Tom Kidwell, MD
Re-engineering Vision Services
In 1995, with the approval of his department, Dr. Kidwell volunteered to pilot test a new model of delivering eye care. The pilot showed that by making a number of changes, including hiring additional specialty trained support staff, the department could greatly increase productivity while maintaining patient satisfaction.
Once the model was fully implemented, Dr. Kidwell and his colleague Dan Rich, MD, were able to reduce waits for appointments from six weeks to one week and to reduce the cost of an office visit by 30%, while continuing to be the highest rated ophthalmology department in the region.
The model is now operational in Rancho Cordova, Roseville, and Sacramento and in the Colorado Division. Individual components of the model have spread to other eye departments throughout Northern California.