Refractive Surgery
Teaching Tools
Jeffrey M. Augustine, O.D.
Patients these days are seeking refractive surgery advice more than
ever. They want honest counseling amidst the marketing bombardment coming
from all sides. Yet, playing the role of refractive surgery consultant
can be time-consuming when you have to deal with so many patient misconceptions.
It can really back up your schedule. Yet, if you don’t provide an adequate
consult you risk losing the patient to a slick marketer.
How can you provide an effective consult in a short time and maintain
the patient’s confidence? Here are some tools that may help.
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The 7-minute consult. Using a laptop computer and a refractive surgical
software template designed by QVS Technology Group, we developed our own
individual practice interactive consult. It’s a CD-ROM called “ChairsideAssistant”
that covers patient selection, technology updates, surgeon selection, the
procedure itself, results and complications. Explaining LASIK to patientsusing
this interactive method is much more effective than a generic, prefabricated
video.
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The Chairside Assistant. This lets the patient control the process
of learning the pros and cons of refractive surgery. Patients can stop
the presentation at any time to get answers to questions. You can customize
the lesson to the particulars of your practice—for example, your surgeon’s
outcomes orinformation on the type of laser he or she uses. One advantage
is that the message comes from you, instead of the patient listening to
a videotape or a technician. Patients should have no misconceptions after
this consult.
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The eye model. Another great educational tool is the LASIK eye model
from Gulden Ophthalmics. It helps the patient visualize and understand
the procedure. The eye model has a thin movable flap on the front surface
of the cornea that pivots back and forth to demonstrate how the procedure
works. It has a bead on two strings that aids in discussing the refractive
error of the eye and how surgery improves visual acuity. Patients can easily
understand LASIK when it’s simplified like this. A better-educated patientis
easier to manage post-op.
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Business card CD-ROM. This is the newest way to educate patients
and promote your practice. It’s a truncated version of a normal CD that
incorporates video, sound and imagery about refractive surgery and your
practice. This customized CD-ROM can be a high-tech marketing tool to drive
word-of-mouth or a direct-mail piece to educate your patients. Each CD-ROM
costs about $1 to produce, depending on the volume you order and the developmental
cost. It’s a way to market your practice that will set you apart from your
competitor.
Other educational materials. These include trifolds, pamphlets, your web
site, information on telephone hold, and posters. Refractive surgical educational
products can enhance your practice image and convey a proactive attitude
toward refractive surgery. We’re not in business merely to dispense glasses
and contact lenses. We’re in the eye-care business. That means we should
present patients with three options: glasses, contacts and refractive surgery.
It’s not easy to change your practice image, but you can do it. Get
involved. Catch the wave. Start with yourself. You can set an example fory
our entire office. Look for ways to send a proactive refractive surgical
message that your office is the place to go for the best advice and perioperative
care for refractive surgery.
In an age of declining refractive surgical fees and the disappearance
of comanagement models, you must build your practice to become state-of-the-art.
Make your patients aware that you’re an expert in refractive surgical perioperative
care. There are some great educational tools to help you do that.
Dr. Augustine has no financial interest in these companies.
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