Working with Office Staff
Your experiences in the doctor's office staff include working with the office staff. This includes other health care providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician's assistants, as well as the receptionist and billing staff. Below are questions your can answer about experiences with your doctor. There are also lists of ways that patients can help make care better.
Is the doctor's office staff as helpful as you think they should be?
A patient's experience is not just about the doctor. It also is about whether the office staff treats patients in ways that are helpful and polite.
Here are some ways your can work with your doctor's office staff:
- Ask politely, but firmly, if you need help. When you are polite, staff is more likely to respond to your requests.
- Be patient if you have problems. But do tell the staff person that you expect him or her to be more helpful.
- Speak up if you still do not get needed help. Tell the office manager or doctor about any problems you are having with the office staff.
Does the doctor's office staff treat you with courtesy and respect?
Other staff in the doctor's office-including staff people such as nurses, receptionists, the billing or scheduling staff-should treat patients with the same courtesy and respect as your doctor does.
Here are some actions you can take to be treated with courtesy and respect in your doctor's office:
- Tell the doctor or office manager if you feel that a staff person is not treating you with courtesy or respect.
- Be calm and polite, but do speak up. There is no reason to be shy when talking about problems you have with the doctor's office staff.
- Tell the doctor or office manager how you would like to resolve this problem. For instance, do you want an apology from this staff person? Or would you prefer to be seen someone else in the doctor's office?
Click here to download How Patients Can Help Coordinate Their Care