Retina Consultants

As the only independent clinic of its kind in the Fargo-Moorhead area, Retina Consultants is trusted to provide the very best in comprehensive medical and surgical retina care. So when it came time to build a new space for their growing practice, Retina Consultants trusted the experts at InterOffice to help bring their vision to life. 

Founded in August 1988 by Dr. Max Johnson, Retina Consultants offers comprehensive diagnostic testing and the latest in-office and outpatient treatment options for diseases of the back of the eye. Two additional providers, Dr. Marina Gilca and Dr. Ravi Pandit, have since joined the practice to support increasing patient numbers and evolving medical technologies.

“The whole goal of our practice is to save sight and help people stay independent,” said Billing Supervisor Tracy Bloomquist, who has been with the practice for 23 years.

But by 2021, Retina Consultants’ existing clinic was bursting at the seams.

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“We outgrew that space. The waiting rooms were always full because we didn’t have enough rooms to see everyone,” said Clinic Supervisor Missy Kramer.

Retina Consultants set their sights on an untouched space in South Fargo’s MEDPark, more than double the size of their previous space. But they didn’t want to just add room; they wanted to maximize the room that they had–reducing wait time, improving quality of care, and helping patients get through their appointments in the fewest possible steps.

Retina Consultants’ former clinic had a total of 16 exam rooms, meaning each doctor had only about five rooms each. Now, each of Retina’s three doctors has seven designated exam rooms, along with diagnostic and procedure rooms. This increase in rooms allows Retina Consultants to move patients more efficiently during their appointments and provides flexibility in the event that a fourth doctor is added to the practice.

Retina also uses traffic control to improve the experience of patients and providers alike. The new clinic was constructed with two separate hallways: “on-stage,” for the movement of patients, and “off-stage,” for staff and equipment.

”The whole goal of our practice is to save sight and help people stay independent.

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More than Meets the Eye

Retina Consultants knew how they wanted the space to function; to marry function with form, they leaned on InterOffice Workspace Expert Melissa LaBay. 

“She was very helpful in guiding us through choosing the right products, down to even the smallest things,” Office Supervisor Melissa Marsh said. “When you walk through our office, there’s not a room you walk through that doesn’t have something from InterOffice.”

For the waiting area, LaBay selected Herman Miller Valor seating in two heights, including a taller Easy Access Chair specifically designed for older individuals and those with limited mobility.

Each private office is outfitted with SitOnIt Switchback height-adjustable bases and Herman Miller Canvas surfaces and storage, with a customized layout in each office based on the user’s needs and preferences. 

The break room, once a cramped space with a hodgepodge of cast-off chairs, is now a sanctuary for staff on long days. Sunlight from the windows pours over Herman Miller Caper Chairs in assorted heights arranged and tables and counter seating.

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”When you walk through our office, there’s not a room you walk through that doesn’t have something from InterOffice.

In interior design, as in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While patients are drawn to decorative pieces, like the OFS Intermix planters overflowing with greenery, clinic staff are just as impressed by functional pieces that would be overlooked by the untrained eye.

In providers’ offices, Herman Miller Flo monitor arms make it easy to transform an individual workspace into a presentation area. The Herman Miller Headway table in the conference room is equipped with a cable management trough to protect equipment and keep the space tidy–proving that sometimes the most important features are the ones you don’t see.

“We had a general idea for what we thought might work, but Melissa LaBay really helped shape that idea to fit our space,” Marsh said. “I don’t think we would change a thing.”