Editor’s note: This article was excerpted from Erin O’Malley’s e-newsletter. O’Malley was the 2023 Women’s Leadership Conference keynote speaker in New Orleans, Louisiana. Learn more and sign up for the newsletter here. Interested in attending this year’s Women’s Leadership Conference? Learn more here.
Are you making them work for it?
Yesterday I got a call from my doctor letting me know they hadn’t received the lab work needed for my appointment today. I called back and confirmed their lack of receipt, since that message was the first time I’d heard that I needed lab work done. Also of note: I’d already rescheduled this appointment once—and had not received a call about lab work for that appointment.
I scheduled a lab visit. I called back to reschedule the appointment. Then this morning I woke up wondering if I need to fast or not take my meds or do any sort of prep for the lab work. So I called the doctors office, hit the call me back option, they called back, they messaged the provider, who is now getting back to me to let me know if I can get my eat on before 2:30 p.m. today…
Perhaps a new approach? Could sound like, “Hey, we are scheduling a follow up visit. You’ll need to get lab work done. It’s straightforward–no need to fast or do anything differently. Then we’ll schedule your appointment 7-10 days after your lab appointment to make sure we have your results. Any questions?”
Are you making your patients work hard for answers that could easily be communicated?
All of these back and forth convos and calls and call backs fill up that red balloon I am incessantly talking about. What makes that balloon pop is partially the time and energy wasted with all the back and forths, but also when you hang up the phone and yell WHY IS THIS SO HARD? WHY HAVE YOU NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THIS? (I try not to yell but I am hangry from lack of breakfast.)
Those questions are directly related to the lack of care one feels when dealing with this run around. Do you care about my time? Do you care about my well-being? Do you care about my experience?
I think not.
Where can you check to see if you are making your patients work harder than they need to? How can you craft and communicate a simple statement like the one above to smooth out the journey, and keep that balloon deflated?
I’ll be back after I eat.
