Jason Jedlicka, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FCLSA Indiana University

Transcription

1 Jason Jedlicka, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FCLSA Indiana University

2 Current President of the Scleral Lens Education Society Have received funds or products for research, honorarium, or consulting in the last year from: Bausch and Lomb Paragon Alcon / Ciba Dakota Sciences GPLI Wells Research Alden Optical

3 What you need Instrumentation Fitting Sets Accessories Knowledge Patients! So Let s Talk about what you need and how to get it!

4 Make your skill level the cornerstone of your scleral practice

5 A Guide to Scleral Lens Fitting Attend workshops Have reps come to your office Attend them at meetings Lectures Webinars GPLI You won t get referrals from patients or other providers if you don t know what you are doing!

6 Get a fitting set then learn how to fit the scleral lenses you have EXPERTLY! Read the fitting guide and then read it again Watch the webinars on the manufacturers websites Talk to consultation at the lab and have them explain how they go about making the adjustments you need Understand how to modify them to your needs MASTER THE ART OF FITTING THE LENSES YOU HAVE ACCESS TO

7 Once you master a design, choose another design with different attributes and master THAT one As you master the lens designs, make sure your lab knows that you fit their lens and are comfortable with it, they may send patients your way if they get requests from other doctors

8 Become a member of the Scleral Lens Education Society (SLS) Then become a FELLOW of the SLS Becoming a fellow gets you listed in the SLS directory of fitters and indicates that you are competent at fitting scleral lenses

9 Become a fellow of the Contact Lens Society of America Become a diplomate in the Cornea and Contact Lens Section of the American Academy of Optometry NKCF refers individuals that are looking for contact lens fitters to practitioners that are FCLSA or FAAO CL Dipl.

10 Prepare your office for success / Internal Marketing

11 What do I need? Basic Exam Lane Not totally necessary but very helpful: Corneal Topogrpahy? Specular Microscopy (cell count pre-fitting)? Slit Lamp Camera? Anterior Segment OCT?

12 An absolute must, even if you use OCT to help design

13 Wratten Filter Non-preserved Saline DMV inserters and removers Fluorescein Extra large lens cases if you want to fit BIG

14 Pre-printed / photocopied scripts for Nonpreserved saline are a time saver

15 Package up Removers / Inserters with sample saline, Saline script, Cleaning kit and case, Artificial tears, whatever else you want to include Having this ready ahead of time makes it easier and less time consuming when patients are dispensed lenses Shows you do enough of this that you pre-package these items Consider carrying for-sale saline and extra accessories for patient convenience

16 Help them to see how scleral lenses can impact patients lives Gets them excited to know you are helping people s quality of life Fit your staff in scleral lenses and help them to realize they are not uncomfortable and not as intimidating as they can appear

17 As mentioned, make sure that your staff understands the nuances of billing and coding for scleral lenses so they can become a profit center and not a drain Utilize GPLI webinars as resource

18 Communicate fees and the process clearly with patients so that this does NOT become an area that drives patients AWAY Many of our patients appreciate how we work with them on fees and it keeps them LOYAL Take a little time to make sure all fees are clear up front so there are no issues later

19 If you want referrals from other providers, you MUST: Take good care of patients Respect the referring doctor s relationship with the patient Don t assume you need to do a complete exam Do what they are being referred for ACT like a specialist! Communicate with the referring doctor

20 Make sure you treat referrals the way that you would want your referrals handled Thank you letter to referrer that summarizes visit and treatment The more and better information you send back the more you impress them and they will refer more Allow the referring provider to still manage the patient s remaining care if they want to Be thankful to manage what you are being given the opportunity to manage

21 Dictating in front of patients is a powerful tool Allow the patient to know you are communicating with their doctor Allows the patient to hear your synopsis and ask any last minute questions Ensures that the letter to the referring provider gets done!

22 Treat referred in patients differently than your own patients Schedule in a way that makes staff aware they are a referral Note chart somehow that highlights whose patient it is Be content not to do more testing than needed Be sure to continue to communicate back to the referring doctor about the patient s status

23 Dry eyes As you grow a dry eye practice you will create more opportunities to fit sclerals Promote expertise in post refractive surgery care Irregular cornea Get active on the internet Irregular cornea support groups

24 External Marketing

25 Your website should be a BIG part of your marketing You should have at least one dedicated page to scleral lenses and others dedicated to specialty lenses Make sure scleral lenses and similar terminology is listed in your SEO areas

26 Make sure to have links to other scleral lens sites (and from if possible)

27 Get involved with patient support sites Groups on FACEBOOK that deal with Scleral lenses or related conditions NKCF Sites that help people that have had surgical complications

28 Make sure you are listed as a fitter on all the right sites Contactlenses.org Sclerallens.org (need to be a fellow first) Company websites

29 Create a blog Reference your successes and testimonials Talk about your experiences with lenses and fits

30 These should highlight your services and what scleral lenses can do Use to distribute to patients, potential referral sources as well to give to patients that they refer

31 Consider having one of your staff serve as your marketing person Allow them a certain number of hours a week to visit the offices of those that might refer to you Optometrists Ophthalmologists LASIK Centers Rheumatologists PCP with geriatric emphasis Have them bring brochures, cards, and publications that they can leave that support scleral lens benefits

32 Once you are proficient in fitting scleral lenses Consider authoring an article for publication Hold a CE event for your local peers to demonstrate the benefits and offer credit Host a workshop that is sponsored by one of the companies you work with Don t be afraid to have others in the area fitting sclerals as well By being the one to help teach them, they will refer their more complex patients to you or decide that they do not want to fit sclerals but will send them to you instead

33 Reach out to the contact lens technicians and optometrists in your area that do not fit them Provide them articles and publications on their success Suggest which patients can benefit most Offer to take on referrals from them

34 Reach out to local OMDs Explain how sclerals are changing the landscape of contact lens care How they can provide better comfort and avoid surgery How they can help heal disease ocular surfaces Provide literature and articles to support your claims Offer to co-manage their OSD / Irregular cornea patients with them if they would like

35 Reach out to LASIK centers Particularly those chain centers Let them know when they get non-candidates for LVC that you are happy to provide specialty contact lens care Let them know if they see a complication either long term or short term, you can help Meet with the clinic staff as well as the surgeons if you can

36 Reach out to Rheumatology Severe dry eye patients often are in the care of Rheumatology for Arthritic conditions like Sjogren s syndrome They can be helped by Sclerals for their OSD Bring supporting information

37 Get to know others that fit sclerals You can gain advice and insight You can also gain referrals when a patient moves to your area if their current doctor knows you are fitting lenses

38 Tell your patients Tell the world through social media Let your staff tell others because they see it first hand and have experienced it Tell other members of the eye care community and medical community what we already know Many of them DO NOT KNOW what sclerals can do to change lives

39 This will take some time, but persisting will pay off You may not get a referral from someone for months or years, but if you knock that one out of the park, they may start pouring in Online marketing takes weeks and months In the meantime, work on getting your systems in place for success and develop your other synergistic specialties

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