EyeWorld Asia-Pacific June 2015 Issue

74 EWAP NEWS & OPINION June 2015 to understand people not as the particular condition that they came in with, but as the impact that the condition has on their lives,” she added. Dr. Khandelwal thinks that communication is key, and not just between the doctor and the patient. “Patients want to feel the visit is focused on them, and that starts when they call for their appointment from home,” she said. “Continuing the communication with technologies such as a patient portal, secure emails, and efficient answering of phone calls is important. Lastly, a few quality minutes of physician chair time can help establish a relationship early on.” Understanding the patient’s goals for care is also important, she said. The physician should assess whether patients are looking for quick, efficient appointments for their regular exams or if they are looking for a physician to be a fixture in their lives. “I often find myself telling impatient patients that if they want an in-and-out type of doctor and appointments that are guaranteed to be completed quickly, they may not want to see me at an academic center on a Friday afternoon,” she said. “These patients appreciate honesty about what a clinic can and cannot provide.” The burden of communication does not lie solely with the doctor, according to Dr. Wen. As a patient, knowing your own medical history and writing down that history is paramount, she said. Additionally, elderly patients should bring someone with them to appointments, especially if they have difficulty remembering. Ultimately, the reimbursement system has to change so that physicians are reimbursed for time spent with patients, but doctors and patients themselves need to be part of the solution, Dr. Wen said. “I think that multiple things have to change, but I also believe that change has to start with each of us,” Dr. Wen said. EWAP Editors’ note: Drs. Khandelwal and Wen have no financial interests related to their comments. Contact information Khandelwal: sumitra.khandelwal@bcm.edu Wen: wen.leana@gmail.com Treating - from page 73 DATE MEETING VENUE July 19-21 30th Annual Meeting of Japanese Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (JSCRS) www.jscrs.org Tokyo Japan August 5-8 28th Asia-Paci c Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Annual Meeting (APACRS) www.apacrs.org Kuala Lumpur Malaysia September 5-9 XXXIII Congress of European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS) www.escrs.org Barcelona Spain November 14-17 Annual Meeting of American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) www.aao.org Las Vegas USA 2016 Feb 19-21 World Ophthalmology Congress 2016 (WOC) www.woc2016.org Guadalajara Mexico March 25-29 The 31st Asia-Paci c Academy of Ophthalmology Congress (APAO) www.apaophth.org/ Taipei Taiwan May 6-10 ASCRS-ASOA Symposium and Congress (ASCRS) www.ascrs.org New Orleans USA July 28-30 29th Asia-Paci c Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Annual Meeting (APACRS) www.apacrs.org Bali Indonesia CALENDAR OF MEETINGS 2015