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There are several other
little comforts that make
a big difference in your
cataract surgery
patients' satisfaction:
• Personalized pre-
op. It's slightly daunting
to see 5 patients in pre-
op all with your doctor's
name on signs affixed
to their beds. Great, I'm
one of 5, patients may
think. Instead consider discreet designations (color-coded signs are one idea) to
show which patient belongs to each surgeon.
• Warm blankets. If you aren't letting patients wear street clothes during the
procedure, you're in the minority. Some facilities only make patients take off their
tops and wear hospital gowns; others let patients wear their own loose, comfortable
clothing in the room. Whatever your policy, keep in mind that patients may still get
chilly even if they're wearing more than those paper-thin gowns, so consider offer-
ing warm blankets.
• Education. While I had the chance to shadow my surgeon in the OR before my
surgery, your patients will rarely have that option. Instead, consider filming a
cataract surgery (with legally appropriate patient consent, of course) or creating a
presentation to walk patients through the procedure. You could post it on your web-
site or show it during pre-op counseling.
— Charles Slonim, MD
Other Tidbits to Enhance Your Patients' Experience
SMALL COMFORTS
