Fichte, Endl and Elmer Eye Care marks monumental success

By Karen Carr Keefe

Senior Contributing Writer

Fichte, Endl and Elmer Eye Care is celebrating its 20,000^th patient at the company’s Ambulatory Surgery Center of Niagara at 6500 Porter Road, Niagara Falls. The milestone day occurred in June, and the patient who captured that record is Dawn Dominguez of Lewiston.

Dominguez was fortunate three times: She had successful cataract surgery in both eyes, about two weeks apart, and she got to enjoy cake with the center’s staff as they marked the milestone.

She was surprised to learn her status as the center’s 20,000^th patient: “I had no idea how many they do. … I feel special!”

Dominguez said that, during the surgery, the staff helped calm her initial jitters.

“At first, you’re not sure what to think, but when I was released from here, I could see – I didn’t need my glasses, I didn’t need contacts – it was great!” she said.

Dominguez explained the transformation to clear vision was immediate and pain-free.

“You know what’s going on, but you don’t feel anything,” she said.

Dominguez owns DD Sewing & Embroidery in Tonawanda.

“It’s great not to have to wear glasses to thread needles at work,” she said.

Dominguez is a fan of the ASC and would recommend it to others.

Surgery Center Administrator Kim Fullone, a nurse, has been with the center for about two-and-a half-years. She said doctors Michael Endl and Thomas Elmer are owners of the facility, which opened in 2016. There are six physicians who do surgery at the center. A total of 21 staff includes reception and business office personnel, as well as RNs, LPNs, surgical techs and sterile processing techs.

Currently, they do all eye surgery at the center, under a single-specialty ophthalmology license that includes cataract, glaucoma, eye plastic surgery and retina surgery. They do general anesthesia, local and monitored anesthesia care through their provider, Niagara Frontier Anesthesia.

Fullone said, “Just last year, we got our multi-specialty license, so now we’re exploring what other options for surgery would be good for here,” such as hand surgery, plastic surgery or orthopedic surgery – other outpatient procedures. The idea is to expand the options, grow the business, and be of service to more Niagara County patients.

The center is now open Monday through Wednesday. It could expand by another two weekdays, which would entail hiring more surgeons.

Fullone said this past June was the biggest month ever, with 300 cases.

Marketing Director Kathleen Otto said the ASC of Niagara was the very first freestanding, privately owned surgery center in Niagara County.

“Usually, hospital systems own surgery centers, but our MDs obtained a certificate of need from Albany in 2015 to get this project underway and approved – and built it themselves,” she said. “We’re excited at our progress” in achieving the 20,000^th patient this summer. And we’re doing a lot of things to celebrate.”

Otto added, “We are actively seeking other surgeons to work at our facility,” to accommodate the multi-specialty license that was added and offer more services, especially for the convenience of Niagara County residents.

“People that live in pockets of Niagara County – Medina, Newfane, Youngstown, Lewiston – they live so far north that the last thing they want to do, in addition to being stressed about an operation and getting there early in the morning and not eating and all the things that go with an operation – is not having to go driving downtown to Buffalo,” Otto said.