Monday, May 7, 2018

Incoming!

A number of metaphors have been used to describe veterinary practice, but when it is busy the most enduring one is the battlefield metaphor. I'm sure that people in the human medical field will recognize this as well. I want to be very careful though and point out that this metaphor does have limitations, chief among them is that it should not be taken to imply that the patients and the clients are the enemy. They are not the enemy, but more like civilians caught in the cross-fire with the enemy simply being "circumstances". (Ok, most of the time they are not the enemy...) It's more that the metaphor gives the flavour of what it's like to try to function at a high level of competence in an environment of chaos, noise, confusion and occasional random unpleasantness.

And if the practice can be like a battlefield, it is the receptionists who stand at the front lines. When clients start surging through the doors and all the telephone lines are ringing and the doctors are standing around, getting in the way, and the dogs are competitively peeing on the welcome mat and the couriers are waving documents to sign and the computer system is malevolently generating random errors, then, at those times, to be a receptionist must feel like it feels for soldiers advancing through fire, hearing mortar rounds whistling towards them... "Incoming!"

To be fair, it can be just as stressful and busy at these times for the doctors and the veterinary technicians, but there are important differences. The doctors and techs can withdraw into quieter places to work with patients and clients one-on-one, and, more importantly, the doctors especially benefit enormously from one key thing. That key thing is the client's respect. This makes all the difference. I know that the great majority of clients are decent and sensitive people who do respect the receptionists, but sadly, sometimes it doesn't show. And when it doesn't show, it can really hurt them when they are just trying their best to do their jobs and often don't have the power to change things for the clients. Society is gradually evolving in the right direction, but some old habits persist, and one of these old habits is to automatically, probably unconsciously, assign more respect to the person in the lab coat with the title and a series of initials behind their name than to the person in scrubs sitting behind the reception counter who you call by their first name.

Specifically how does this manifest? The classic scenario is where the receptionist warns the doctor that the client is really angry about something, having just been yelled at by them, and then when the doctor and client are in the exam room together the client is sweet and polite to the doctor. The reverse also occurs wherein the doctor says something upsetting to the client in the exam room, like recommending an expensive procedure, and the client nods and smiles and then leaves the room and, once the doctor is out of earshot, proceeds to freak out at the receptionist about what a rip-off the recommendation is.

I am not suggesting that clients vent anger at the doctors instead, but I am suggesting that they not do so at the receptionists. As in all other areas of life, the best approach when you're angry is to take a few deep breaths, calm down and then politely and respectfully address the concern. But I don't mean to lecture any of you on manners - if you are reading this I expect you are likely not one of the shouters or freaker-outers (to coin a clumsy term). I have seen receptionists in tears after one of these encounters and I have had some threaten to quit. I have had to fire a couple of clients over the years when this sort of behaviour really got out of hand. Yup, I can do that.

Other than basic human decency, why do receptionists deserve respect? They deserve respect because of what they do. Not only is there management of the battlefield as described above when there is so much "incoming", but there is management of the doctor's needs ("Can you print this?" "Can you fill this prescription?" "Can you call so-and-so?" "What's that weird smell in room 2?" etc) and mastery of a remarkable range of skills. Some receptionists have college training in the field, but many do not. Even for those that do, the training is often generic medical reception, and not specific to the veterinary environment. There is a complex (and wacky...) computer system, terminology galore, arcane practice protocols, animal handling and, of course, basic veterinary knowledge. Imagine how daunting it is to have to triage every phone call... Is this person's concern serious enough to warrant an immediate squeeze-in appointment? A later appointment? A return call from the doctor? Or just advice I can give as a receptionist? And imagine the stress of treating something as urgent that isn't and having the doctor complain that it put them behind, and, conversely, the stress of not treating something as urgent enough and having the patient suffer. It is all a bit of a high wire balancing act.

High wire over a battlefield...? Sorry for mixing my metaphors. Whatever it is, we are so very lucky in my clinic to have a group of receptionists who do this so well that they make it look easy. It is not easy. Please respect them for it.

Thank you Barb and Cheryl and Tara and Amber and Cam and Brandi and Lisa! We in the officer's tents and on the sidelines salute you on the front lines!




1 comment:

  1. You are correct, reception is a very difficult job - in any field - usually with a high turnover. Being on the front lines takes a certain personality and a thick skin. The ladies at the clinic are well-suited to their job and sometimes seem more competent than the vets!

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