For the past four years, I’ve spent most of my professional time working with healthcare organizations to improve patient satisfaction via customer service. Because of my mother’s latest ER visit and subsequent hospital stay, I’ve experienced first hand the frustration associated with BAD customer service in healthcare. Here are some examples.
- Poor communicators: On-call ER doc shoves an DNR form in my face then says, “You have one minute to say goodbye.”
- Lack of empathy: On-call ER doc finds me outside, crying. As I approach him, he says, “It worked. She’s fine,” as he hands me his business card. When I later ask him about her chances of making it through the night, he says, “I doubt she’ll make it.”
- Extreme behavioral inconsistencies by ER nurses: Some nurses were wonderful — they introduced themselves and explained their roles before doing anything procedures; they really seemed to care. Others nurses would rush in and start working on my mom without ever saying one word; they simply appeared robotic in their work.
- Horrible follow through: When transferring my mom from the hospital to the skilled nursing facility, not one EMT gave any instructions or updates to the facility staff on my mother’s condition — what to watch out for, how to move her – nothing.
- Lazy late-shifters: In the middle of the night at the nursing facility, my mom needed help. Two employees walked in, looked at my mom, and simply said, “You’re too big. We can’t help you.” They simply walked out, leaving my mom in a crumpled mess, cold and crying.
- (The second night, my sister camped out in her room so she could observe and assist the night crew. One employee was so pregnant that her boss simply told her not to help. Therefore, my sister had to step in and assist.)
- Rigid rules: For the record, some rules are just stupid! My mother is a tall lady and has trouble transferring from a low to high position, such as from wheelchair to bed. The only way my mother can do this easily is with her customized motorized wheelchair. However, this particular facility has a policy prohibiting motorized chairs – even though these chairs would make life easier for patients and staff?!?!?!
Needless to say, all of these “little things” add up to an EXTREMELY frustrating and infuriating experience — a total and complete fail in customer service. Yes, don’t get me wrong. There are many wonderful people who work at this and other skilled nursing facilities and hospitals, but the BAD experiences far outweigh the good ones. Therefore, they impact our impression of an entire organization. So sad — especially for all those caring professional who act, well, like caring professionals.
Remember: Patient satisfaction is driven by human connection – human relationships. Patients are not just a body count. They are living, breathing beings in need of care, empathy and kindness.
What experiences have you had with healthcare professionals and organizations? Please share in the comments section below.