How to Run an OBL: Cases, Staffing, Surviving, and Prospering

Monday, April 13, 2026

8:30 AM - 9:45 AM ET

Location: 714A

Coordinator(s)

S. Lowell Kahn, IV, MD, MBA

Founder
New England Endovascular Center, United States
Fakhir Elmasri, MD, FSIR

President/Founder
Lakeland Vascular Institute (LVI) , United States

In an era of declining reimbursement, OBL success requires tight operational efficiency, disciplined cost control, strategic case selection, and targeted direct-to-consumer marketing of high-value embolization procedures that can attract self-pay patients.

Learning Objectives:

Explain how declining reimbursement impacts OBL sustainability and identify operational efficiencies that improve financial performance.
Select and prioritize high-value, OBL-appropriate procedures that support long-term viability, including embolization therapies.
Evaluate the role of direct-to-consumer marketing in expanding case mix and attracting self-pay patients when traditional referral pathways are saturated.

Presentations:

8:30 AM - 8:40 AM ET

From Vision to Viability: What Must Happen Before You Open an OBL
Speaker: S. Lowell Kahn, IV, MD, MBA – New England Endovascular Center
8:40 AM - 8:50 AM ET

Strategies to Grow the Business (Which Marketing Efforts Actually Work?)
Speaker: Carrie Kahn
8:50 AM - 9:00 AM ET

What Cases Are Worth Pursuing? (Selective Case Strategy in an OBL Environment)
Speaker: Fakhir F. Elmasri, MD, FSIR – Lakeland Vascular Institute (LVI)
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM ET

The Referral Flywheel: How to Build Predictable Case Volume without Paying for Ads
Speaker: Aaron Kovaleski, MD – Endovascular Consultants of Colorado
9:10 AM - 9:20 AM ET

The AI-Enabled OBL: Smarter Workflows, Better Outcomes
Speaker: Aaron Kovaleski, MD – Endovascular Consultants of Colorado
9:20 AM - 9:30 AM ET

Managing Problems Without Derailing the Practice (Insurance, Complications, and Operational Crises)
Speaker: Ahmed Farag, MD – Advanced Vascular Institute
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM ET

Q&A