I had a terrible experience at Jackie’s doctor today. She woke up with a terrible headache and couldn’t get out of bed. They think it’s a viral infection, and they gave her some Lortab, so hopefully it will run it’s course soon. The doctor is a really good doctor, but their office is run terribly. So much so that I want Jackie to switch doctors after this experience. When we walked up to the window, we were greeted with this…
I have never seen so many unprofessional signs and rules in my life. Then I had to go to the bathroom and saw this…
Just in case we missed them at the front window, I guess. And then when I left the bathroom on the other side of the door…
OK- I’m sure that all of these signs are a result of something that a patient did that created a problem for them. But, is that really the best way to communicate all these things? I felt on the defensive before I even talked to anyone. On top of that, we got there at 10:30AM for an 11:00AM appointment because Jackie was in so much pain. We waited until 12:00PM to see the doctor. Not good.
Anyway, it was a good reminder to me about how you treat your “customers.” I’m sure they feel that we are a captive audience and they don’t need to worry about it, but they are really underestimating the importance of treating people with respect and care. I would not be surprised if their office is in decline. We’ve often said that our volunteers at Athens Church are our most important “customers.” They deserve to be treated, not with rules and unprofessional print outs, but with the level of respect and care that help them be the best that they can be.
