I think the thing that frosts me most about arriving at a doctors off is: when you arrive at the glass window (which may be closed), there is a clip board for you to "sign in." The receptionist may be less than one foot away from you and fails to acknowledge your existence. Many times that is the last communication you have unless they need to question your ability to pay. Then, if they need to speak to you, they slide the glass open, speak their piece, then slam it closed in your face, while immediately looking elsewhere.
It telegraphs the immediate impression that you are a mere walking piece of meat. (sick meat at that) I feel that many front office personnel believe their job is to protect the doctor from the hoards until they are allowed to funnel in one at a time. In fact, their job is to welcome the patient to the office and make them feel comfortable until their time to enter.
How about those offices that are running 1/2 hour or 1 hour late, and there is no attempt whatsoever to communicate with the poor saps sitting in the waiting room. Not a word, nothing. Just, "sit there and wait until we are good and ready to see you."
We all understand emergency situations. What I personally don't understand is the failure to communicate with the human beings sitting in the waiting room. (sick human beings at that)
Not all doctors offices are like that, but many are.
Medicine is a "people" business. Every person who walks through the door is not only a customer, but a person as well. They deserve to be treated like an individual (a sick individual at that).
|