Key Takeaways
- MDConsult AI has commercially launched its AI-powered pre-consultation platform after a beta rollout that included 320 patient consultations across US ophthalmology practices
- The platform uses a surgeon-configurable AI framework designed to reflect individual counseling preferences while improving patient education and consultation efficiency
MDConsult AI announced the commercial launch of its artificial intelligence-powered pre-consultation software platform for cataract and refractive surgery practices, following a beta rollout that began in May 2026.
According to the company, the platform has been implemented across a cohort of US ophthalmology practices, completing consultations for 320 patients by early July. The software is designed to prepare patients before their in-person surgical consultation while helping practices improve workflow efficiency.
The company said its platform is built on what it describes as a "3D AI" architecture tailored to ophthalmic surgical decision-making, rather than adapting a general-purpose AI model for healthcare applications. Central to the system is a proprietary framework the company calls "deep directed discovery," which allows surgeons to customize algorithms and clinical settings so the software reflects their individual approach to patient counseling.
By incorporating surgeon-specific preferences before a patient begins interacting with the platform, MDConsult AI aims to deliver consultations that are personalized to both the patient's clinical profile and the physician's practice style.
The launch comes as cataract surgeons continue to navigate increasing complexity in IOL selection alongside ongoing reimbursement pressures and limited consultation time. The company said these trends have contributed to growing demand for tools that can improve patient education while reducing administrative burden.
"Patients today are being asked to make increasingly sophisticated lens and procedure decisions in less time than ever, with physicians under more reimbursement pressure than ever," said Gary Wortz, MD, co-founder and co-manager of MDConsult AI. "We didn't want another generic chatbot layered on top of that problem. We built a system that thinks the way each surgeon actually practices—because no two surgeons counsel patients exactly the same way, and patients deserve consultations that reflect that."
According to MDConsult AI, early use across beta practices has been associated with reduced physician and staff chair time, improved patient preparedness before surgical consultations, streamlined consultation workflows, and higher advanced-technology IOL conversion rates in some practices.
"Our beta users are some of the top cataract and refractive practices in the country, and the early data is validating exactly what we set out to build," said Tamara Bogetti, MBA, co-founder and co-manager of MDConsult AI. "We're seeing practices get real efficiency gains while patients walk into their surgical consultation more informed and more confident. That combination—efficiency and better patient experience—is very hard to achieve at the same time, and it's the reason we built this."
The platform is offered through a monthly subscription model, which the company said is intended to lower the barrier to adoption compared with larger capital equipment purchases.
MDConsult AI was developed by cataract and refractive surgeons Dr. Wortz and Joaquin De Rojas, MD, together with ophthalmology industry executives Tamara Bogetti, MBA, and Ranna Jaraha.
The company said it plans to expand beyond cataract surgery into additional ophthalmic subspecialties and, eventually, into other areas of medicine where patient education and consultation workflows present similar challenges.
