A Monitor Makes a Difference: Smoother IOL Selection with EHR and Surgical Planning on one screen

I, like most ophthalmologists practicing today, was trained in an analog framework that belied the digital sophistication of the procedures I performed. I printed out patient surgical plans and biometric reports, manually transferred patient data between multiple systems prior to surgery, and toted piles of paper around the clinic and into the OR. Even the advent of data on USB drives hardly qualified as a transition to digital: finding physical USB ports that fit a given thumb drive was never a given, and managing dozens of identical USB sticks was in some ways as draining as carrying stacks of paperwork.

These protocols can be frustrating and add unnecessary steps to an already complex process. Not only do they demand significant time and effort -- ultimately distracting trained surgeons from their area of expertise -- but they also increase the potential for human error.

But now with ZEISS VERACITY Surgery Planner, the days of physical data transfer are gone. All information captured during the patient journey is at my digital fingertips anywhere in the clinic or the OR. No more lost papers, no more corrupted USB drives—just effortless access to high-quality data. When I opened my ophthalmology practice in 2023, I committed to improving efficiency, minimizing errors, and cutting down on redundancies. My first step was investing in ZEISS IOLMaster 700 and ZEISS VERACITY Surgery Planner and integrating these technologies with Modernizing Medicine EHR software. My clinic went through some trial and error to develop a system that works for us, and our experiences can benefit other surgeons focused on providing better patient care rather than navigating time-consuming and outdated processes.

Based on my experience, successful marriage of ZEISS VERACITY Surgery Planner and an EHR software ensures IOL scheduling procedures run smoother. Two key steps are worth emphasizing:

• Streamline Your IOL Selection Process by Tasking Your Staff with Detailed Note Dictation in ZEISS VERACITY Surgery Planner
  I leverage the combined power of ZEISS VERACITY Surgery Planner, my EHR software, and my talented staff to improve the efficiency of IOL selection. During cataract evaluation, I input a patient’s visual goals and biometric data into VERACITY, which synthesizes these data to recommend a surgical plan, visual target, and a specific IOL. When placing a surgery on my calendar in the EHR software, my staff transfers these details from ZEISS VERACITY Surgery Planner into the calendar hold’s notes section (Figure 1, left). This approach keeps everything streamlined for my easy review when my staff orders specific IOLs for the surgical center a few weeks before surgery, and eliminates duplicate efforts by my staff.
• Enhance Your Monitor Setup
  I use a large widescreen monitor for a clear, comprehensive view of my surgery schedule, patient data, and imaging. This allows me to keep both ZEISS VERACITY Surgery Planner and my EHR window side-by-side on one screen so I can reference patient details during lens selection. While an extra-large monitor might seem like a minor addition to this process, it’s actually key to improving my efficiency (Figure 1).

By using side-by-side software windows, my technologies are now in conversation with each other. There are several advantages to this format:

• More Efficient Imaging Review
  With just two clicks, I can review patient imaging, verify measurements from ZEISS IOLMaster 700, and check topography and astigmatism calculations to confirm the data aligns before confirming the lenses needed for surgery.
• More Seamless Lens Selection
  I can select all lenses for roughly 40 upcoming surgeries in about an hour. The selected lenses, including toric lenses, automatically integrate with ZEISS CALLISTO eye at the surgery center, allowing me to precisely align lenses using vessel registration coming from the reference image captured on the ZEISS IOLMaster 700.
• Surgical Integration
  Once all lens selections are complete, I create a single PDF with all the necessary information and send it to the surgery center for ordering and preparation.
  

^{The statements of the author reflect only his personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any institution with whom he is affiliated.
The author has a contractual or other financial relationship with Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc. and has received financial support.}