs, one thing is clear: growing OD referrals isn’t just a smart strategy—it’s essential. That was the key message in a recent AE Magazine article by Marc-François Bradley and Connie StClair, COE, and one that resonated strongly during the conversations at ASCRS ASOA 2025 in Los Angeles.
In their article, “More OD Referrals and How to Get Them: Leveling Up Your Appointment Mix,” Bradley and StClair lay out a clear business case: referrals fuel growth. High-value consults and surgical appointments—especially cataract and refractive—generate significantly more revenue than routine care. Practices that succeed in shifting their appointment mix toward these consults will find themselves better positioned to weather financial uncertainty.
Read the Article: More OD Referrals and How to Get Them
Three Key Takeaways for Growing OD Referrals
1. Invest in Communication and Collaboration
Building strong referral relationships means delivering a seamless experience—for both the referring doctor and the patient. Timely updates, clear co-management protocols, and proactive communication are must-haves. Practices that show respect for the referring OD’s role in the care continuum will stand out. Turning OD referrals into revenue starts with building strong relationships and making it easy for optometrists to refer patients seamlessly.
2. Commit Across the Organization
OD referrals require a practice-wide commitment. From scheduling teams to physicians, everyone must treat each referral—especially a first-time one—as high-value. This includes quick scheduling, excellent patient care, and thoughtful follow-up.
3. Build the Right Infrastructure
A referral liaison can be your MVP in this strategy. These professionals build and nurture relationships with local ODs, keep detailed records in a CRM, and help tailor outreach based on geography, volume, and potential. Technology also plays a pivotal role—particularly digital referral portals that streamline the handoff and meet younger ODs’ expectations for efficiency.
Why Turning OD Referrals into Revenue Matters Post-ASCRS 2025
At ASCRS ASOA 2025, the need to modernize patient scheduling was a major topic. Practices across the country are looking for scalable ways to drive surgical volume and make data-driven decisions. Many of those conversations centered on digital solutions like Sophrona’s Referral Portal—which was on full display at our booth and in real-world testimonials from practices already seeing ROI.
Whether it’s streamlining the referral process, increasing referral conversion to surgery, or improving visibility into referring patterns, tools like the Referral Portal are becoming non-negotiables for forward-thinking practices. As Joanna Chmiel of Illinois Retina Associates put it in AE Magazine, “We think a referral portal is a non-negotiable as younger referring doctors are looking for this.”
Bottom Line
The AE Magazine article and this year’s ASCRS ASOA 2025 sessions point to the same conclusion: the most successful practices are shifting from passive referral intake to active referral growth strategies. Sophrona is here to help you do just that—with the technology, support, and insights you need to make every referral count.
Let’s talk about referrals.
If you didn’t catch us at ASCRS, reach out to schedule a demo or ROI review of Sophrona’s Referral Portal. It’s time to turn your referral relationships into a growth engine.
Click here to book a meeting so we can discuss how practices are turning OD referrals into revenue!