Incorporating Video into Medical Consultations Improves Patient Preparedness and Satisfaction

American Academy of Ophthalmology launches innovative suite of educational videos to aid physician-patient conversations

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American Academy of Ophthalmology

Nov 09, 2015, 12:53 ET

Animation from the American Academy of Ophthalmology's new Glaucoma Patient Education Video Collection displays laser trabeculoplasty, in which the surgeon places a special contact lens on the eye. This helps focus and deliver the light from the laser to a precise location in the eye to help fluid drain naturally from the eye.

Animation from the American Academy of Ophthalmology's new Cataract Patient Education Video Collection shows laser-assisted cataract surgery, in which a computer-guided laser is used to make small openings on the side of the cornea so the ophthalmologist can removed the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial lens.

American Academy of Ophthalmology Logo.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ensuring patients understand medical treatments is an age-old challenge for physicians everywhere. Studies show that patients will forget up to 80 percent of what their physician tells them.^[1] The American Academy of Ophthalmology is helping eye physicians and surgeons overcome this challenge with new multimedia tools. It will debut 40 new patient education videos at AAO 2015. The Academy's 119th annual meeting takes place next week in Las Vegas.

Physicians use patient education materials to ensure that patients understand their diagnoses. They are also used to establish reasonable expectations for treatments. These materials are often in the form of printouts or brochures. Yet, studies have shown important benefits to using educational videos as part of the consultation process. They increase the amount of information patients remember by almost 25 percent.^[2] The videos also help relieve patients' anxiety, improve their preparedness and increase satisfaction.^[3],[4]

The Academy's new videos explain the treatment options, benefits and risks for common eye conditions. They are organized by key ophthalmic subspecialties. These include cataract and refractive surgery, glaucoma, oculoplastics and pediatric ophthalmology. The high-definition videos are engaging and easy to understand. They are also concise at less than 5 minutes long. Ophthalmologists can show the videos to patients recently diagnosed or considering treatments. The videos also supplement information provided as part of the informed consent process. They are also consistent with the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company's recommended informed consent messaging.

"Ophthalmologists deeply appreciate the value of multimedia learning," said Sonny Goel, M.D., a cataract and refractive surgeon at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who reviewed the video collections. "People are now accustomed to learning just about anything via YouTube videos, so patients expect and appreciate these kinds of resources. I am confident that ophthalmologists will see great results from including these videos in the consultation process."

The new video collections add to the Academy's vast offering of patient education materials. They are the most extensive patient education materials among American medical specialty societies, according to an independent assessment. A key advantage to these tools is that they can be used for federal reporting. Ophthalmologists that use EHRs that hold licensing agreements with the Academy can integrate the materials in their EHR to meet the meaningful use requirements.

The new tools were developed following the successful roll out of the Academy's retina patient education video collection in 2013. A panel of Academy members selected the video topics based on frequency and usefulness. These panels, in partnership with the Academy's Patient Education Committee, also provided clinical review. They are available in English and Spanish. They are also compatible with any platform including desktops, tablets and smartphones.

The new patient education videos will be on display during AAO 2015 in the Academy's Resource Center (booth 2532). An event showcasing the videos takes place there on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 2-3 p.m PST. Also, ophthalmologists can record their own introduction or voice-over to the videos in the Resource Center's video production studio.

Known as the place "Where all of Ophthalmology Meets,"™ the Academy's annual meeting takes place Nov. 13-17 at the Sands Expo/Venetian in Las Vegas. It is the biggest ophthalmology conference in the world. For more information, see the AAO 2015 highlights press release.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology, headquartered in San Francisco, is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons, serving more than 32,000 members worldwide. The Academy's mission is to advance the lifelong learning and professional interests of ophthalmologists to ensure that the public can obtain the best possible eye care. For more information, visit www.aao.org.

The Academy is also a leading provider of eye care information to the public. The Academy's EyeSmart® program educates the public about the importance of eye health and empowers them to preserve healthy vision. EyeSmart provides the most trusted and medically accurate information about eye diseases, conditions and injuries. OjosSanos™ is the Spanish-language version of the program. Visit www.geteyesmart.org or www.ojossanos.org to learn more.

[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539473/
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20173276
[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22789149
[4] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22464659

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SOURCE American Academy of Ophthalmology