I accompanied NurseXX to her first well-woman check-up since my son was born 2 years ago. Since the midwife group who presided over his birth only see OB patients, we were trying out a new OB/GYN.
As a healthcare professional, I tend to sit back and evaluate the experience perhaps with a little more objectivity than the average bear. Here's what I saw.
Our appointment was scheduled for 1330, and being new patients we were asked to arrive 15-20 minutes early to fill out paperwork. We arrived at 1310, and the doors were locked. When we were let inside the first interaction was, "Can I see your insurance card and drivers license?"
We were quite obviously the first appointment of the afternoon, given we were treated to listening to the lunchtime banter of a creepy, sleazy drug rep with the receptionists. Yet somehow we weren't shown back to the exam room until 15 minutes past our appointment time.
When we got to the exam room, the nurse took my wife's blood pressure manually, but did it so quickly there is no possible way she accurately heard any sounds. Oh, and inflated the cuff to 230 mmHG to start with. She then instructed my wife to change into a gown and drape after leaving a urine sample in the bathroom. Throughout the entire interaction, there was no greeting or "How are you doing?"
It was then that my wife realized the first time she'd meet the doctor, she'd be nude in a thin gown...
All in all the visit was actually a good one. The doc turned out to be super cool--she was very matter-of-fact, had an arm tattoo and a nose ring.
It just struck me that a few small changes could have made it a great visit, not just a good one.
It's amazing how much the way the front desk staff and the medical assistant's professionalism matter to the quality of an office visit. What's more amazing is how many docs completely don't get it and have rude receptionists and medical assistants with no people skills.
ReplyDelete(Restraining self from rant here.... don't get me started.)
Most dogs going to the veterinarian get better attention than patients in our health care system, and this is systemic including front desks staff, administration, nurses and doctors.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a shitastic visit compared to the schmancy GYN I used to see. Cloth gowns and blankets, they offered you hot tea while you waited. It was like going to a spa. A really invasive spa.
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm always amazed after working in a clinic how important it is to make people feel welcomed. It can make their entire visit.
ReplyDeleteObviously, the folks at this doc's office need a talking to...or an updated customer service class.
Isn't it amazing.. and disheartening how we run health care like a business.. and forget that there are actually human beings there!
ReplyDeleteGlad it was not the other way around and had that kind of experience with the physician instead!