With competing practices offering excellent patient care or using the newest technology, it can be hard to stand out in today’s world. It has become less about the specific eye care a person receives and about the whole experience with your practice from start to finish.
As a private practice, there are often limited resources available to provide patient care, stay informed of new rules and regulations, file for payment, hire and train staff, and more. That’s why it’s essential to find ways of maximizing your time, which is where an MSO can help. With the assistance of a larger administrative team at your fingertips, you can do what you started to do—take care of people.
A management services organization (MSO) partners with your practice to ensure you’re as productive and profitable as you can be.
Define MSO: Understanding What is an MSO
An MSO is short for “management services organization” – a business organization that steps in and provides assistance in various aspects of your practice. They don’t necessarily offer the practice’s services directly, but they are knowledgeable and able to help develop infrastructure and policies to enable smooth and profitable operations.
US Eye is not an MSO of simply knowledgeable people. The organization is founded and led by David W. Shoemaker, MD, and a team of physicians and other medical professionals. So, when working with US Eye, you’re getting assistance from a team with first-hand knowledge of the eye care industry.
A female and male optometrist standing next to each other.
Core Functions of an MSO for Eye Care Practices
Administrative Management
MSOs handle scheduling, front-desk workflows, staffing coordination, and vendor management to support smooth daily operations in ophthalmology and optometry practices.
Revenue Cycle and Billing
MSOs manage eye care–specific coding, insurance verification, claims submission, and follow-ups to reduce denials and maintain steady, predictable practice revenue.
Compliance and Risk Oversight
MSOs support CPOM compliance, monitor regulatory updates, and implement policies that help eye care practices meet legal, billing, and documentation requirements.
Technology and IT Systems
MSOs implement EHRs, imaging integrations, cybersecurity measures, and reporting tools tailored to ophthalmology and optometry operational needs.
Staffing and Human Resources
MSOs oversee recruiting, training, credentialing, and retention strategies to build skilled teams that deliver consistent, high-quality patient experiences.
Understanding MSO in Ophthalmology
MSO ophthalmology partnerships are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of ophthalmology practices. These practices often deal with advanced diagnostics, surgical coordination, regulatory oversight, and complex insurance billing, all of which demand time and expertise.
An ophthalmology management service organization provides structured systems to support surgical scheduling, compliance requirements, revenue cycle management, and reporting. This ensures smoother workflows while reducing the administrative burden placed on physicians and clinical teams.
By working with an MSO in ophthalmology, practices can scale services, add locations, or introduce new technologies without overwhelming internal staff. The result is a more sustainable practice model that supports both patient satisfaction and long-term growth.
Importantly, MSO ophthalmology models respect clinical autonomy. Medical decisions remain with the physician, while the MSO strengthens the business foundation behind the scenes.
Understanding MSO in Optometry
MSO optometry partnerships are becoming increasingly valuable as optometry practices adapt to evolving patient expectations and retail competition. From optical retail management to appointment scheduling and staffing optimization, an MSO can provide the operational clarity needed to grow confidently.
For optometrists, partnering with an MSO optometry specialist means gaining access to experienced professionals who understand the day-to-day challenges of running a modern eye care practice. This includes managing staff turnover, implementing new software, and maintaining compliance with payer requirements.
An eye care management service organization focused on optometry helps practices streamline operations while preserving the personalized care patients expect. With stronger systems in place, optometrists can dedicate more attention to clinical excellence and patient relationships.
5 Ways an MSO Assists Your Practice
Like any business, each MSO will have certain ways of doing things or specific specialties. But as a rule, there are five main ways you can expect an MSO to assist your practice.
Patient Experience
Patient experience includes everything from booking an appointment to understanding the prescribed medications or treatment after the appointment. An MSO can assist with all these things.
By helping improve the patient’s experience, the MSO is helping ensure you retain lifelong patients who trust your practice will provide them with a positive and caring experience.
Patient Management
Many people who visit your practice will have some form of insurance plan. To ensure eligibility and enrollment, a lot of data exchange takes place. If your practice has a large team that can take care of this, that’s great—however, this is not often the case.
MSOs have experienced administrative staff who can take care of this function and ensure that your practice’s records are accurate and auditable.
Patient Organization
When your practice deals with many patients, efficiency and security is key. It can be difficult to organize patient flow, records, intake software, and billing without an adequate IT infrastructure in place. An MSO can assist in building this infrastructure and managing patient information for you.
Reporting and Insurance
The required infrastructure for a high volume of claims is expensive, and many small practices cannot easily do it themselves.
MSOs keep up-to-date processing infrastructure with experienced staff to assist in managing the claims. They will also educate your practice’s staff in accurate reporting and correcting any errors.
Administrative Management
There are various rules and laws to follow that vary slightly state-by-state. An MSO employs experienced professionals that can help ensure your practice is always in good standing with current legislation.
Team Management and Recruiting
Finding good staff can be very difficult. A lot of effort goes into deciding what type of person you’re looking for. And if you need someone quickly, a lot of time and energy goes into the recruitment process.
MSOs can assist you in managing your team. Whether you need to figure out a better way to structure your practice or need assistance with recruiting new team members, MSOs have experienced staff to take care of these tasks.
Compliance Requirements and Legal Risks When Establishing an MSO
- MSOs must comply with the Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) doctrine, which varies by state and limits non-physician control over medical practices.
- Improperly structured MSO agreements can create legal exposure if administrative control overlaps with clinical decision-making.
- Regulatory risks include billing compliance, insurance regulations, data privacy laws, and employment requirements.
- Clear separation between medical authority and business operations is essential to maintain compliance.
- Partnering with experienced legal and compliance professionals helps reduce risk and ensures long-term MSO sustainability.
Why You Should Use an MSO
All the services and ways an MSO can help your business boil down to one common denominator. They exist to help your practice experience growth. Partnering with an MSO should free you from running a business to instead focusing on providing exceptional patient care.
Evaluating an MSO
As you’re seeking an MSO partner, it’s essential to ask questions to ensure you’re considering an organization that supports your goals. Before you sign any agreement with an MSO, make sure you understand precisely what they bring to the table and how it will help your practice thrive.
Best Practices for Eye Care Services to Structure and Form an MSO
Structuring and forming an MSO for eye care services requires a well-defined business strategy and strict compliance planning. Most MSOs are established as a limited liability company or general business corporation to support growth and protect ownership interests.
Clear MSO agreements, operating agreements, ownership documents, and shareholder agreements should outline roles and responsibilities, service scope, and decision-making boundaries.
Proper fee arrangements must reflect fair market value and clearly separate administrative support from clinical control. Performing thorough due diligence helps identify financial, operational, and regulatory risks early.
Partnering with experienced healthcare attorneys ensures compliance with CPOM laws and state regulations. Following these best practices helps create a sustainable MSO structure that supports ophthalmology and optometry practices long-term.
FAQs
What is an MSO in healthcare?
An MSO, or management services organization, provides non-clinical operational support to healthcare practices, helping manage administration, compliance, and business functions while allowing providers to focus on patient care.
What is the MSO full form?
The MSO full form is management services organization. It refers to a business entity that supports medical practices by handling administrative, operational, and infrastructure-related responsibilities.
How does MSO ophthalmology support physicians?
MSO ophthalmology partnerships support physicians by managing billing, compliance, staffing, and systems, reducing administrative workload while preserving clinical independence and improving overall practice efficiency.
What is MSO optometry used for?
MSO optometry services help optometry practices streamline operations, manage staff, optimize patient flow, and remain competitive, allowing optometrists to focus on exams and patient relationships.
Is an ophthalmology management service organization involved in clinical care?
Yes, an ophthalmology management service organization provide clinical care while the practitioners retain full control over diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes.
Why choose an eye care management service organization?
An eye care management service organization offers specialized operational support tailored to eye care practices, helping eye care practices improve efficiency, scalability, and patient experience without compromising care quality.
Find Out How an MSO Can Benefit You
Are there ways that an MSO can help your practice, or do you have more questions? Contact us today and let our team show you how we can get you back to caring about the most important thing—your patients.
