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Categorical Course

OBL and ASC Procedures
Categorical Course

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

Monday, April 13, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:45 AM ET
Location: 714A

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. The session will cover the steps of starting and maintaining a successful OBL, with particular emphasis on marketing and referral generation, the role of AI, case selection, and navigating the challenges of insurance and operational crises.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the critical steps and planning required to open and maintain a successful OBL.
  • Select and prioritize high-value, OBL-appropriate procedures that support long-term viability, including embolization therapies.
  • Evaluate the role of marketing and referral generation for expanding case mix and attracting 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, PhD (she/her/hers) – New England Endovascular Center

  • 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