Streamlining Growth: How Dr. Taylor Tedder Built a Scalable Sublease Practice with Eyefinity Encompass

Building a Business Without Starting from Scratch

For many optometrists, practice ownership is an exciting goal—but it can also come with significant financial and operational hurdles. Dr. Taylor Tedder found that the sublease model offered a different path, allowing him to focus on building his business without the upfront costs associated with opening an independent practice.

“The benefit of a sublease practice is that you can still be an owner of a business but not necessarily have all the moving parts and complexity of starting a business from scratch,” Dr. Tedder said.

As his organization expanded to 17 locations in just a few years, Eyefinity Encompass^® provided the foundation needed to support that growth while keeping day-to-day operations organized and efficient.

Because Eyefinity Encompass is cloud-based and everything lives in one system, Dr. Tedder and his staff are always working from the same real-time picture of the day—scheduling, exam records, optical orders, and billing all connect without re-entering data or chasing paper. 

Dr. Tedder explains, “when a patient checks in, their insurance eligibility is already pulled, and by the time they leave the exam room my documentation flows straight into the claim, so billing goes out the same day instead of piling up. The task lists and dashboards also keep my team accountable—nothing falls through the cracks between the front desk, the exam lane, and the optical.”

Putting the Patient Experience First

When Dr. Tedder entered optometry, he was drawn to the opportunity to improve patients’ lives through both quality care and meaningful relationships. More than 15 years later, that same philosophy continues to guide every decision he makes.

“I always think about what experience we’re delivering. Are we making scheduling simple? Are we making insurance simple? When you combine high-quality care with a great patient experience, you get great outcomes,” he said.

That philosophy has influenced how his organization operates—leveraging technology to build processes that make both the patient and staff experience more seamless. 

Dr. Tedder has embraced integrated online appointment scheduling as a key driver of patient acquisition and practice growth. To streamline front-office workflows, staff use the Eyefinity Encompass Real-Time Eligibility integration to quickly access exam and contact lens eligibility information without leaving their normal workflow. Dr. Tedder also relies heavily on protocols to create a consistent documentation process across providers, helping maintain clinical standards while making it easier to onboard and train new optometrists as the organization grows.

One Connected Platform for the Entire Patient Journey

Rather than managing multiple disconnected systems, Dr. Tedder wanted a platform that could support nearly every stage of the patient journey—including online scheduling, insurance verification, clinical documentation, automatic claims submission, automatic creation of patients accounts, and reporting.

“I wanted to limit complexity and go to one place for as many things as possible,” Dr. Tedder said.

That philosophy made Encompass a natural fit.

Dr. Tedder explains, “For sublease practices, the biggest thing is how much Eyefinity Encompass lets you do with a small team. Real-time VSP eligibility pulls claims that route automatically from EHR back to practice management, so you don't need dedicated billing staff to keep revenue flowing. Furthermore, because it's cloud-based, there's no server or IT infrastructure to maintain in a small footprint. Add integrated online scheduling that fills your chair without someone sitting at a phone, and you have a system built for the way a sublease actually operates.”

Dr. Tedder's cross-functional teams work within Eyefinity Encompass, keeping the entire organization aligned around the healthy growth and profitability of the practice. 

The Value of Seamless VSP Integration

For Dr. Tedder, the Eyefinity Encompass Real-Time Eligibility integration was another major consideration.
Because a significant portion of his patients use VSP^® benefits, he wanted a platform that could integrate those workflows as efficiently as possible. With the integration, his staff can access real-time eligibility directly within the platform rather than switching between multiple systems.

“It’s very integrated with VSP. We can pull up benefits, do authorizations and handle everything through the system,” he said.

This VSP software integration reduces manual work and helps create a smoother experience for both staff and patients.

Expanding access to eye care

Today, one of Dr. Tedder’s greatest motivations extends beyond growing his business. His organization serves communities throughout California where access to eye care can be limited, giving patients the opportunity to receive care closer to home.

“I’m energized thinking about our team and the communities that we’re helping. We go into a lot of areas that are underserved and I think that’s really cool,” he said.

Just as important is the responsibility he feels toward the people who work alongside him. By leveraging Eyefinity Encompass, Dr. Tedder can support both his employees and the patients they serve.

Looking Ahead

Dr. Tedder is especially excited about Eyefinity's product roadmap, including integrated Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA). 

“Integrated ERA is going to be huge for us. It reduces the cost of claim management, keeps accounts receivable from getting bloated, and helps us get paid more quickly," he said. 

He's also enthusiastic about recent enhancements to the Eyefinity Encompass analytics capabilities, which give his teams better visibility into performance across all of his locations.

As technology continues to evolve, Dr. Tedder remains focused on one goal: removing friction from the patient journey. He believes technology should make it easier for providers to deliver outstanding care, not create additional complexity.

That’s exactly what Encompass provides to sublease practices: a connected platform that simplifies operations and supports growth without losing sight of what matters most—the patient.

Ready to see how Eyefinity Encompass can help your sublease practice? Request a demo and a member of our team will be in touch shortly!