Customer Service

Comforting upset patients

Know how to appropriately show compassion and understanding to patients in times of grief or anger.

BY ELIZABETH HOLLOWAY, PHR, COE

When recently working in a client’s clinic, I heard a cry so sad that it did not sound human. From the checkout area, I quickly scanned the office to discover the source: a woman sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.

The checkout clerk did a great job of comforting the woman, speaking kindly and softly. But, three additional patients at the checkout counter watched as this poor woman continued to cry.

Eventually, I learned that the woman had just been informed that her young son, who was undergoing chemotherapy for a rare type of cancer, was most likely going to lose vision in one of his eyes. This devastating news, along with the stress of watching her child undergo treatments for a life-threatening illness, caused her to break down.

Great customer service includes knowing what to do when patients or their family members become upset in our clinics, whether from grief or anger.

Here are a few tips on how staff members can assist these patients.

Escort patients to a private place.

When patients or family members are visibly upset in front of other patients, it creates an awkward situation for all. For this grieving woman, it was important to provide privacy away from the eyes of the reception area. Thankfully, we located an empty exam room so the woman could have some space to catch her breath.

Provide patients with comforts.

In this situation, we provided tissues, bottled water and cookies for the woman, and her sobbing subsided. The office manager also sat and spoke with the woman. The practice also offered mints and gum to comfort teary-eyed patients.

Allow patients to “save face.”

Once calm, the person may feel embarrassed by their public reaction. If this happens, remain gracious and treat the person with the same respect you would any other person.

Even if the person became angry or rude, they will usually feel uncomfortable or ashamed that they lost control.

Avoid false hope.

We want to comfort patients who are upset, but never give someone false hope or advice. When speaking with this woman, I felt helpless, as I had no words that could ease her pain. I could not tell her that her son was going to get better or that he would not lose his vision. But I could hold her hand and offer my sincere sympathy.

Allow patients to see the physician again.

When people receive disturbing news, they may not hear everything the physician tells them about the medical prognosis. They may need to speak with the doctor again, once they calm down. If patients desire, staff members should work with their doctors to permit patients to review medical information again before leaving the office.

Conclusion

While most of our patient encounters in ophthalmology are happy, sight-restoring occasions, our physicians occasionally have to deliver difficult news, and we can’t anticipate how a patient or family member will react. Emotions can range from disbelief to grief to anger. As ophthalmic professionals, we need to be ready to take care of these patients.

I hope I provided this woman and her son with what they needed: humanity and kindness that would help them in the difficult days ahead. In my opinion, comforting a patient during these challenging life events meets the highest level of customer service we can provide. OP

Ms. Holloway is a senior consultant with BSM Consulting in Clearwater, FL. Her current certifications include Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Certified Patient Service Specialist (CPSS).