The human approach to patient education

Connect with us to discuss how your practice can benefit from Navigate’s innovative one-on-one cataract patient education.

It’s time to rethink cataract patient counseling and education

One of the primary goals of any ophthalmic practice is to educate cataract patients about their diagnosis, options, and next steps. While patient education software can be economical and efficient, it does not provide the customized, human approach that cataract patients both need and deserve.

That’s where Navigate steps in. We serve as an extension of your practice by providing patients with a real-life Navigator to guide them through the cataract surgery process and answer any questions they have pre-consultation.

Our practice has been working with Navigate for approximately one year and we have been very pleased.

The benefit that I appreciate the most is that our Navigator does an excellent job counseling patients by phone. And since this occurs prior to my pre-op appointment with the patient, it saves time and allows us to concentrate more on finding the right IOL for that patient.

Additionally, we have been able to communicate easily with the Navigate team and alter the wording of that counseling call to fine-tune the messaging. For example, we onboarded with the Navigate team at the very early stages of our practice offering the Light Adjustable Lens; as we learned how best to counsel patients with this IOL, we also worked with our Navigator to add that as an option for patients.

As the primary anterior segment surgeon in my practice, I appreciate processes that streamline my time in the office and benefit patient comprehension and therefore satisfaction. Navigate definitely achieves that.

Cataract Surgeon

Complete Eye Care Inc.

Our practice has improved efficiency while increasing premium lens adoption.

Our patients are advised at scheduling that they will receive a call from our Navigate team prior to their appointment. Patients are accepting that call and coming to their appointment more ready than ever before!

I’m very impressed with the attention to detail and skill exhibited by the Navigators; they have effortlessly integrated into our clinical team. In clinic, our technicians and physicians have been able to reduce their time spent educating patients, so much so we can look to add additional evals in the near future!

Navigate is the white glove service we all want to deliver to our surgical patients, but we don’t always have the staff or resources to manage ourselves. Navigate is an easy solution! They do it well, consistently.

Christine Sykora

Practice Administrator, Advanced Eye Care

We’ve reduced the length of our evaluations by 14 minutes while increasing premium conversions.

Like many practices, we’ve experienced staffing challenges which have increased the average length of patient appointments.

Since partnering with Navigate, our surgeons have recognized that patients arrive fully educated and more prepared to make a decision on their surgical options. I recently ran a time study report from our EMR and found that we’ve reduced the length of our cataract evaluations by 14 minutes on average for one of our busier surgeons using Navigate.

Our premium conversion rates have also increased by over 25% for the patients educated by Navigate’s team. We plan to add more surgeons to the program because of the results we’ve seen over the past 6 months.

Kathy Erickson, CEO

Wilmington Eye

Navigate has positively impacted my process for counseling patients in multiple ways.

First, I know that my patients have received good pre-education prior to their appointment with me. Second, the note I receive from our Navigator helps me drive the conversation directly toward the options that fit my patient’s lifestyle and vision goals.

The time savings are substantial and I’ve seen a meaningful increase in premium conversions versus patients who do not receive a call from Navigate.

Kenneth H. Levin, MD, FACS

Memorial Eye Institute

Pre-educated patients are converting higher than patients who did not receive pre-education.

Navigate has been wonderful to work with—a true partnership. Our patients believe the educator that calls them is part of our organization and they often mention who they spoke with or ask to meet with them during their visit! Our providers comment on how Navigate has helped them become more efficient, allowing them to speng time talking about what’s most important to the patient.

We have been using Navigate for more than year and have continued adding providers to the program based on the results we’ve seen. Through our partnership with Navigate, our pre-educated patients are converting significantly higher than patients who did not receive pre-education!

Elisa Chadwick

Chief Operating Officer, Vision Innovation Partners

Navigate is saving me a couple of minutes and a ton of angst.

In my first few months working with Navigate, I have already seen the value of pre-educating patients. Almost immediately, patients were arriving a few steps ahead in the education process compared to the patients I’ve seen before Navigate got involved.

I chose to partner with Navigate to help educate my patients on their lens options and to reduce the burden on my team. Navigate is definitely saving me a couple of minutes on each evaluation and a ton of angst throughout the day.

Scott C. So, MD

Pacific Eye Associates

I am saving nearly five minutes per evaluation when the patients are educated by Navigate.

The patients that Navigate educates before their appointment are aware of their options in advance and know what to expect every step of the way. Having Navigate connect with my patients before they come to see me helps to guide the discussion by focusing on what they are already interested in and spending less time on other options they have ruled out for their lifestyle.

In the first six months, we’ve seen a 10% increase in premium lens adoption, more than doubled our FLACS volume, and reduced our cancellations and no-shows by over 12%!

Stuart Carter, MD

OCLI Vision

Navigate Patient Solutions is a no-brainer addition to the clinic.

Partnering with Navigate has allowed us to reduce the length of our evaluations by three minutes each. We have been able to add four additional cataract evaluation appointments each week because of the time savings.

It has been easier to staff technicians for our cataract evaluations because that role no longer requires as much specialization when the patients come to the clinic already educated. My job is easier because I have an understanding of what the patient wants from the start and I can focus on what they are a candidate for.

Gaurav Srivastava, MD

Chesapeake Eye Care and Laser Center

Navigate improved our patients’ experience throughout the surgical process.

The Navigate team shares a significant amount of data, offering full transparency into their process. With this information, we were able to uncover and correct some weaknesses in our own processes to improve the patient experience throughout their entire journey.

We have seen a significant increase in patient adoption to premium lens technology because they come to the office aware of their options and ready to make an informed decision. The Navigators that work with our account are very knowledgeable and the patients really appreciate the conversations.

Jessica Miller

Director of Clinical Operations

I can’t imagine going back to practicing without Navigate.

To say that Navigate Patient has helped my premium practice would be massively underselling their value. Since partnering with Navigate last year, I have seen an increase in my premium conversions while also reducing the time I spend educating each patient on their options.

Navigate has made my life so much easier. The patients come to their evaluation knowing which technology they want before I see them and I can feel confident that they were educated just as I would have done it. Our patients really appreciate the education calls and I can't imagine going back to practicing without Navigate.

John Doane, MD

Discover Vision Centers

A customized resource for your patients, an asset for your practice

Your patients will love personal interactions with Navigators. Your practice will enjoy numerous behind-the-scenes benefits. A Navigate partnership:

How Navigate provides a seamless patient education experience

Once a patient books a cataract consultation, our Navigators become an extension of your practice. Our highly-trained Navigators communicate with patients on behalf of the practice, offering them a trusted, personal educator who helps them fully understand their options before they come in for their consultation. Here’s how it works:

Assign

A patient schedules a cataract consultation with your practice and we assign them to one of our Navigators who is an expert in cataract education.

Educate

Our Navigator, using important talking points approved by your practice, prepares patients for their consultation with the surgeon.

Working as an extension of your practice, Navigators share what they learn with surgeons and their teams so that everyone is included in the process.

How does your current patient education process stack up?

Are you ready to get started improving your patient education process? Take our quick quiz for an evaluation of your current process and to see where Navigate can help you fill in the gaps.

Download Our Free Guide

Ready to join practices across the country in leveling up cataract patient education? Start now by downloading our top five tips for improvement.