Eyeworld

EW FEATURE 45 When and who should discuss pricing "What's it going to cost me?" D octors should expect to answer that question from premium intraocular lens (IOL) candidates at some point during the cataract surgery consultation. Talking about money is rarely a comfortable con- versation in any setting, especially in the healthcare industry. But cataract surgery patients need realis- tic numbers to work with, sooner rather than later. Opinions vary on how specific a doctor should be and who in the practice should discuss money mat- ters, but ophthalmologists need to give some indication early on that premium IOLs come with premium pricing. There are a number of ways doc- tors can introduce this aspect of cataract surgery. Some prefer to be hands on, taking chair time to dis- cuss insurance and cost with the pa- tient directly. Others rely on staff to answer questions and review pricing details. Many practices have patients watch instructional videos or read information packets in advance to give an overview of the different IOL categories. "The packet talks a little bit about the various IOL choices and [explains] that some of the services aren't covered, especially if the pa- tient chooses a specialty IOL or wants to correct astigmatism," said David R. Hardten, M.D., F.A.C.S., director, clinical research depart- ment, Minnesota Eye Consultants, Minneapolis. "I think it's useful for the doctor to explain that there's an extra charge. That way the patient has time to think about that aspect." Scott MacRae, M.D., director of refractive services, ophthalmology department, University of Rochester, N.Y., has a senior tech review the basic IOL alternatives and discuss pricing with the patients, even be- fore he sees them. "The patients get reading mate- rial prior to me seeing them," he said. "I examine patients and review the options to reinforce the choices. I do not try to candy-coat the infor- mation, but try to make it clear what they can realistically expect." February 2011 August 2011 Ethics of IOLs by Faith A. Hayden EyeWorld Staff Writer Talking finances with premium IOL patients Poll Size: 445 EyeWorld Monthly Pulse EyeWorld Monthly Pulse is a monthly reader pulse on trends and patterns for the practicing ophthalmologist. Each month we send a short 4-6 question online survey covering different topics so our readers can see how they compare to our survey. If you would like to join the current 1,000+ physicians who take a minute a month to share their views, please send us an email and we will add your name. Email: ksalerni@eyeworld.org and put EW Pulse in the subject line; that's all it takes. Copyright EyeWorld 2011 continued on page 46 AT A GLANCE • Many ophthalmologists use staff to discuss premium IOL costs with patients • Let the patient know as soon as possible that premium IOLs cost more • Provide the patient with reading material before the initial appoint- ment to quicken consultations

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