Why I Prescribe OMNI Combo Drops
Q&A With Steven R. Sarkisian, Jr., MD
Dr. Steven R. Sarkisian, Jr., is the founder and CEO of Oklahoma Eye Surgeons, PLLC, as well as the former director of the glaucoma fellowship at the Dean McGee Eye Institute and clinical professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Oklahoma. (Click here to see his full bio.)
Dr. Sarkisian, a recent member of the Ocular Science® medical advisory board, has been prescribing OMNI combination drops from OSRXTM pharmacy to his glaucoma and cataract patients for more than a year.
Q1: You began prescribing OMNI combination drops from OSRX pharmacy almost a year ago. How would you assess the product’s viability so far?
OMNI combination drops (two to four medications in one) have radically changed my approach to the management of glaucoma, which really says something. I’ve been a glaucoma surgeon for quite a while and it’s rare to have something that shifts my thinking and my practice patterns this significantly.
Q2: How has patient compliance shifted since you started prescribing OMNI drops?
If you look at all the compliance data… the more drops a patient takes, the more compliance goes down. By keeping patients on as few bottles by using fixed combinations or by using meds that are used fewer times a day, they tend to manage it a lot better. It has nothing to do with intelligence; people often just tend to forget.
Being on a fixed combination of Latanoprost, Brimonidine, Dorzolomide and Timolol is remarkable and has been great for my patients for a variety of reasons.
Q3: You mention efficiency. How does OSRX make your practice more efficient?
It’s a hassle for the patient, the doctor, and the doctor’s staff to deal with conventional pharmacies because every time an insurance plan changes its formulary, many patients are asked to switch to a medicine that the insurance company has contracted to get at a cheaper rate.
Too much overhead is wasted spending time on phone calls to pharmacies, patients, and insurance companies trying to figure out which drop will be covered, and which drop will be the least expensive for the patient. And, frankly, I’ve had enough. I’m on strike. I’m not going to have my people, who I value, waste their time. And I’m not going to have my patients treated so disrespectfully anymore.
Q4: Have you used compounding pharmacies other than OSRX?
I have… and haven’t been happy with the customer service at some of the other compounding pharmacies. We’re all on the same team, but as I go to battle for my patients, I want to make sure they have the best outcomes. I don’t want my staff to deal with phone-tag, waiting, inefficiency and unnecessary paperwork. Also, as a business owner, that time spent is money wasted.
Q5: How would you assess the customer service from OSRX?
The OSRX compounding pharmacy has really personalized their customer service. They’ve made the doctor-patient process very, very easy. Their reps are very accessible. Ours is Traci Inman. All the people in my office know her by name and reach out to her directly. They then don’t have to bother me; instead they know to get ahold of Traci to get any issues solved.
Q6: Can you expand on the benefits of price transparency…
Knowing total price transparency is a relief. Otherwise, drug companies can sometimes get between you and the patient. I’m excited to recommend OSRX to friends and fellow physicians because their prices are always disclosed openly.
Professional Disclosure: Dr. Sarkisian is a medical advisory board member for Ocular Science® (an OSRX affiliate) and has a financial interest in the company.
