Patient Education
Patient Education Script
Creating an educated patient is the single most important thing you can do to create a satisfied patient. Too often we go about our testing and measuring without including the patient, the most important element in our work, in on what we are doing.
Creating a well educated patient turns that patient into a spokesperson for the practice. Keeping them informed regarding what you are doing gives them the impression that you are doing something no other optician anywhere has ever done for them before.
Patients do no come to us to have “a quick measurement” done. They come to us to have a comprehensive exam performed. The only way to insure they feel they are getting what they are here for is to use the proper verbage.
Although your verbage can and should be individualized based upon your unique communication style, here is a formula you can use in your communication with the patient to insure the patient is WOWED by you.
1. What are you doing?
2. Why are you doing it?
3. What can the patient expect?
For example, what conversations do you think will help the patient understand the comprehensive nature of your testing better and feel more confident in your skills?
1. “I am just going to do a quick test. Look straight ahead and don’t blink!” OR “I am going to check the distance between your pupils. This very important test insures the sweet spot of the glasses is aligned with the sweet spot of your eyes. Nothing touches the eye, we use only thee latest technology, but this instrument does get very close to your eye. But don’t worry, you wont feel anything.”
2. “I am just going to run a quick test. Sit here, put this gadget on your glasses, and look at the IPad” OR “This is going to give us a customized digital measure your eye position in the glasses. It will give the lab the exact data it need to customize the prescription for how you individually use your glasses. Don’t worry, nothing touches the eye, I will just have you look at the IPad camera. ”
3. “I am just going to run a quick test. Sit here, put your chin there, and look at the balloon” OR “This is called an autorefractor. It will give the doctor a starting point for your new glasses prescription. Don’t worry, there is no puff of air and nothing touches the eye, you will just see a landscape scene with a hot air balloon, when you see it just look at the balloon.”
You are taking this course because you want to be the best optician anywhere. You are what makes your office so special. Let the patients know this by the education you provide and the patients will comment to you that no other office has ever been this thorough.
