Today's post is a combination of case study and survey.
Here are a few questions to consider as you read this case study: 1. Would you treat the following patient for POAG? 2. If so, what would be your target IOP? 3. If so, what medication would be your first line therapy? Don't forget to take the survey at the bottom of the page! We will follow up with the results in a few weeks!
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Founded by Nick Swinmurn in 1999, Zappos was acquired by Amazon in 2009 for $1.2 billion and is legendary for customer service!
Sure, the vast majority of their business takes place via their website, but when problems arise, the Zappos call center springs into action and works its magic. Now, any time a multi-billion dollar company is used as an example for anything, it is common to point to the fact that they have millions of dollars to throw at any problem. But keep this in mind: Zappos employees never meet their customers face-to-face. All of their customer communication takes place via phone! The fact that we get the privilege of interacting with our patients face-to-face means we have the opportunity to make a much bigger impact! Let's take a closer look at Zappos' playbook to see how they grossed $2 billion in 2018 while being widely considered one of the most customer-focused businesses in the world. Our goal is to always be a clinical resource for you and your patients. Beyond being available to see your patients, we also like to share interesting cases or images that we hope can provide additional education. We hope you find them helpful and informative. Please let us know what you think or if you have any questions. The photos above were taken of a 61-year-old female who presented with subjective visual disturbance and was found to have plaquenil retinal toxicity. Note the perifoveal loss of outer retinal layers.
As a doctor, you wear many hats, but perhaps none more important than the one of team leader.
You may have a practice manager or designated employees that lead specific departments, but, at the end of the day, you will determine how your team performs. Team management may truly be one of the most difficult areas of practice ownership. When do you have the time to hold meetings, resolve conflict, hire/fire employees, and develop your staff? In fact, the greatest challenge of all might be performing these tasks when you are experiencing symptoms of burnout or exhaustion. The need for more information on this topic was brought up in one of our recent advisory board meetings and we are happy to try to help. Read on to learn the two most important things you can do to build staff teamwork and unity in your practice! 5/16/2019 1 Comment What You need to know about measlesAfter a 19 year absence, measles has made a comeback in the United States.
The highly-contagious disease was last seen in America in 2000 but more than 700 diagnoses stretching from California to New York have been confirmed since January 2019. According to the World Health Organization, 112,163 cases of measles have been reported this year in 170 countries. Measles is a potentially deadly disease which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), may spread to up to 90% of the people close to the person infected if they are not immune. (Check out these two articles from the CDCand Medscape for additional information on measles.) On Thursday, May 2, 2019, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) received word of a case of presumptive positive measles in St. Clair County. The Power of Positive Thinking was written by Norman Vincent Peale and first published in 1952.
The book encouraged readers to visualize success, use positivity to drown out negativity, minimize obstacles, quote the serenity prayer, etc. (We can just picture you pausing and quoting the serenity prayer to yourself prior to walking into the exam room with a difficult patient.) The point of bringing up Peale's work is not to encourage you to read it, but simply to point out that the idea of building a healthy mindset is not new. 5/8/2019 1 Comment Genetics Clinic Case StudiesVisionAmerica's Dr. Rod Nowakowski, who serves as our Director of Genetic and Advanced Diagnostic Testing, wanted to share a few interesting pictures from our Genetics Eye Clinic. The first two photos are of a 29-year-old male with phenotypic presentation of Choroideremia. The molecular diagnosis is a pathogenic variant R253X mutation in the CHM gene. The photos below are of an 18-year-old male who also has a phenotypic presentation of Choroideremia. The molecular diagnosis is an E328X mutation in the CHM gene. The images above create an interesting discussion. Is it the age or variant that created the advanced disease in the 29-year-old? Both have Choroideremia but different variants in the CHM gene.
We expect to see gene therapy for Choroideremia in the near future. *This article contains no spoilers.
It is no secret that movies based on comic books dominate the box office, but a new standard was set when Avengers: Endgame opened on Friday, April 26, and finished the week with a global gate of $1.2 billion. (The total box office numbers have since passed the $2 billion mark.) Anytime we hear of a success story, regardless of industry, we automatically ask ourselves if there is something to be learned from it. Can we learn anything from Marvel's success that will benefit our practices? We think so! Let's take a look at three things Marvel has done to set themselves apart and produce a series of movies that have obliterated records at the theaters and created raving fans across the globe. Last month, our own Dr. Karen Shelton added the Hydrus microstent MIGS device to our surgical glaucoma toolbelt for your patients.
Performed in conjunction with cataract surgery, the Hydrus offers another great option for patient with Mild to Moderate Glaucoma. (Click here for a review of our article on the staging of glaucoma last year). |
AuthorThe staff and doctors at VisionAmerica are committed to providing relevant information for you, your patients and your practice. We hope you find the information in our blog post helpful. Archives
August 2019
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