Structured patient counseling process key for successful cataract surgery
BOSTON — A structured patient counseling process is key to educate patients, help them make the best decisions and meet their expectations, according to a speaker at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting.
At The Eye Associates in Florida, where Cathleen M. McCabe, MD, serves as medical director, patients who schedule an appointment have the opportunity to learn about cataract and cataract surgery before the visit. A welcome SMS message provides links to video tutorials and includes information on IOL options and the costs involved.
“A lot of times, they’ve made up in their mind what they think they want. Of course, you have to correlate that with their personality, desires and their ocular health,” McCabe said.
More educational material is provided through the website, which also offers the opportunity to get to know the doctors who work in the practice.
“We videotaped every single one of our doctors telling the story about them, who are they, why are they there, why are they passionate about vision and what do they care about,” McCabe said.
Other videos answer frequently asked questions, which make patients feel like they had a meaningful interaction with their treating physician even before meeting them in the office.
During the visit, patients are welcome to bring a family member or to connect with them on speaker phone and to record the conversation so they can listen to it again at home.
“Be an active listener, repeat back to the patients what they’re saying to you, and make sure they repeat back to you what they understand,” McCabe said. “Visual aids are super helpful. Have them all over your exam room.”
The biometry visit is separate from the eye exam to allow time for optimizing the ocular surface and to let patients think over their decision and talk with their family. Patients then come back and make the decision with a patient care coordinator. If patients have questions that cannot be answered at that time, they can have a follow-up visit with the physician.
After surgery, McCabe recommended referring back to the preoperative discussions, using the same language and tools to give patients a feeling of closing the loop of a comprehensive treatment plan.
With staff, it is important to periodically meet and make sure that communication is consistent through all the touchpoints of the patient journey.
“Over time, our story and how we present it changes, and we want to make sure our language is consistent,” she said.
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McCabe CM. The how: Pearls for the counseling process. Presented at: American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting; April 5-8, 2024; Boston.
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