I am a patient.
I am pregnant, (obstetrics patient).
I have a pacemaker, (cardiac patient).
I am alive, (general practitioner's patient).
I have teeth, (dental patient).
I am a mother of two, I oversee two young patients.
I am a wife, I encourage another when he should be a patient.
Since I encounter the medical field so frequently I may be a bit sensitive or just overly exposed. But there is a HUGE deficit in the customer care side of the medical field. I encounter wonderful medical care; it is the other care that is completely lacking in most practices I visit. Why is it that the nursing and office staff of most practices seem as if there is one hundred other places they would rather be than in scrubs?
Each office I visit could benefit from visiting my dentist's office. Buzz Nabors in Knoxville, TN has the best run office and friendliest staff I have EVER encountered. The atmosphere is nice, the staff makes a point to call you by your name, and engage you in conversation. This particular office has every right to treat me with disdain too. I have missed at least three dental appointments. For one reason or another I have had to reschedule appointments and one I completely forgot- and they had called me the day before to remind me and spoke directly to me! However; Stephanie the office employee I deal with most frequently treated me with kindness and respect when I called three weeks later to reschedule- yet again!
I have worked in several customer service oriented fields. I know dealing with the public is difficult and tiresome. But it does seem since the medical field is such a necessity that the staff would treat each patient with kindness and concern. I understand that the nursing and office staff can't fathom what type of visit a patient may be having. There are times when the news you receive is devastating or elating. How are they to know or even try to engage you? They are not. Let's start with a smile and begin treating the patients with kindness, compassion, and respect.
4 comments:
Happy to find your blog! I'd add my own frustration: terrible customer service in the insurance industry! I, too, have frequent run-ins with the medical community, but it's the insurance people who about kill me. Why is it that five different phone calls to five different people (in the same department) results in five different conclusions about the state of my claims? Ugh!
I am with you...I may have to go and try out your dentist to get breathe of fresh air...the medical community in Knoxville has left me sorely disappointed so many times.
I also wanted to add Lance Moorehead's office (AKA Summit Medical Group)is another fine example of treating their patient's with care throughout the entire office.
You have a pacemaker?
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