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Going to see your doctor can be an anxiety-causing situation for some people. Such anxiety is something we often overlook in the healthcare industry because it’s difficult to see things from a patient’s perspective at times. After all, patients come to us for caring and healing, so why all the anxiety, right? A colleague recently shared the following story with me.
Real World Story: It had been nearly ten years since I last saw a doctor. But having reached and surpassed 50 years of age, I knew it was time to see one—if only for peace of mind. So why was I nervous? Why was I feeling more and more anxious as my appointment neared?
Well, from past experience, staff at medical offices weren’t very friendly. Often, they were critical of me for doing whatever I had done that caused my problem for having to see a doctor in the first place. Staff were also robotic, almost too professional if you know what I mean, and they didn’t seem to really care about me as an individual person. I felt like just a number. Just one more thing they had to get done before they could end their shift.
But, boy, was I in for a huge sigh of relief! When I entered my newly chosen medical facility for the first time, I was greeted by friendly faces and warm smiles—from the parking attendants to the information desk personnel to the intake nurses. Wow! And most of them introduced themselves to me by their first name! What? It’s amazing how reassuring a warm smile and a first name can be. My anxiety level went from a 10 to a 2, but it began to rise as I waited in the examination room. But once my physician’s assistant began to talk to me and ask me questions, that level dropped to a zero. She showed caring and sympathy. She took her time with me, so I never felt rushed, like I was being processed instead of cared for. After a while, I didn’t want to leave! It was the best experience that I’ve ever had in a medical facility.
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Be a person. When you introduce yourself by name to patients, you begin to establish a connection, as one person to another. You are no longer just “that person” in scrubs who asks a lot of questions.
- Be a person and smile. Before you even say one word, when you smile to another person, you establish yourself as someone who is approachable, someone who is trustworthy. And you put that other person at ease, lowering his or her level of anxiety.
- Be a person and show empathy and caring. When you show another person empathy and caring, that person will feel cared for and special. And isn’t that what healthcare is truly all about? Showing empathy and caring will also naturally allow you to take the necessary time needed with your patients.
Remember: When patients come to see us, they are most likely filled with anxiety because they are not sure what to expect from the experience and us. They may be in pain. They may be in distress. Or they may be anxious because of previous experiences with healthcare staff. When we show true caring and empathy, patients will know they are in good hands. And nothing is better for curing their anxiety.
What do YOU do to ensure that your patients’ anxiety levels are as low as possible?