A Town of 25,000. A Practice Generating $14K+ a Month in Additional Revenue.
A rural optometrist's approach to expanding services, empowering staff, and building new revenue opportunities.
Would you consider introducing cash-pay services into a practice where more than half your patients are covered by Medicaid?
It's easy to assume that elective, cash-pay services are better suited for affluent communities or large metropolitan markets.
Dr. Dora Finney practices in a rural community of just 25,000 people, where she estimates more than half her patients are covered by Medicaid.
Yet she's built an additional treatment revenue stream that she reports is currently generating approximately $14,000+ per month.
For ODs who have ruled out cash-pay services because of their patient demographics, those numbers are worth a second look.
Does Your ZIP Code Determine Your Growth Potential?
A practice doesn't need to be located in an affluent suburb to consider elective services.
For Dr. Finney, it started with the needs of patients already walking through her doors.
"We were seeing patients with ocular surface concerns, aesthetic issues, and dermatochalasis that I could only refer for surgery."
Rather than assuming her patient demographics would limit demand, she explored opportunities to expand the services available within her practice.
Her experience is proof that your market doesn't have to look like a traditional aesthetics market to explore elective services.
Your Time Shouldn't Be the Ceiling on Your Revenue
For many independent ODs, growing revenue means seeing more patients, extending clinic hours, or taking on additional responsibilities.
Dr. Finney has built her treatment workflow around a trained technician.
That means she can continue seeing her regular patients while her technician handles treatment appointments under appropriate supervision.
With the right training and delegation, where permitted, practices can introduce additional services without requiring the doctor to personally perform every treatment.
The Right Partner Can Make the Difference
Adding a new service takes more than initial device training.
For Dr. Finney, MDelite's ongoing support played an important role in incorporating iProElite and InfinityPro into her practice.
She participated in a three-month support program, which she credits with helping her better understand the technology and communicate treatment options more effectively.
For Dr. Finney, the three months of support after installation were just as important as the initial training. They helped her get more comfortable with the technology and how to introduce treatments to patients.
Rethinking What's Possible for Your Practice
In the first three to four months of 2026, Dr. Finney reports generating approximately $50,000 in additional treatment revenue, with current monthly revenue around $14,000+.
But her story offers an important lesson for optometrists considering their next stage of growth.
You don't necessarily need a larger city, a more affluent patient population, or more hours in your schedule to explore new revenue opportunities.
If you've dismissed elective services because of your practice's location or patient demographics, Dr. Finney's experience offers a good reason to reconsider.
Ready to experience what patients and providers notice about Eleo IPL? Connect with your local MDelite representative HERE.
