Three sentences:
1) An ongoing study assessed the telephone skills of refractive surgery providers, finding some improvement in average call scores from year one to two but still room for growth, with less than half of calls scoring well.
2) The study identified three aspects of calls that were strongly correlated with lower conversion rates: qualifying the caller's interest, creating perceived value of the procedure, and proposing a clear next step for the caller.
3) Focusing call training on these three elements could significantly improve conversion rates and reduce the cost of marketing per surgical patient for practices.
In Chuck Norris we trust - A3 thinking introHanno Jarvet
How to get rid of assumptions, egos and opinions and base your change initiatives on data instead. A3 thinking allows you to craft strategies for change and improvement. Here is a short overview of how to do it.
Leaders in customer service know that every customer contact is a potential sales opportunity, a marketing opportunity, and an opportunity to strengthen a customer’s loyalty to their company. It is for these reasons that call quality is emphasized and monitored at these companies.
Call quality attempts to quantify customer satisfaction with the support received by phone. Unless one listens to both sides of a conversation, however, it’s impossible to know whether customers are receiving the type of quality service that includes accurate information, adherence to professional communication standards, and the feeling of being valued by the company.
By Leonard Oruko and Howard Elliott.
Presented at the ASTI-FARA conference Agricultural R&D: Investing in Africa's Future: Analyzing Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities - Accra, Ghana on December 5-7, 2011. http://www.asti.cgiar.org/2011conf
Assessment Program Alignment: Making Essential Connections Between Assessment...NWEA
Presented by Mark Kessler at the Arizona Assessment Summit.
This session introduces a processes to assist educators in building data literacy district-wide. Aligning the use of current school and district assessments and understanding the interrelationships of assessment, curriculum, and instruction are emphasized. Participants collaborate in establishing priorities for assessment practices and appropriate use of resulting data.
The unfulfilled promise of CRM was to capture customer interactions with your business. This gap is filled by using business interaction management. See how interaction capture and management can drive signifcant improvement for FCR.
Head-to-Head Comparative Study of Two Optical Biometric Devices in Modern Cat...SM2 Strategic
Today's cataract surgeon has adopted non-contact optical
biometry as the standard of care in performing IOL calculations.
While modern formulae incorporate multiple variables as part
of their calculations, Axial Length and Keratometry readings
continue to be the inputs that are most influential in determining
IOL power. Some of the newer generation formulas such as
Holladay 2 and Olsen now incorporate more elements to help
increase accuracy.
The Gram stain is a fundamental technique in microbiology used to classify bacteria based on their cell wall structure. It provides a quick and simple method to distinguish between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which have different susceptibilities to antibiotics
micro teaching on communication m.sc nursing.pdfAnurag Sharma
Microteaching is a unique model of practice teaching. It is a viable instrument for the. desired change in the teaching behavior or the behavior potential which, in specified types of real. classroom situations, tends to facilitate the achievement of specified types of objectives.
Basavarajeeyam is a Sreshta Sangraha grantha (Compiled book ), written by Neelkanta kotturu Basavaraja Virachita. It contains 25 Prakaranas, First 24 Chapters related to Rogas& 25th to Rasadravyas.
Local Advanced Lung Cancer: Artificial Intelligence, Synergetics, Complex Sys...Oleg Kshivets
Overall life span (LS) was 1671.7±1721.6 days and cumulative 5YS reached 62.4%, 10 years – 50.4%, 20 years – 44.6%. 94 LCP lived more than 5 years without cancer (LS=2958.6±1723.6 days), 22 – more than 10 years (LS=5571±1841.8 days). 67 LCP died because of LC (LS=471.9±344 days). AT significantly improved 5YS (68% vs. 53.7%) (P=0.028 by log-rank test). Cox modeling displayed that 5YS of LCP significantly depended on: N0-N12, T3-4, blood cell circuit, cell ratio factors (ratio between cancer cells-CC and blood cells subpopulations), LC cell dynamics, recalcification time, heparin tolerance, prothrombin index, protein, AT, procedure type (P=0.000-0.031). Neural networks, genetic algorithm selection and bootstrap simulation revealed relationships between 5YS and N0-12 (rank=1), thrombocytes/CC (rank=2), segmented neutrophils/CC (3), eosinophils/CC (4), erythrocytes/CC (5), healthy cells/CC (6), lymphocytes/CC (7), stick neutrophils/CC (8), leucocytes/CC (9), monocytes/CC (10). Correct prediction of 5YS was 100% by neural networks computing (error=0.000; area under ROC curve=1.0).
- Video recording of this lecture in English language: https://youtu.be/lK81BzxMqdo
- Video recording of this lecture in Arabic language: https://youtu.be/Ve4P0COk9OI
- Link to download the book free: https://nephrotube.blogspot.com/p/nephrotube-nephrology-books.html
- Link to NephroTube website: www.NephroTube.com
- Link to NephroTube social media accounts: https://nephrotube.blogspot.com/p/join-nephrotube-on-social-media.html
Title: Sense of Taste
Presenter: Dr. Faiza, Assistant Professor of Physiology
Qualifications:
MBBS (Best Graduate, AIMC Lahore)
FCPS Physiology
ICMT, CHPE, DHPE (STMU)
MPH (GC University, Faisalabad)
MBA (Virtual University of Pakistan)
Learning Objectives:
Describe the structure and function of taste buds.
Describe the relationship between the taste threshold and taste index of common substances.
Explain the chemical basis and signal transduction of taste perception for each type of primary taste sensation.
Recognize different abnormalities of taste perception and their causes.
Key Topics:
Significance of Taste Sensation:
Differentiation between pleasant and harmful food
Influence on behavior
Selection of food based on metabolic needs
Receptors of Taste:
Taste buds on the tongue
Influence of sense of smell, texture of food, and pain stimulation (e.g., by pepper)
Primary and Secondary Taste Sensations:
Primary taste sensations: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Umami
Chemical basis and signal transduction mechanisms for each taste
Taste Threshold and Index:
Taste threshold values for Sweet (sucrose), Salty (NaCl), Sour (HCl), and Bitter (Quinine)
Taste index relationship: Inversely proportional to taste threshold
Taste Blindness:
Inability to taste certain substances, particularly thiourea compounds
Example: Phenylthiocarbamide
Structure and Function of Taste Buds:
Composition: Epithelial cells, Sustentacular/Supporting cells, Taste cells, Basal cells
Features: Taste pores, Taste hairs/microvilli, and Taste nerve fibers
Location of Taste Buds:
Found in papillae of the tongue (Fungiform, Circumvallate, Foliate)
Also present on the palate, tonsillar pillars, epiglottis, and proximal esophagus
Mechanism of Taste Stimulation:
Interaction of taste substances with receptors on microvilli
Signal transduction pathways for Umami, Sweet, Bitter, Sour, and Salty tastes
Taste Sensitivity and Adaptation:
Decrease in sensitivity with age
Rapid adaptation of taste sensation
Role of Saliva in Taste:
Dissolution of tastants to reach receptors
Washing away the stimulus
Taste Preferences and Aversions:
Mechanisms behind taste preference and aversion
Influence of receptors and neural pathways
Impact of Sensory Nerve Damage:
Degeneration of taste buds if the sensory nerve fiber is cut
Abnormalities of Taste Detection:
Conditions: Ageusia, Hypogeusia, Dysgeusia (parageusia)
Causes: Nerve damage, neurological disorders, infections, poor oral hygiene, adverse drug effects, deficiencies, aging, tobacco use, altered neurotransmitter levels
Neurotransmitters and Taste Threshold:
Effects of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) on taste sensitivity
Supertasters:
25% of the population with heightened sensitivity to taste, especially bitterness
Increased number of fungiform papillae
Best Ayurvedic medicine for Gas and IndigestionSwastikAyurveda
Here is the updated list of Top Best Ayurvedic medicine for Gas and Indigestion and those are Gas-O-Go Syp for Dyspepsia | Lavizyme Syrup for Acidity | Yumzyme Hepatoprotective Capsules etc
These lecture slides, by Dr Sidra Arshad, offer a quick overview of the physiological basis of a normal electrocardiogram.
Learning objectives:
1. Define an electrocardiogram (ECG) and electrocardiography
2. Describe how dipoles generated by the heart produce the waveforms of the ECG
3. Describe the components of a normal electrocardiogram of a typical bipolar lead (limb II)
4. Differentiate between intervals and segments
5. Enlist some common indications for obtaining an ECG
6. Describe the flow of current around the heart during the cardiac cycle
7. Discuss the placement and polarity of the leads of electrocardiograph
8. Describe the normal electrocardiograms recorded from the limb leads and explain the physiological basis of the different records that are obtained
9. Define mean electrical vector (axis) of the heart and give the normal range
10. Define the mean QRS vector
11. Describe the axes of leads (hexagonal reference system)
12. Comprehend the vectorial analysis of the normal ECG
13. Determine the mean electrical axis of the ventricular QRS and appreciate the mean axis deviation
14. Explain the concepts of current of injury, J point, and their significance
Study Resources:
1. Chapter 11, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14th edition
2. Chapter 9, Human Physiology - From Cells to Systems, Lauralee Sherwood, 9th edition
3. Chapter 29, Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology, 26th edition
4. Electrocardiogram, StatPearls - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549803/
5. ECG in Medical Practice by ABM Abdullah, 4th edition
6. Chapter 3, Cardiology Explained, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2214/
7. ECG Basics, http://www.nataliescasebook.com/tag/e-c-g-basics
Recomendações da OMS sobre cuidados maternos e neonatais para uma experiência pós-natal positiva.
Em consonância com os ODS – Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável e a Estratégia Global para a Saúde das Mulheres, Crianças e Adolescentes, e aplicando uma abordagem baseada nos direitos humanos, os esforços de cuidados pós-natais devem expandir-se para além da cobertura e da simples sobrevivência, de modo a incluir cuidados de qualidade.
Estas diretrizes visam melhorar a qualidade dos cuidados pós-natais essenciais e de rotina prestados às mulheres e aos recém-nascidos, com o objetivo final de melhorar a saúde e o bem-estar materno e neonatal.
Uma “experiência pós-natal positiva” é um resultado importante para todas as mulheres que dão à luz e para os seus recém-nascidos, estabelecendo as bases para a melhoria da saúde e do bem-estar a curto e longo prazo. Uma experiência pós-natal positiva é definida como aquela em que as mulheres, pessoas que gestam, os recém-nascidos, os casais, os pais, os cuidadores e as famílias recebem informação consistente, garantia e apoio de profissionais de saúde motivados; e onde um sistema de saúde flexível e com recursos reconheça as necessidades das mulheres e dos bebês e respeite o seu contexto cultural.
Estas diretrizes consolidadas apresentam algumas recomendações novas e já bem fundamentadas sobre cuidados pós-natais de rotina para mulheres e neonatos que recebem cuidados no pós-parto em unidades de saúde ou na comunidade, independentemente dos recursos disponíveis.
É fornecido um conjunto abrangente de recomendações para cuidados durante o período puerperal, com ênfase nos cuidados essenciais que todas as mulheres e recém-nascidos devem receber, e com a devida atenção à qualidade dos cuidados; isto é, a entrega e a experiência do cuidado recebido. Estas diretrizes atualizam e ampliam as recomendações da OMS de 2014 sobre cuidados pós-natais da mãe e do recém-nascido e complementam as atuais diretrizes da OMS sobre a gestão de complicações pós-natais.
O estabelecimento da amamentação e o manejo das principais intercorrências é contemplada.
Recomendamos muito.
Vamos discutir essas recomendações no nosso curso de pós-graduação em Aleitamento no Instituto Ciclos.
Esta publicação só está disponível em inglês até o momento.
Prof. Marcus Renato de Carvalho
www.agostodourado.com
Flu Vaccine Alert in Bangalore Karnatakaaddon Scans
As flu season approaches, health officials in Bangalore, Karnataka, are urging residents to get their flu vaccinations. The seasonal flu, while common, can lead to severe health complications, particularly for vulnerable populations such as young children, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions.
Dr. Vidisha Kumari, a leading epidemiologist in Bangalore, emphasizes the importance of getting vaccinated. "The flu vaccine is our best defense against the influenza virus. It not only protects individuals but also helps prevent the spread of the virus in our communities," he says.
This year, the flu season is expected to coincide with a potential increase in other respiratory illnesses. The Karnataka Health Department has launched an awareness campaign highlighting the significance of flu vaccinations. They have set up multiple vaccination centers across Bangalore, making it convenient for residents to receive their shots.
To encourage widespread vaccination, the government is also collaborating with local schools, workplaces, and community centers to facilitate vaccination drives. Special attention is being given to ensuring that the vaccine is accessible to all, including marginalized communities who may have limited access to healthcare.
Residents are reminded that the flu vaccine is safe and effective. Common side effects are mild and may include soreness at the injection site, mild fever, or muscle aches. These side effects are generally short-lived and far less severe than the flu itself.
Healthcare providers are also stressing the importance of continuing COVID-19 precautions. Wearing masks, practicing good hand hygiene, and maintaining social distancing are still crucial, especially in crowded places.
Protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated. Together, we can help keep Bangalore healthy and safe this flu season. For more information on vaccination centers and schedules, residents can visit the Karnataka Health Department’s official website or follow their social media pages.
Stay informed, stay safe, and get your flu shot today!
CDSCO and Phamacovigilance {Regulatory body in India}NEHA GUPTA
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is India's national regulatory body for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Operating under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, the CDSCO is responsible for approving new drugs, conducting clinical trials, setting standards for drugs, controlling the quality of imported drugs, and coordinating the activities of State Drug Control Organizations by providing expert advice.
Pharmacovigilance, on the other hand, is the science and activities related to the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problems. The primary aim of pharmacovigilance is to ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines, thereby protecting public health.
In India, pharmacovigilance activities are monitored by the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), which works closely with CDSCO to collect, analyze, and act upon data regarding adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Together, they play a critical role in ensuring that the benefits of drugs outweigh their risks, maintaining high standards of patient safety, and promoting the rational use of medicines.
CDSCO and Phamacovigilance {Regulatory body in India}
Telephone improvement project–year 2 ongoing assessment of refractive surgery providers
1. Telephone Improvement Project – Year 2
Ongoing Assessment of Refractive Surgery Providers
8 Shareef Mahdavi • SM2 Consulting • Pleasanton, CA 7
Refractive surgeons and their staff face the ongoing chal- also scored among the four lowest across all the calls.
lenge of successfully attracting consumers to learn more This study demonstrates that much room for improvement
about their services. Increasingly, providers are becoming still exists, and the practice’s ability to enhance their tele-
aware of the high cost of marketing promotion and the desire phone effectiveness has a strong affect on creating sustain-
to carefully handle each and every inquiry, whether via phone, able growth in procedure volume.
internet, or in person.
SM2 Consulting has just completed analysis from the second Introduction
year of a long-term study that assesses skills in handling con- For most service-oriented businesses, the telephone func-
sumer phone inquiries. The study is supported by CareCredit, tions as the essential link between consumers and the offering.
a division of GE Consumer Finance (Costa Mesa, CA), as part Creating a good “first impression” during the initial telephone
of a corporate objective to help practices improve patient inquiry is crucial to developing rapport and trust, and strong
conversion. phone skills are correlated with greater likelihood of the
A survey tool was developed to evaluate 12 different aspects caller's desiring to move forward in the decision process. SM2
of a phone call deemed essential to success. Forty-four prac- Consulting was engaged by CareCredit to independently mea-
tices from around the nation participated, with some, but not sure and assess telephone skills across a wide range of practices
all, having also participated in Year One of the study. Each site offering LASIK. The results from this research are being used
received five or more phone calls, with calls being made by to provide feedback to the practice as well as develop metrics
different phone caller personalities at different times of the which can be used repeatedly over the years as a means of
day and week, all intended to simulate real-world scenarios. assessing improvement.
Each call was recorded and graded using a standardized set
of criteria. Recordings and Methodology
Figure 1: 12-point Survey Tool
scores have been given to A 12-point survey tool
the participating practices as Basic Elements Advanced Elements was employed (modified
a teaching tool to help them • Initial greeting warmth • Pricing and financing options slightly from the 13-point
• Time to reach a counselor • Building perceived value
improve their telephone • Control of the conversation • Practice differentiation version used in Year One) to
answering skills. • Qualifying interest level • Technology and benefits objectively score phone calls
• Knowledge of LASIK basics • Call to action
Results overall show an (see Figure 1). Each of the
improvement in average call Other Elements
12 elements was classified
score for Year Two (57.8 out • Did they ask how you heard about the practice? as either basic, advanced,
of 100) when compared with • Did they offer additional resources to learn more? or other and given different
Year One (52.4 out of 100). Score 1 2 3 4 5
weighting based on its impor-
However, fewer than half Poor Good Excellent tance and relevance to the pri-
the calls (45%) scored 60 Q3.: How Seems rushed, Polite, but Friendly and Takes control Immediately mary objective of helping the
well does bothered, does not in willing, but of call, but takes control
or higher, which would be the indifferent, any way
as in “What do convey
doesn’t seem to does not
take control of respond
in confident
manner, and
caller move forward by sched-
Counselor
considered ‘good’ according take control you want?” interest in the call; doesn’t specifically to
taking the call. ask focused
engages in
caller’s needs. dialogue to uling a LASIK consultation.
of the call? Does not ask questions; address caller’s
to the scoring criteria. any questions. lets caller specific A total of 54 locations
ramble. questions.
Analysis of the data also representing 44 unique
revealed that three of the twelve aspects are crucial to suc- practices participated, and all practices reviewed and signed an
cessful conversion of initial patient interest into a consultation. informed consent agreeing to have calls recorded and graded.
Specifically, these are 1) ability to qualify the caller’s interest Phone calls were made by Interaction Metrics (Portland,
level, 2) ability to create perceived value, and 3) the use of a OR), a firm specializing in Customer Experience Research and
call-to-action (“next step”) with the caller. These three aspects Training. Acting as a person interested in the LASIK procedure,
1
2. callers assumed the role of one of five unique persona for each Figure 2: Percentage of Completed Calls
call: “no nonsense,” “curious,” “aggressive,” etc. These persona
were developed specifically to represent the different issues typi- Completed Call Dropped or Mishandled
100
cally encountered by LASIK phone counselors.
90
Each of the 12 topics was given a score on a scale of 1 to 5,
with 1 representing poor skill, 3 representing good skill, and 5 80
representing excellent skill. An example of the specific grading 70
criteria can be seen at the bottom of Figure 1. Each topic was 60
weighted according to its overall importance and an indexed 50 92% 86%
score was created with 100 possible points. Positive and nega- 40
tive findings regarding the call were noted and given as addi- 30
tional commentary to each practice.
20
A total of five calls were made to each location, with calls
10
scheduled to occur at different times of day and week and using
0
different persona.
Year 1 Year 2
A report was given to participating practices summariz-
ing each call, along with an audio CD recording of the calls.
In addition, recommendations for skill improvement were Seven of twelve elements scored well Using the indexed
provided, and follow-up training was offered by CareCredit's scores (scale of 100) to evaluate each aspect of the call, seven
Practice Development Managers. of the twelve elements showed average scores of 60% or higher
In total, 297 calls were made as part of the Year Two study. (equivalent to a raw score of at least 3.0). Figure 3 shows the
Where applicable, findings will be compared to the Year One average scores for each element listed from highest to lowest.
second round calls to show areas that have, on average, either Most of the basic elements scored the highest, including time to
improved or worsened across the participating practices. reach a counselor (86%), control of the call (69%), and prac-
tice differentiation (69%).
Findings When analyzing the scores on the advanced elements,
One in seven calls did not reach a counselor Of the 297 average scores are lower, demonstrated by a score of 61% on
calls in the study, 43 (14%) did not reach a counselor to be ability to describe technology and its benefits and only 51%
handled in real time. This 1:7 ratio represents mishandled calls.
Further analysis (see Table 1) reveals the following major root
Figure 3: Indexed Scores for Each Call Element
causes of not completing the call:
This compares unfavorably to Year One, where 92% of the Ask how heard about practice 29%
Qualify interest 42%
Table 1: Root Cause of Mishandled Calls
Value 50%
# CAUSE
Call to action 50%
16 Counselor Not Available
Pricing and Finance Options 51%
13 Put to Voicemail Technology 61%
5 Dropped or Disconnected Knowledge of basics 62%
2 Counselor Out to Lunch Add’l resources offered 68%
7 Other Warmth 69%
43 Total Practice Differentiation 69%
Control 69%
calls were answered and only 8% were not properly handled
Time to reach 86%
(see Figure 2). Timely access to information is key with emo-
tionally-driven purchase decisions such as refractive surgery. 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
2
3. when describing procedure pricing and Figure 4: Average Scores From Other Findings While not as strongly cor-
Other Call Elements
financing options. related with conversion rates, performing
Caller was asked, “How did Did the practice offer
you hear about our practice?” additional resources? well on the other nine elements is consid-
Three Weakest Links Identified ered good business practice. This concept
No
Of the four lowest-scoring topics, 32% is illustrated by analyzing results from the
No No No
three of them have been shown to be 62% 61% two other call elements and changes from a
71%
critical to conversion and will be dis- year ago. As shown in Figure 4, callers were
cussed in terms of their impact on over- Yes asked how they heard about the practice in
68%
all call scores. Yes Yes Yes less than three of every ten calls, which is a
38% 29% 39%
decline from Year One. Asking this question
Issue # 1: Qualifying the caller's inter- Year One Year Two Year One Year Two on a consistent basis is essential to under-
est (average score 42%) – The ability to standing how callers are finding the practice.
understand the caller’s level of interest and why they are inquir- This is vital data for practices that spend money on external
ing about LASIK is essential to setting the tone for the entire promotion and a requirement to determine the effectiveness of
phone call. The average raw score of 2.1 (1 to 5 scale) is slightly the advertising spend as a means of improving efficiency (e.g.
lower than the result from last year’s study. The inability to cost per lead) of future spending.
determine the caller’s needs up front keeps the phone call from A significant improvement from last year has been seen in
being focused on the caller, with counselors typically retreating the offering of additional resources to callers, such as provid-
to the more comfortable position of talking about their practice ing the website address and inviting the caller to speak with
and surgeon(s) rather than listening and responding responding other patients who have already had LASIK. These and other
to the caller's individual needs. resources were offered 68% of the time compared to only 39%
a year ago. This is an important business practice because it
Issue # 2: Creating perceived value (average score 50%) – accounts for the fact that people process information and learn
The ability to help a caller understand the value of this pro- differently; some people learn best by hearing (auditory), some
cedure relative to other discretionary spending opportunities is by seeing and reading (visual), while others learn best through
key to allowing the caller to form a logical “return on invest- touch (kinesiology).
ment” scenario in his mind. The inability to create this per-
ceived value with the caller keeps the LASIK procedure in the Overall Call Scores The average indexed total score across
realm of being considered expensive and unaffordable relative all the calls was 57.8 out of a possible 100 points. This is an
to other goods and services the caller is considering for pur- improvement over the Year One average score of 52.4. Figure
chase. Because consumers have numerous wants
Figure 5: Distribution of Practices by Average Call Score
and needs, it is key to give the caller enough con-
text to properly value the benefits of LASIK. 50%
Year One (206 calls) Avg. Score Year One = 52.4
Issue # 3: Proposing a clear call to action (average Year Two (254 calls) Avg. Score Year Two = 57.8
40%
score 50%) - The role of the counselor is to close (100 points possible)
the call by offering one or more “next steps” to
Percent of Practices
the caller, such as asking if they’d like to schedule a 30%
consultation or attend a seminar. This year’s average
raw score of 2.5 is virtually unchanged from that 20%
found in Year One. Failure to propose a next step
often leaves the caller “hanging” and wondering
10%
what he should say or do next; poor scores on this
topic are strongly associated with poor overall con-
version rates. Proficient counselors know that action 0%
21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100
is the next logical step following education. points points points points points points points points
Range of Average Call Score
3