Consultations project wins Innovation Prize

[caption id="attachment_16743" align="alignleft" width="849"] Julien Buratto[/caption] Julien Buratto won the inaugural Innovation Prize at the ESCRS Practice Management and Development Programme at the 37^th Congress of the ESCRS. Buratto, Operation Manager at the Neovision Cliniche Oculistiche, Milan, Italy, described a marketing strategy that saw the clinic sell consultations on Amazon. Describing a situation where many Italian grandparents look after their grandchildren while their own children are working, Buratto cited a statistic that 47 children are injured every day by television tip-overs. With failing eyesight a potential risk for lost or injured children, it is imperative that older family members get adequate eye care. Buratto said his clinic designed a pack that people could give to their parents as gifts. The visually attractive package included a voucher, a card with an activation number and a leaflet with information on cataract surgery. The concept is that the package, which is sold for €190 on Amazon, is a fully paid consultation voucher that grandparents can then use to order an appointment by phone. Citing Everett Rogers and the diffusion of innovations, Buratto said it was a first for the medical community, and that while it may not make a practice rich, it would spread brand awareness. With almost half the audience vote, this project was the clear winner of the Inaugural Innovation Prize.

Tags: cataract, innovation, practice management