Nashville-based
Surgiorithm
solves this issue in a way that is
sustainable and affordable
for the busy surgeon. Started by highly experienced healthcare executives who understand both patient communications and predictive modeling, they have proven their system to increase patient understanding
prior
to the consultation.
Their value proposition relieves the staff and surgeon from the initial educational component. Surgiorithm takes all patients scheduled for cataract surgery and offers a high-touch / high-tech approach that begins with a telephone call made on behalf of the practice by a live human being (imagine that!).
Surgiorithm's call team kindly and patiently explains the goal of helping the patient learn about their options while also helping their surgeon understand their specific needs and concerns. What follows is an an “online interview” which has been validated over more than 2,300 cataract surgery patients.
The results are highly encouraging: 85% of patients with access to a computer or smart phone are completing the interview. A backup protocol is used for the less tech-savvy. Each patient receives a summary report of their responses. The practice and surgeon receive an “Insight Report” (see the figure above for a partial view of the report) that gives them a one-page snapshot that is easily scanned prior to walking in the room.
Both patient and surgeon enter the consult better prepared and leave more satisfied.
Patients are happier because they were able to digest a lot of the information from home at their own pace. Staff are happier because the initial burden of education has been alleviated. And surgeons are happier because consultations are smoother and faster than before.
While acceptance rates are higher, the real benefit here is
improved workflow
. The demand for cataract surgery increases to the tune of 10,000 patients a day and will do so for the next decade or so. The average age of a cataract patient is dropping, and their demands for information are increasing as more and more options become available.
Surgiorithm is a new bright spot in helping practices cope with the increased demands on their schedule and
has the potential to allow the doctor to do more surgery without adding staff or facilities
.
They use a subscription model and charge a flat fee per surgeon per month that is a fraction of the cost of hiring another staff member. The company offers a 30-day trial as part of a modest setup fee and doesn’t require integration into EHR systems (I can hear you cheering at this one).
Ophthalmology is their first specialty; as the company grows, they plan to expand to other specialties where the consultation dynamics are in a time-crunch. Stay tuned.