Ophthalmology practices run three workstreams in parallel: the clinic schedule, the surgical schedule, and an ongoing co-management relationship with referring optometrists. On top of that sits a stack of imaging and diagnostic devices, many of which push data to manufacturer cloud platforms. PHIGuard covers the compliance operations that hold these threads together.
Compliance pressure points in ophthalmology
Surgical coordination handoffs. Cataract, refractive, and retinal cases move PHI between the clinic, the ASC or hospital, anesthesia, and post-op. Each transition needs to be logged and closed.
Imaging storage. OCT, fundus photography, visual fields, and IOL biometry generate large amounts of PHI. Storage location, access logs, and retention policies all fall under the Security Rule.
Co-management with optometry. Pre- and post-op handoffs to referring optometrists are clinical events and PHI transmissions. Both sides need a record that the handoff happened.
Device data. Manufacturer platforms that store or transmit PHI are business associates under 45 CFR 160.103. BAA coverage should be verified before PHI reaches the cloud side of the device.
High-volume, high-stakes scheduling. A dropped case in ophthalmology is not just a revenue event. Pre-op clearance, consent, and day-of readiness need consistent documentation.
What PHIGuard provides
- Surgical coordination checklists for pre-op clearance, day-of readiness, and post-op follow-up
- Device and imaging vendor registry with BAA status per vendor
- Co-management referral tracking with closure events logged back to the referring optometrist
- Workforce training tracking under §164.530(b) for clinic, surgical, and administrative staff
- Incident log with guided Breach Notification Rule risk assessment
- Role-based access with documented reviews per §164.308(a)(4)
- BAA included at $99, $249, and $499 per-clinic tiers
Why flat per-clinic pricing fits ophthalmology
Ophthalmology groups often run 15–40 staff once you include techs, scribes, surgical coordinators, billers, and front desk. Per-seat software becomes a meaningful line item at that scale, and the compliance scope does not grow proportionally to headcount. PHIGuard charges per clinic so your tooling spend does not punish growth.
See pricing for plan details and the HIPAA compliance checklist for small clinics for the operational baseline. For the referring side of co-management, see the optometry practice page.
Getting started
A practice administrator or surgical coordinator can set PHIGuard up without an IT project. Load staff, register your ASC partners and imaging vendors, sign the BAA at checkout, and move surgical coordination into one documented system.