I am having a hard time talking to my patients wearing a mask. I never knew this about myself, but I do a fair amount of communication with facial expressions. It turns out, we all do!
Studies are also showing that reducing the amount of time in close contact with another person seems to reduce the risk of passing along COVID-19 to each other.
These two facts have led me to make some fairly significant adjustments to my in-office eye exam technique. In a recent whitepaper, we call this method “Supportive Teleoptometry”. We define it as a portion of the in-office exam being done through synchronous remote communications. In other words, part of the exam is done by someone who is not in the room with the patient.
At Leadership OD, we work with a variety of clients adapting their process for Supportive Teleoptometry:
Case History before the patient comes in.
“Filling out paperwork before you arrive” has been a technique to improve efficiency for a long time. It dates back to the days when paperwork was actually on paper.
When the paper forms come in already completed or if the online form is filled out before arrival, there should always be a conversation about the answers. “On your form, you checked that you had cancer. Can I ask you a few questions about that?”
This conversation can happen from the patient’s home or car safely parked in the parking lot. In our office, we are bringing the patient into the exam room, inviting them to remove their mask and the doctor connects from across the hall, also maskless.
The conversation is way better via Zoom than masked in the same room.
We also have the capability to refract remotely.
We utilize a proprietary technology that allows us to control our automated phoropter and digital eye chart from a computer screen. This allows us to sit back from the patient, refract from across the hall, or delegate the refraction process to the skilled refracting technician from our partners at 2020 Now.
A high quality slit lamp camera allows me to sit back from the patient and look at the images on the computer monitor. This also allows me to capture images or videos of anything that I need to document quickly.
Review the treatment plan.
I have a really good script for explaining lid scrubs to my patients but I can’t catch my breath when trying to do it behind a mask. I also do a lot of demonstrating when explaining the importance of a good technique when instilling eye drops.
For all of the same reasons that I like beginning the exam with a virtual connection, instead of a masked conversation, I like wrapping it up the same way. I like to smile when I say thanks for coming in.
To explore how these ideas can benefit your practice, feel free to Contact Us at Leadership OD.
Bonus: If you decide to implement the virtual case history and then walk into the room with a mask, you can steal this joke if you want……… “If a masked man walks in there in just a minute, don’t let it scare you. It’s just me.”
-Kills every time.