Let patients know they are appreciated

by Joe Blaes

Good, old-fashioned manners are still in style. Recently, my wife and I went to one of our favorite seafood restaurants in St. Louis. Our waitress was a delightful young lady who took the time to introduce herself and welcome us warmly. Sue mentioned that she would enjoy a glass of Riesling, and Jackie (our waitress) recommended her favorite on the wine list.

Jackie came back with our wine and told us about the specials for the evening. She told us that Atlantic flounder was in season (I never knew that there was a season for flounder). That night, it was being prepared with a shrimp and crabmeat spinach stuffing with rice pilaf and fresh asparagus. It sounded great, so we both ordered it, but we let the waitress know Sue was extremely allergic to tomatoes. Jackie was very concerned about this and immediately checked with the chef to be sure that what we had ordered was tomato-free.

Dinner was served and it was delicious! I really appreciated Jackie's fine service and I gratefully left her a generous tip. Her attentive service had made our evening special. Sue and I both agreed that this was the best meal we had ever had at the restaurant. Who was responsible for that — Jackie or the chef? I feel it was Jackie.

Was this an accident of fate? Was Jackie the only really great waitress in the restaurant or was the entire staff trained that way? I am certain the wait staff had been trained to a standard of care that fits this restaurant's vision. But Jackie had something else; she obviously had been raised to value good manners. She was respectful, yet she also was fun.

So what's the point? We had a great meal and great service. Isn't that what you expect from a good restaurant? Well, yes, but how many times have you been disappointed by service people who just don't care? How is the service in your office? Is your staff trained to provide the type of service that you would expect to receive? Do you and your staff make the people who come to you for care feel like they are appreciated? Are they treated with good manners?

Do you thank your patients for arriving on time? Are they greeted with a smile and a word of thanks for being there? Are you genuinely glad to see them or do you have some patients who create stress in the office? Does your office run on time? If something has happened to delay you, is the next patient given a realistic estimate of how long he or she will have to wait? Is the patient given the option to reschedule? Are you truly respectful of your patients' time?

When patients are seated in the treatment room, do they completely understand what is going to happen? If they don't, does someone take the time to thoroughly explain the procedure and answer any questions? Have you given your patient a "stop" signal? Do you touch your patients during the procedure to reassure them and be sure they are doing alright? When the procedure is over, do you let your patients sit for a while or do you rush them out? Do you clean up the patient's face? Is there a place for women to redo their makeup and hair?

When the procedure is over, do you explain what happened and what they can expect? If you have given them a prescription, do you explain why and how they should take the medication? Are you aware that prescription non-compliance is a major problem today? Do you explain the next appointment — what will be done, how long the patient will be in the chair, and how long the numbness will last?

All of these questions, if answered positively, will give everyone in your office a feeling of how much you appreciate the people who come to you for care. I have only scratched the surface here. Have a staff meeting and brainstorm ideas to let your patients know that they are appreciated!