This document discusses strategies for efficiently counseling patients on cataract surgery and premium IOL options. It outlines four types of cataract patients and recommendations for each type. These include sending pre-visit education, using diagnostic tools, and scheduling follow up appointments for those not ready to decide. It emphasizes starting the education process at home before the clinic visit through emails, calls, and videos. In the clinic, a five minute counseling process is outlined where the surgeon's recommendation is confirmed before standard surgery scheduling begins, allowing discussion of options and agreements. Throughout, listening to understand each patient's unique values and needs is stressed as key to helping them perceive the value in premium IOL upgrades.

1. PIOL Conversion
By: Michael W. Malley
President / Founder CRM Group
Mastering
CRM Group

2. • It’s my 30-Year Anniversary in Refractive Marketing…and I
still have no financial disclosures
Financial Disclosure
• But our ears are always open to suggestions!
CRM Group
• It’s Cory’s 22nd Year Anniversary in Refractive Practice
Development…and he has no financial disclosures in any
of the topics discussed here, but does have a research
grant from Alcon he must disclose

3. Contact Information
CRM Group
Michael W. Malley
(713) 839-0202 – OFFICE
(713) 446-3735 – CELL / TEXT
mike@refractivemarketing.com
www.refractivemarketing.com
Cory J. Pickett, MSN, FNP, CRNO
(318) 518-2880 – cell/text
cory.pickett@paneye.com

4. CRM Group
Who ‘Wrote The Book On PIOL
C O N V E R S I O
N

5. Well, As It Turns
Out, We Did 
But I’m NOT Here To Sell It To You…
Because It’s NOT For Sale

6. It’s 32 Pages Long
ALL About Premium IOLs & SUPER IMPORTANT

7. But Not As Important As This Guy!
Meet Greg From Connecticut Eye Consultants

8. But First:
Your Most
Important
Question:
How Do We Save
The Surgeon Exam
Lane Time?

9. 4 types of cataract / lens
exchange patients
1) Patients that have already been diagnosed with cataracts,
know they have cataracts, and are being referred for cataract
surgery, whether by another eyecare provider or by a friend
or family member
2) Patients that are coming in because they are struggling with
their vision and think they just need new glasses.
3) Patients that are just there for an ‘annual’ eye exam and have
no idea their vision has decreased.
4) Patients that are coming in for vision correction procedures
such as LASIK

10. 4 types of cataract / lens exchange
patients
There should be a plan in place to tackle each type of patient.

11. Already Has a Cataract
• Send general information ahead of time with your different options, whether
it be specific IOL types or package types.
• Have patient complete a questionnaire, whether beforehand online, over the
phone, or in office, to determine what their interests are.
• Use diagnostics to gauge what the patient may be a candidate for:
• OPD, iTrace, VX120, auto-refractor/topo
• Do general education on cataract surgery BEFORE the surgeon comes into
the exam room. Save the type of IOL discussion until after the surgeon
exam.
• Use video-based solutions to maintain consistency in messaging
• Once surgeon sees patient and makes a specific recommendation(s) on
treatment options, have a series of specific videos available so that you can
educate the patient on their specific options ONLY.
• They want to hear what the doctor recommends
• Use technology to guide the decision-making process
• Stay away from generic videos, the patient wants to hear it from you

12. Already Has a Cataract (continued)
• Be up front about the financial decisions
• Medicare/private insurance pays a part
• Patient has a choice on the rest
• When patient goes to scheduler/counselor, be able to give them a
nice printout with their specific options on it, including their expected
out-of-pocket expenses.
• Also have financing options available.

13. Think They Need New Glasses
• These patients have a different mindset
• Not expecting surgery
• Not expecting added costs
• Let the surgeon be the one that explains why they need cataract
surgery and not new glasses, then give them some preliminary
education and discussion materials.
• It’s OK to bring the patient back for further IOL discussion in a
separate setting.
• This is a big decision, and may not be one they are prepared to make on the
spot, whether visually or financially
• “Mrs. Jones, this is a big decision to make, so why don’t we give you some
information and then schedule you for a time to come back and visit with us
so that you have a chance to discuss this with your family.”

14. “Annual” eye exam
• These are the patients that say they see well and have no vision
complaints.
• It’s difficult to expect to convert these patients to surgery immediately
• Spend time discussing findings and setting expectations rather than
trying to ‘convince’ them to have surgery
• Patients that are pressured to make a decision are more likely to not have
surgery at all, and further are less likely to upgrade to a premium IOL
• By definition, they haven’t been ‘bothered’ by their vision
• Pointing it out sets the table for future discussion and upgrade success
• Again, it’s OK to bring them back for a surgical consideration, perhaps
either cataract surgery or lens exchange.

15. LASIK patients
• Different subsets of these patients
• Want LASIK to fix their near vision while not losing distance
• Want LASIK to fix everything
• Already had LASIK, now need readers, and want more LASIK to fix that
• It’s a long discussion
• Use advanced diagnostics and patient discussion to aid in decision-
making process
• Have everyone in the office on the same page regarding what the
surgeon is comfortable in offering in each circumstance.

16. Educational Videos

17. Why I Believe in Educational Videos
• Help ensure consistency of message
• Time saver for staff
• Flexible
• Study has shown patients have better understanding:
• Out of 101 patients, 58 viewed the educational video. Patients who viewed
the video exhibited stronger learning outcomes; in particular, patients who
viewed the video scored higher on cataract surgery educational assessments
than those who did not (83% vs 76%, p=0.032), particularly on the
assessment of postoperative visual expectations (98% vs 80%, p=0.003)
• Video education during preoperative cataract surgery assessments improved
patient understanding of cataract surgery and perception of preoperative
visits. Video education is easily integrated into preoperative visits and can
enhance the preoperative experience.

19. Here’s How: Greg…And He’s NOT An Actor
And This Is Going To Be A LONG 10 Minutes. But….

20. Now The
2nd Most
Important
PIOL Question
•“What Are Patients
REALLY Buying?

21. They’re Buying
Something They Lost
• That’s Where Perceived Value Comes into Play
• They’re NOT Buying A Specific PIOL

22. At The CORE Of Today’s
Issue…
• Is LOSS.
• Patients have LOST
something…
• And they’re willing to PAY to
get it back.
• How much they PAY…
• Depends on how well we
listen…
• And how well we educate
them.

23. We Just Have To Remind
Them What They Lost
• How Do Remind Them?
• How Long Does It Take?
• Whose Going to Do It?

24. Anyone On Your Team Can Do It
Techs Can Do It
CRM Group
Counselors Can Do It
Call Center Staff Can Do
All It Takes Is TIME!

25. Let’s Play The:
Patient Listening Game
CRM Group

32. Listening Carefully To Patients
Allows Your Techs, ODs &
Counselors To Know What Patients
Value MOST In Their Vision
CRM Group

33. The ‘Secret’ Behind Our
5-Minute Training Manual
• Every Practice Is Unique
• Counseling & Education
Needs to be Customized
• It’s A Group Project:
Counselors, Schedulers,
Front Desk, Call Center,
Techs, Surgeons

34. The Story of Rosa…
• Published Last Month In Administrative Eyecare

35. Our Technique
Requires ‘NO SELLING’
• If You’re Having To SELL, The
‘Process’ Is Not Working
• No ‘Convincing’
• No ‘Pressure’
But It Does Require Listening

36. COUNSELING Must Be A
PROCESS
Treat Patient Counseling Like A Patient Work-Up

37. It’s BEST To Start At Home!
• Start The Education At Home
• Educate via Email
• Educate via Video
• Educate via Snail Mail
• Educate via Telephone

38. Verify Each
Step BEFORE
They Come In
• Packet Mailed
• Phone Call To Patient
• Verify Packet Received
• Discuss Their Options
• Confirm Appnt Time
• Confirm Email
• Email Cataract Video

39. Sample At-Home Call Scripting:

40. Sample At-Home Call Scripting:

41. Sample At-Home Call Scripting:

42. Sample At-Home Call Scripting:

43. Sample At-Home Call Scripting:

44. Arriving At
The 5-
Minute
Counseling
Session
They’ve received a
packet at home
They’ve received a call at
home
They’ve watched a video
at home

45. Let’s Now
Move Into
The Clinic
They’ve been ‘greeted’ by the front desk
Let Them Meet The Counselor Who Called
Them – Develops Trust.
They’ve been worked up and ‘prepared’
by the techs
They Received A Medical Assessment /
Recommendation By Their Surgeon

46. They’ve Met Their
Surgeon
• Who Has Made:
• A MEDICAL ASSESSMENT
• A MEDICAL RECOMMENDATION
• MENTIONED OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS

47. What Do
We Say
Next?
• “Do you agree with Dr. Mac’s MEDICAL
ASSESSMENT?”

48. THEIR
ANSWER:
• 90% Of ALL Patients Agree With The
ASSESSMENT
• Almost the same percentage using MEDICAL
RECOMMENDATION

49. The BEAUTY of Option II – ‘Surgery Scheduling
Patient Scheduling MOMENTUM
The Process Gets Underway Effortlessly
No Awkward Pausing Up Front To Discuss Fees or
Lenses

50. Start The Standard
Surgical Scheduling
• Dr. Mac Is Recommending Cataract Surgery
On Your Right Eye.
• Right now we are scheduling 2 weeks out.
• We perform surgeries on Mondays or
Tuesdays.
• Do you have a preference for Mondays or
Tuesdays?

51. Goal #1: Get Them On
the Schedule
• Continue With ‘Patient Option
Processing’
• Also Start The ‘Agreement Process’

52. Options Processing
Do You Prefer Early Morning or
Later in the Morning?
This Method Allows Patients Control
In Scheduling

53. Continue With Standard Scheduling
YOU WILL NEED TO
HAVE A DRIVER THAT
DAY
THIS IS WHAT YOU’LL
NEED TO WEAR
THIS IS HOW LONG
YOU WILL BE HERE
THESE ARE THE DROPS
YOU WILL NEED

54. Wait For Confirmation.
“Keep Scheduling”
• The BEAUTY of OPTION II:
• The counseling
continues in the same
FORM & FASHION as the
SCHEDULING. It’s a
‘Matter-of-fact’
approach where the
patient simply verifies
their approval with the
MEDICAL ASSESSMENT.

55. But NONE Of
This Works
If:
• Education Is NOT An Absolute Part of the Work-Up Process
• Counselors & Techs Do NOT LISTEN to Patients

56. Listening Is Where VALUE Comes Into Play
• Remember, Patients Can’t Value A Toric Lens…
• Unless “we” know WHY they REALLY NEED One…
• And remind them HOW is can RENEW their LIFE!

57. For LISTENING 
Thank You…