P eople who are in pain are often short tempered and testy. These patients can be easily disarmed by kindness. Professionals must realize that pain turns everyday, nice and kind people into rude and demanding souls. It is rare for people without pain to behave and even think like they do when in pain. GIVE THESE PEOPLE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. When a new patient comes into your clinic and demands to see the doctor right away, it is important that this be handled in a professional manner. The Chiropractic Assistant should recognize the acute patient immediately, and come from around her desk to aid, if needed. If patients are antalgic and have an escort with them, take them immediately into an isolated area, call the C.T. to begin the acute care procedures and ask the escort if he/she might be able to fill out the new patient form. If he/she is unable to fill out the form, it is important that the C.T. also helps with this. A calm demeanor must be displayed at all times when dealing with patients who are in pain and are grouchy. Once acute patients are more comfortable, use suggested statements: Such as, "I can see you are in pain and I know that is has made you upset. We often see nice folks like yourself get very irritable. It is understandable when you can't even sleep without pain." GIVE THEM THEIR DIGNITY. Never take their state as a personal affront. It is not. It is their reaction to the action of subluxation. If you are faced with a bully personality, he/she is handled in yet another manner. Let us assume that the patient is a large man with a loud voice who comes in and announces that he wants to be seen right away, and doesn't want to fill out the paperwork. Rather than attempt to argue, after you have asked him to complete the new patient paperwork, simply take him into consultation and ask him to have a seat. Most clinics have a staff member who takes care of difficult situations. He/she is familiar with policy and has experience in dealing with negative patients. If this has been set up in advance, notify that person and return to the front desk. TheC.T., Office Manager or Doctor will then go into consultation, greet the patient, say his name and title, and sit down facing him. It is important to fist state that you understand the nature of his refusal to comply. This will usually result in a more relaxed stance by the patient. The Office Policy is then stated and the reason why it must be followed. Clearly state what is required of him at that point. End the conversation with a question, "Do you have any problem with completing it now?" If the patient says that he does, and you have established that his is not illiterate, thank him for his time and consideration of your clinic, and advise him that clinic policy clearly states that you need your tools, and you must recommend that the patient go elsewhere. Give the patient the phone book, and tell him you will be happy to let him use your phone to get an appointment elsewhere. Have him sign a paper stating why he did not come under care and discharge him. MAKE SURE THAT YOU WRITE UP AND PLACE IN HIS FILE EVERYTHING YOU SAID AND EVERYTHING HE SAID, THE DATE AND THE TIME. A patient that will not comply with simple entry requests is a potential problem patient and a possible candidate for filing a malpractice complaint. Never keep non-compliant patients. They bring an aura of negativity each time they walk into the clinic. Health care should be impartial and equal for all. It is only human that nasty, abusive people who will not change, and make their demands on the staff each visit, will affect the positive and healthy clinic environment. A professional is still a human being. Recognizing these patients, and discharging them BEFORE they can bring their ill will into your clinic, is the key. Patients who bring care and who express negative feeling about chiropractic are to be considered challenges for referrals. You know that if they will come under care and follow the team instruction their health will respond even if they don't "believe" in chiropractic. These types of patients typically come under care reluctantly, but stay under care enthusiastically. If the team is doing the right job by educating them, answering their questions, monitoring their progress and sharing the objective results, it follows that they will come to understand the chiropractic link to health. Once these people are convinced, they become the superstars of referrals. Always be patient. Never speak down to patients or appear as is their concerns are minimal. Always address their negative viewpoint as real and then discuss the positive objective issues of their case. By utilizing kindness and patience, the team can retain far more possible drop out patients then by ramroding their ideas upon them. Sometimes, in our own enthusiasm, we forget that there are really people out there that do not know about chiropractic; or if they do know, it is third hand knowledge passed down from years ago. If you view each patient as an opportunity to grow in your communication skills you will find yourself looking forward to the challenge. Innate will always send you the type of patient that you need to grow as s person and as a team. Accept it as fact. Sharon Freese-Pettibon, President of The Petti-bon System, Inc, been in the chiropractic trenches for 39 years. She ran a successful staff training and practice development consulting company Jor rettibon practitioners and has set up 12 chiropractic clinics. Her passion is seeing people succeed. Sharon can be reached at 888-774-6258 or [email protected] .
