Dr. Rolando Toyos has a vision, which isn’t surprising for an ophthalmologist, but it’s not just about providing good eye care for his patients. It goes well beyond that, from the entrepreneurial (adopting the latest technological advances) to the charitable (providing free treatment for patients who can’t pay for it). It’s something of a super-vision, which fits right in with Toyos’ ambitious, energetic nature.
50-100 EMPLOYEES
WINNER ROLANDO TOYOS TOYOS CLINIC
He started his business in 1998, not long out of his residency. The group he was in was disbanding, so he pondered whether to join a new group or start his own practice. Toyos, being a take-charge type, didn’t want someone else making decisions for him on how to practice and which patients could be treated according to their financial situation. He wanted it all and wanted to be in the middle of it. Toyos Clinic, which specializes in vision, optical, and facial cosmetic surgery, will treat anybody who needs what they offer, but he’s quick to tell you it isn’t the workplace for everyone. “If you want to do the same thing and stay with the status quo, this isn’t it,” he says. “We are always looking forward, we never stand still. Ophthalmology is a high-tech specialty and that’s one thing that attracted me. We adopt new technology, research new ways to help patients, and stay at the cutting edge. We’re small, so we can make changes quickly. The hard part of that is these technologies are very expensive, so bringing them to market can be a stretch for the clinic, but that’s our commitment and what we try to do.” That says, you might think that the clinic, with six locations in Mississippi and Tennessee, is a fairly exclusive enterprise. Toyos, however, is just as interested in investing in the community as he is in new technology: “Giving back is the ultimate in what you do with your life.” To that end, he and his wife, Dr. Melissa Morrison Toyos, formed the Toyos Foundation to provide free care and contribute to various charities. He has long been involved in community affairs, working with young people when he taught high school before going to medical school. “My goal was to be a physician and also a leader in the community,” Toyos says. “Even in med school, where I was class president, I made it a mission to do
“We’re here to help people and there are so many benefits in having a business helping people in need.”
outreach at local schools.” He attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine and started a program for youngsters in Chicago who were interested in the healthcare profession. “When I moved to Tennessee I started coaching and working with kids through churches.” That led to expanding his practice to include free care, which is done locally through the Eye Care America Project established by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and on medical mission trips that have taken him to Nicaragua, Honduras, and Haiti. “I tell incoming employees it’s the mission of the practice to have a successful clinic and be part of the fabric of the community. Even with changes in healthcare to get more people insured, there’s still a huge group of uninsured, underinsured, and underserved people needing care. Our nonprofit wants to deliver that.” As much effort as it takes to keep up with the latest technology and provide care for those who could not otherwise afford it, the biggest challenge for Toyos Clinic is educating patients. “Changes that come with the Affordable Care Act mean informing patients about new rules,” Toyos says. “Insurance is changing to higher deductibles and those have to be taken into account. Patients have to understand their insurance better and we can help, but it’s taking a lot of administrative time on our end. Also, declining Medicare reimbursements is another thing. Making things work in healthcare in this new environment is tricky, but we try to stay on top of everything and make sure we can adapt.” Toyos the CEO is a mix of doctor, teacher, and community benefactor. With all those activities going on, he appreciates what it is to have good people to rely on. “We’re successful because we’re a good team and that team makes me look good,” he says. “We’re here to help people and there are so many benefits in having a business helping people in need. I’m not interested in running a business where we’re creating a new widget. Treating people requires a dedication and in the long-term, we feel good about making a difference.”
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