LASIK: Addressing Patient Fears Head On
Building trust builds good business.
BY MARIE D. URFER

While attending the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)/American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators ( ASOA) meetings in Washington, D.C. this past April, Advanced Medical Optics (AMO, Santa Ana, Calif.) presented some interesting statistics that appeared in several marketing courses. Based on a multiple response survey given to qualified patients who did not follow through with LASIK, the AMO survey revealed that 78% cited cost as a barrier; and 77% expressed, in one way or another, issues pertaining to fear. As the director of marketing communications at Bond Eye Associates in Peoria, Ill., these findings substantiated my experience in our own practice.

© DICKINSON/CUSTOM MEDICAL STOCK PHOTO

The Cost Barrier

Cost questions are easier to address in some geographic regions than in others. Although cost-cutters and national border issues exist for many practices, most will agree that value and affordability are the key elements to emphasize when counseling patients. Because value is a perceived in the eyes of the patient, we have made concerted efforts to provide an aesthetically pleasing environment that delivers comfort, convenience, and ultimately fosters confidence in the surgeon and laser vision correction team members. In addition, Capital One, Care Credit or local lending institutions are willing to assist our offices with assorted 3-month, 6-month, 9-month and 12-month interest-free programs and monthly payment plans, making it possible for almost anyone to afford LASIK.

Addressing Fear Issues

The tougher questions that we encounter revolve around fear. Fear is an emotion and must be addressed on many levels, but the initial battleground is an emotional one. Win that battle with trust and information and the rest will fall into place.

Fear-related questions (outcomes, side effects, pain) cannot be completely resolved with statistical data and scripted or "pat" answers. Zig Ziglar, a motivational speaker and author of several books on sales techniques, summarized our dilemma best when he said, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." The best ways to overcome fear are to:

► initiate a relationship with the patient based on the fact that the surgeon cares.

► continue that relationship based on confidence and trust developed in the surgeon.

Overcoming patient fear must begin with your staff. Your entire team (office staff, receptionists, technicians, billing specialists) must participate in creating a patient-centered and caring environment. They have to provide a level of service that makes every patient believe that nothing is more important than the time they are spending at that moment, with that patient. News of this kind of care will spread quickly to patients' friends and family.

Simply creating a caring and compassionate environment is not going to win a patient over. Neither is providing stacks of medical information and statistical surgical outcomes. Having a skilled surgeon and a compassionate, people-oriented staff who know the information and address patient concerns in a comfortable environment is the balance that will result in patient confidence and trust.

Promoting the Heart of the Message

Once you have developed your internal structure, then and only then, it is time to take your message outside the practice walls using advertising. I do not advocate commercials that are solely about the practice, but rather those that focus on the patient. Your commercials must identify with listeners. They need to tell stories about life situations in which obtaining clearer vision and choosing the right vision care provider is important – maybe even critical. Real stories? Not necessarily. Real life situations? Yes. For example, talk about:

► a retiree who plans to see the world, but macular degeneration robs him of those hopes and plans.

► identifying with the confusion caused by all the laser buzz words that are created to infer the latest and greatest developments to hit town.

► a husband and wife who banter about driving abilities or lack thereof and the solutions they found at XYZ Eye Center.

These stories connect with the heart of the listener. As a woman marketing to women, I understand that all humans make purchasing decisions at an emotional level and rationalize the decision with fact (i.e., I want it, therefore, I should have it). Roy Williams, communications expert and author of The Wizard of Ads, states it very succinctly: "Win the hearts of the people – their minds will follow."1 Never forget the process is initiated by want (emotion) much more than need.

Live LASIK Seminars

After you have enlisted your caring and attentive staff, and connected to the heart of the public through creative and thoughtful advertising, the final frontier is to put ourselves on the line and bear all. Live LASIK seminars are one of the most effective tools for gaining the trust of interested LASIK prospects.

Live LASIK seminars provide a non-threatening environment that allows the public to observe the procedure, meet the doctor(s) and form an opinion about the physician's personality, expertise and style. The attendee will decide whether or not he or she can establish confidence and rapport with the surgeon. Spectators have a chance to meet the patient and receive first-hand answers to questions like: "Did it hurt?" "How well can you see now that you've had this treatment?" These are questions that laser vision staff and surgeons can (and do) answer. However, potential patients will place greater value in the response when they hear it directly from another patient.

Live LASIK seminars cannot convince patients of anything. They simply provide people with a deeper point of contact to collect information and to come closer to the threshold of a decision. In fact, even with the low-pressure environment of live LASIK seminars, when invited to take the next step and schedule their first appointment, about half of those in attendance will do so.

It is important to note that live LASIK seminars are not for every physician. They are not for the faint of heart because there are risks that the physician must be willing to take on and handle with an audience of onlookers. The laser may (for whatever reason) not fire correctly, the audiovisual equipment may malfunction, the patient may embarrass you while under the influence of Valium or there may be a flap complication – all on screen. While uncommon, all of these potential mini-crises are distinct possibilities. Contingency plans must be established. Be assured, however, that the benefits far outweigh the risks.

Putting Live LASIK Seminars to the Test

In the past 3 years, we have hosted more than 20 live LASIK seminars. We have experienced successful surgeries, happy and enthusiastic patients and an audience that is awed. They are "wowed" by the expedience of the procedure and the immediate results that the patient obviously enjoys. And it does not stop with the "wow" – as the response we have experienced lives past the seminar itself. When we hold a live LASIK seminar, we can count on scheduling initial consults with 50% of the attendees. Twenty-five percent to 30% of those people will schedule LASIK within 60 days of the seminar. After that, because of our commitment to follow up and continue a relationship with those attendees, an additional 10% to 15% will come have LASIK within the next year (generally within 6 months).

Our market is highly competitive with several skilled surgeons who all offer seminars. Why are so many people interested in attending live LASIK seminars? It's a unique format – people can witness a live LASIK procedure vs. watching a static video. It is a unique opportunity – to meet the patient both prior to and following their procedure. In addition, having the patient relate his/her concerns before the procedure and being able to respond to those concerns afterwards is a golden opportunity.

We provide a first-hand account of an event everyone in the room wants to experience. Does it make us vulnerable? Yes, but remember the goal: to initiate a relationship based on the fact that you care and continue that relationship based on confidence and trust in the surgeon.

Trust is not an entitlement, but is earned. If we are willing to confidently face the fear that stops many from opting for LASIK, we will find more people willing to trust us with their most protected gift: their sight. After all, LASIK is not about us; it is about the patient.

Marie D. Urfer is director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications at Bond Eye Associates in Pekin, Ill. She can be reached at (309) 353-1581.

Reference

1. Williams R. Magical Worlds of the Wizard of Ads. Austin, Texas: Bard Press; 2001:68