1. Patient Counselling – An internal Marketing Strategy

2. Journey of a child with an eye problem
Quality eye care
Regular follow up
Accept Doctors advice
Visit the hospital for a check up
Parents
need to
understand

3. Information required … In the hospital
The disease
Details of diagnostic procedures
Treatment – Medical, Optical or Surgical
Reasonable alternatives
Expected outcome
Relevant risks, benefits, uncertainties
Continuing health care requirements - Follow-up, Post.op care
Limitations of the practice and need for referral

4. All are busy with their work, Who will answer me?

5. Counselor Role in AECS

6. To increase awareness
Market new products or services
Moderate patient expectations
Increase patient compliance to treatment

7. Increase awareness Disease Treatment options Surgical procedure
Precautions

8. Market new products or services
Surgery / IOL options - Phaco, foldable lens
Amenities - suite rooms, paying rooms
Refraction services
New type of lens
New type of frame
New department - Low Vision, Specialty clinic

9. Moderate Patient Expectations
Treatment outcome
Facilities available at the hospital
Visitors time
Food
Cost

10. Increase Patient Compliance to Treatment
Post op discharge instructions
Follow up visit instructions
Immediate access in case of problems

11. Unwilling Patients Handling is the Challenge!!!

12. Types of Counselling in AECS
Individual
Family
Group 12

13. Counselling Setup

14. Counselling Aids
Model of eye, Sample Intraocular lens, patient education brochures, posters, Photos & Flash Card
Video
Motivation Card & Follow-up card
Check List 14

15. Post operative counselling checklist

16. AEH Counselling

17. Benefits of Starting Counselling in an Eyecare Setup
Counsellors speak in a language with local lexicons the patient understands
As counsellors have time to spend with the patients to communicate, using them becomes a cost effective solution
For increasing uptake to services
For increasing the number of patients
Valuable doctors time are saved

18. Who can be a counsellor?
Person who is compassionate with good communication skill & interested in interacting with people
At AEH: 10+2 pass with 2 years training

19. Skills required Understand and speak local languages/ Lexicons
Ability to speak multiple languages is an added asset
Able to talk clearly, audibly and politely
Able to develop the conversation
Ability to empathise
Listens well

20. Training Clinical Skills Basic Counselling Skills
Orientation about the hospital

21. Clinical Skills Anatomy and physiology of the eye
Vision 2020 priority eye diseases
Diagnosis, symptoms, treatment options, type of surgery
Read and be able to interpret the case sheet
(what doctors have written to know what has to be explained)
Pre and post operative instructions

22. Counselling Skills Communication skills
Body language
Voice modulation
Principles of counselling / values of counselling
Handling unwilling patients
Handling difficult patients
Issues of confidentiality and consent
Limitations
Usage of counselling aids
Usage of local lexicons & analogies

23. About Hospital Genesis of the hospital
All the HODs are to be introduced
Hospital working timing & leave details
Policies of the hospital
The facilities offered by the hospital to the patients
Treatment options
Room type
Reimbursement facilities
Certificates (Leave, Fitness & Low vision ,….)
Cost for the treatment
Statistics

24. Evaluation of counselling - Quantity & Quality

25. Quantity Analysis: Quality Analysis:
Monitor daily registers or Counselling MIS
Quality Analysis:
Surgery Acceptance rate No. of patients opting for surgery / Total no. of patients advised for surgery
Follow up rate No. of patients who keep their appointment on a particular day / Total no. of follow up appointment

26. Hospital Administrator Person Incharge for counselor
Role of
Hospital Administrator or
Person Incharge for counselor

27. To Involve Recruitment of counselors Decide their job description
Designing the counselling setup
Update their knowledge & practical skill
Updating counselling aids
Discussion with them in the meetings
What went well & wrong
What could have gone better
Patients unwilling reasons
What could the counsellor have done differently to make the patient accept

28. To Monitor Their daily work schedule Surgery acceptance level
Follow up acceptance level
Answering patient questions
Human resources
Feedback about counselling
From Patients
From Ophthalmologists & MLOPs
Suggesstion book

29. Changing patient expectations needs to be reviewed with the counselors to make necessary changes in the hospital systems
Any new services needs to be marketed through the counselors, well in advance before the implementation

30. Leveraging word of mouth
Word of mouth continues to be the single most powerful way of getting patients
To comply the patient to adhere to the follow up date
Counselors can provide motivation card to satisfied customer and motivating them to refer patients to the hospital

31. Conclusion Counselling - a powerful strategy
Hospital administrators must know how to use counselors well
Counselling can bring a big increase in patient satisfaction

32. THANK YOU
For your patient Listening !!!