Provider Cuts UCI Laser Clinic In on Action

Like many cutting-edge enterprises these days, UC Irvine’s laser surgery clinic has lots of fancy equipment that isn’t making much money.

The clinic, at the Beckman Laser Institute on the university’s Irvine campus, is trying to boost its revenue by linking up with Mattan Corp., a Des Plaines, Ill.-based company that promises to provide doctors and patients to increase the use of the clinic’s state-of-the-art lasers. The clinic will be paid for each procedure performed.

Michael Berns, a surgery professor, says he hopes the deal will increase the clinic’s annual revenue to $1 million from the current level of about $600,000. He noted that one $500,000 machine, used to treat nearsightedness, could handle about 30 to 40 operations a day. Even on a good day, it does only five to 10 now, he said. The 30-second operation costs the patient $1,800 to $2,000 per eye, he says.

Mattan, which sets up and operates plastic surgery centers, is preparing to enter the Southern California market by creating up to 15 new centers, including up to five in Orange County, says Mark Miller, its chief executive.

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Barbara Marsh covers health care for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7762 and at barbara.marsh@latimes.com