Let’s say that you are a scheduler type person. Perhaps for a doctor’s office.
Let’s say that your primary responsibility – or at least ONE of your primary responsibilities, I don’t know your life – is to help patients schedule appointments with the doctors in your office.
Let’s say, then, that you are FULL – just BRIMMING – with all sorts of useful information about the doctors in your office. You know exactly which days they are in various locations and which days they only work mornings and which days they are off and which days they are on vacation. Like I said – you are PLUM PACKED with all these valuable details.
So is it REALLY TOO MUCH to ask that you NOT assume that the patients you are duty bound – or, if not duty bound, at least paycheck bound – to assist ALSO know all these details?
If, for instance, your patient wants an appointment with a doctor at Close Location A – i.e., the location that is NOT a minimum 30-minute drive from her home – and you say, “Sure, the doctor has an opening at 10:00 am on X date” and the patient says, “Oh, that won’t work for me. Can I do it in the afternoon?” is it too much to ask that you explain, straight up, “Oh I’m sorry. This doctor only has appointments at Close Location A between 8:00 am and noon on X day of the week”?
And if, when you DON’T explain that key little detail, and instead say, “No, she can’t do it in the afternoons.” and then the patient says, “Mornings are fine, I just can’t do it in the morning on that day.” Is it too much to ask that you then say, in a voice free of judgment or irritation, “I’m really sorry about that, because this doctor is only at Close Location A on X day of the week, and only in the mornings. Would you like to see her at a different location?” or, at the very least, “This doctor has another opening at Close Location A on X day of the week two weeks later” which would have given the patient a clue that the day of the week was key to the scheduling issue?
And if, when you still don’t explain that key detail, and instead say, with increasing and very blatant exasperation, “Well, do you want to see her at a different location?” And then the patient says, looking at the website, which says that this doctor has office hours at Location B, “How about Location B?” is it too much to ask that you refrain from responding with the slow, clearly enunciated phrasing of someone who is dealing with a person who not only has a hearing difficulty but also an IQ difficulty, “No, this doctor no longer has office hours at Location B. She has office hours at Far Away Location C and Farther Away Location D”?
And if, when your condescension is so thick it nearly clogs the patient’s ear canal, you still withhold the critically important day-of-the-week detail from the patient, and the patient – without calling to attention the fact that your website has misinformation on it, because she knows that is probably not your fault or your job – says, “I’d really prefer Close Location A. I just can’t do it in the mornings of that specific day of the week because of a recurring work obligation,” is it too much to ask that you finally reveal that the doctor is only at Close Location A on the problematic day of the week?
And if, when instead you say, “I don’t know what you want me to do then” punctuated by the poignant sound of throwing your hands dramatically in the air, and the patient, coming – perhaps belatedly – to the realization that the day of the week must be the rate limiting factor, asks, “Oh – does this doctor ONLY have office hours at Close Location A on X day of the week?” is it too much to ask that you not imbue the single word “yes” with the disdain of 10,000,000 teenagers shouting the word “duh!” in their most withering voices all in unison, all with simultaneous eye rolls?
Yes, is the answer. Yes, apparently it IS too much to ask.
This post reminds me why I love your writing style so much. Sorry for the ridiculousness of people but you described this situation so well!
Sorry.
I couldn’t think of an answer to your hair question last week when all of a sudden it hit me – I have the same hair problems! I solved them by getting something like a pixie cut about 7 years ago. I love it. I tried to grow my hair out once but regretted it and cut it right back.
Some people should really not be allowed to work in contact with human beings. They need like a cubicle job where they don’t interact with others.
I AGREE WITH THIS SO MUCH, I CANNOT EVEN YELL LOUD ENOUGH.
I HAAAAAAAAAAAATE making phone calls more than anything. Double HAAAAAAAAAAAATE if it requires making an appointment. Also, maybe it’s just me, but when I call in for my sick kids and don’t automatically take the very first appointment they give me, they somehow make me feel guilty. And I really want to say, look, snooty receptionist lady, if my kid were dying, I’d be at the hospital. His appointment for a potential earache can wait until after nap time. Ahem.
Ugh, that is so frustrating! It’s not that hard at all. Some people just lack people skills or really the skills to interact with any human at all.
I think human communication should be a pre-req for all people in positions like that. AND I think all offices where appointments need to be made should have appointment schedulers on the website so we don’t have to deal with the people who lack people skills. Rude!
Why is it that people with these types of jobs always have terrible attitudes and an inability to do their job well? (sigh) My favorite is when they demand to know what you want to be seen for, but want specifics, as apparently, the usual layman’s explanation isn’t enough. I purposely use the most complicated, medical language possible when they push me, just so that they have to ask for clarification and how to spell things. Who’s the idiot now?
Yesterday, ten minutes ago when this nightmare of a call started, whatever.
And that’s why my husband makes me call for his appointments. He can’t deal with things like that.
What is it with these SNOOTY schedulers who act like they are the palace guard and you have to kiss their hineys just to get an appt. Their pseudo obsequious attitudes infuriate me, acting like they are privy to the secret password that lets one warrant access with respectful and personable treatment. I refuse to deal with them anymore and call the clinic manager to ask for help to schedule. I too hate it when they ask for specifics as to why I want appt. the doc TOLD me to come back in a week, a month, etc. – – isn’t that in the notes before you when you ca”called up” my chart? And, these IDIOTS would have me believe that hundreds of times day someone calls in pretending to be me just to fake-schedule an appt. (“Oh, you wouldn’t believe it if I told you…” they lament when I confront their nonsense around this.)
I have REPEATEDLY complained on surveys sent to me after an appt., all to no avail. Maybe if everyone started threatening to find other clinics if they don’t address and stop this crappy treatment of patients by staff and schedulers they would wise up when the wallets walk. I am FED UP!
Please correct:
isn’t that in the notes before you when you ca”called up” my chart?
to read
isn’t that in the notes before you when you ”called up” my chart? Thank you.