R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Many people who post to our Anxiety/Panic Board talk about their concerns about going to see a doctor and how this can be a significant factor in their not seeking treatment. Others indicate that there's a rift between them and their healthcare provider that is maintained by the provider's disrespectful attitude toward them.
An article in an issue of Annals of Family Medicine contained the results of a small survey of patients regarding why they were no-shows for appointments. The results would seem to be of interest to all of us.
Up to 42 percent of healthcare appointments were no-shows and that is a significant number of office visits missed. The majority of participants (65 percent) who were no-shows indicated that they experienced anxiety about procedures or receiving bad news.
Forty-four percent said it was as a result of issues of respect by the system and providers who appeared to show little respect for patients' time, opinions or feelings. Recently, I received a bit of this first-hand as I called a company to report a product that had caused a rash after I used it. The nurse who was to take my information and who was someone I didn't know and would never meet, proceeded to call me "hon" and I really didn't care for that. Her company may have thought that would create a more personal encounter, but they didn't consider me when they instituted that policy. Nor did I like being called "Patricia" by this person who didn't know me. I believe I reserve the right to tell them to call me by my first name, if I wish.
The authors of this study found that a sense of disrespect would leave patients feeling they have no obligation to call to cancel appointments that will be missed, not to be concerned about the financial hardship it causes the provider and they thought it might actually be a benefit for a busy facility.
So, it pretty much boils down to a matter of respect. Aretha are you listening?
Related Topics: Choosing A Doctor, A Woman's Guide to Taking Care of Yourself
Technorati Tags: patientrespect, healthcare, missedappointments
An article in an issue of Annals of Family Medicine contained the results of a small survey of patients regarding why they were no-shows for appointments. The results would seem to be of interest to all of us.
Up to 42 percent of healthcare appointments were no-shows and that is a significant number of office visits missed. The majority of participants (65 percent) who were no-shows indicated that they experienced anxiety about procedures or receiving bad news.
Forty-four percent said it was as a result of issues of respect by the system and providers who appeared to show little respect for patients' time, opinions or feelings. Recently, I received a bit of this first-hand as I called a company to report a product that had caused a rash after I used it. The nurse who was to take my information and who was someone I didn't know and would never meet, proceeded to call me "hon" and I really didn't care for that. Her company may have thought that would create a more personal encounter, but they didn't consider me when they instituted that policy. Nor did I like being called "Patricia" by this person who didn't know me. I believe I reserve the right to tell them to call me by my first name, if I wish.
The authors of this study found that a sense of disrespect would leave patients feeling they have no obligation to call to cancel appointments that will be missed, not to be concerned about the financial hardship it causes the provider and they thought it might actually be a benefit for a busy facility.
So, it pretty much boils down to a matter of respect. Aretha are you listening?
Related Topics: Choosing A Doctor, A Woman's Guide to Taking Care of Yourself
Technorati Tags: patientrespect, healthcare, missedappointments
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