D W Siemsen
Mayo Clinic, Department of Ophthalmology, Rochester, MN, United States
Many low vision patients and their families are unfamiliar with the concept of vision rehabilitation and the professionals who provide these services. In addition, health care providers have increasingly demanding schedules, making it difficult to meet the individual educational needs of their patients. Educating visually impaired persons about their vision loss, their potential abilities, and services that are available to them is an essential part of the rehabilitation process.
The Low Vision Service of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mayo Clinic has worked with the Section of Patient Education to develop an Educational Consult process to better meet the needs of patients who have questions about the low vision rehabilitation process. A private, one-on-one visit, or Educational Consult, with an Education Specialist in the Section of Patient Education enhances the educational experience for many patients. The Education Consult is a limited (approximately 30 minutes) interaction with an Education Specialist, to provide further explanation, clarification and/or support regarding the patient's medical condition. It is an individualized tool to help educate patients as they face health-related events. The consult also helps identify the areas of concern patients have about their vision that the low vision specialist must address in their interaction with the patient.
This poster describes the process, outlines the education provided to the patient and their families, and reports on the survey measuring the outcomes of the educational consults.
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