Handling Difficult Patient Situations

As the optometric profession tips more toward specialization and the medical side of the eye care spectrum, you will likely find yourself providing care for patients with advanced ocular conditions, comanaging patients who require surgical care, and even uncovering complex multi-organ disease. In training, you are taught to recognize clinical signs and symptoms of medical conditions, but making the diagnosis is only the first step. Breaking bad news, explaining the disease process and treatment plan so patients adhere to your recommendations, and navigating multidisciplinary referrals are also crucial stages in the patient care process, and these skills are typically learned by doing over time. In this workshop, the faculty will share strategies to help you feel prepared and empowered during challenging patient encounters.