The Optometric Minute

Empower Your Patient with Information

March 8, 2017

Information empowers a patient and increases their compliance with their treatment plan, says Shira Kresch, OD, MS. This belief led Dr. Kresch to develop EyeInquire, an interactive, video-intensive patient information platform. EyeInquire is designed to be used during an exam to effectively and consistently explain a condition or disease to a patient. Further, the platform is interactive and patient friendly, enabling the patient to continue to learn before and after an exam—and to engage in questions and answers with their eye doctor or health system.

Give Tech-Savvy Patients  Tools to Understand & Engage
Making Information Accessible

HELP PATIENTS TO UNDERSTAND. Give your patient a tool that allows them to use reliable information, in an easy-to-understand format to understand their diagnosis and treatment plan.

PUT WAITING TO GOOD USE. Instead of the patient just waiting idly during their appointment, give them an online program they can engage with on their mobile device to learn about their eyes.

USE TECH-SAVVY FORMAT. Patients want to learn not just online, but on their phones and tablets, and in an interactive way.

EXPECT SELF-DIAGNOSIS. Patients often self-diagnose based on information found online. Be prepared to encounter that and direct patients to reliable sources of information.

ENGAGE TO INCREASE COMPLIANCE. Patients who don’t understand their condition are more likely not to comply with their treatment plan. Educate and engage your patients–and measure their increased compliance.

 

PROVIDE LEVELS OF INFO. To help patients learn, provide an online overview, including statistics about an eye condition, then offer additional information on treatment. Also, provide a glossary of terms and step-by-step treatment instructions.

KEEP IT FRIENDLY. Ensure the educational platform you choose uses an easy-to-relate-to, friendly tone in the delivery of information.

QUIZ KNOWLEDGE. Offer a quiz to take before the information is presented, and another afterward. Then gauge the learning that has occurred.

ENGAGE AFTER THE EXAM. Patients can absorb only so much information during an office visit. Encourage them to post questions that arise after the exam to reinforce their understanding.

 

Shira Kresch, OD, MS, is Instructor of Optometric Sciences (in Ophthalmology) at Columbia University Medical Center  and Optometrist at New York Presbyterian Hospital. She is the founder of the patient-information platform EyeInquire, and she encourages input from colleagues to improve the program. To reach her: shirakreschod@gmail.com

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