Optometric Billing Solutions (OBS) announced in a press release that the company is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year under the theme "Celebrating 20 Years of Gratitude." OBS specializes exclusively in optometric billing, helping eyecare professionals streamline revenue cycles, reduce claim denials, and focus on patient care.
Founded in 2005 by sisters Branda Barton and Brooke Armstrong, OBS has grown from a basement startup into a company supporting clinics in nearly every state with a team of over 130 employees.
According to the press release, the idea for OBS was born from a single call for help. When a Nebraska optometry clinic lost its biller, Ms. Barton stepped in remotely to temporarily manage claims—creating what would become the company’s first long-term client, a relationship that continues today. Within months, word spread, and Ms. Armstrong joined forces with her sister to launch Optometric Billing Solutions in Wichita, Kansas.
“From day 1, our mission has been to make life easier for optometrists,” says Ms. Barton, co-founder and president of OBS. “We saw firsthand how insurance billing challenges could drain time, money, and morale from practices. We wanted to change that.”
According to the press release, the company’s growth has been fueled by a strong foundation in training and technology—new billers spend their first 3 months in an in-depth in-house training program, followed by ongoing education. In 2021, OBS launched the OBS Portal, a proprietary management tool that provides clients and staff with real-time business insights.
Despite its growth, OBS says it remains deeply committed to its people and culture. The company has been recognized multiple times by the Wichita Business Journal as one of the city’s Best Places to Work, earning the top spot 5 times—including in 2024, OBS says in the press release.
“Our success has never just been about numbers,” says Ms. Armstrong, co-founder and vice president. “It’s about people—our dedicated team and the optometrists we serve. We built a company we’d want to work for and a service we’d be proud to use ourselves.”
As OBS celebrates 2 decades in business, the founders say they are looking forward to the future. “We’re grateful for every client, every team member, and every lesson learned along the way,” says Ms. Barton. “And we’re just getting started.” OM