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Financial

The Cost of Poor Quality in Ophthalmology

The hidden price of rework, delays, and variation.

Updated October 2026 · PACT MATTERS, LLC

Poor quality in an eye clinic is expensive, but the cost is rarely visible on a single line item. It hides in rework, repeat tests, lost capacity, and patients who never return. Making it visible is the first step to eliminating it.

What poor quality costs

  • Rework: repeat tests and corrections that consume capacity
  • Delays: wait time that reduces throughput and satisfaction
  • Lost capacity: idle equipment and rooms
  • Attrition: burnout and turnover driven by chaotic workflows
  • Lost referrals: patients who leave and tell others

Why it stays hidden

Cost of poor quality is diffuse. It shows up as an overloaded schedule, an overworked team, and shrinking margins — never as a single invoice. That is why it must be measured deliberately.

Making the cost visible

  • Track rework and repeat-test rates
  • Quantify wait time in lost patient slots
  • Calculate the cost of turnover
  • Add the costs into one number the practice can act on

Key Takeaways

  • Poor quality is expensive but diffuse, so it goes unnoticed
  • Rework, delays, lost capacity, and turnover are all quality costs
  • Measure them deliberately to make them visible
  • A single cost-of-quality number drives action

Frequently Asked Questions

How do we estimate our cost of poor quality?

Start with rework and repeat tests — they are measurable and often surprisingly large — then add lost capacity and turnover costs.

Isn't some rework unavoidable?

Some is. The goal is to find the preventable share and eliminate it, which is usually the majority.

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