Relationship-Centered Care (RCC) was an area of exploration cultivated by the Fetzer Institute a few years ago (they also sponsored the seeds for the Collective Wisdom Initiative, and currently are devoted to "fostering awareness of the power of love and forgiveness"). The specific kinds of relationships mentioned were those between patient & practitioner, practitioner & practitioner, practitioner & community, and self-awareness.
At our office we also consider another expression of healing human interaction: the relationship between our patients and our staff. When we are short-staffed, Dr. Gail, one of our practitioners and our de facto practice manager, adds some of the reception staff duties on to her medical practice responsibilities (thank you, Gail!!).
Her reports back to the rest of the practitioners are always eye-opening--how differently she is regarded and spoken to when she is perceived as a receptionist, than when she is perceived as a physician. Although many, most, of our patients have friendly, courteous, even affectionate relationships with our staff members, a small proportion of our wonderful patients can be rude, and even mean, to our receptionists, billing staff, and medical assistants. It's not just that folks are in pain, I don't think--even people who have very warm and mutually respectful long-term relationships with their practitioners sometimes behave disrespectfully to the rest of the staff. Our office is not so unusual--the position of receptionist in a medical office is always considered to be very challenging and stressful work, and to find people who are willing to do it for many years is rare.
What do you think?
I am always surprised to hear these stories. I'm reminded of the years I spent waiting tables while in college. My experience then was that sometimes we treat those whose work is service less like fellow human beings and more like...well, like servants, whom we expect to give us what we want whether it's possible or not.
Our goal and intention is to cultivate an atmosphere and a culture where our support staffers feel that they are supported too, and where mutual respect is part of every relationship. Our current staff people deeply understand that their interactions with patients are opportunities, often the first opportunity our group has, to offer compassion, care and healing.
At our office we also consider another expression of healing human interaction: the relationship between our patients and our staff. When we are short-staffed, Dr. Gail, one of our practitioners and our de facto practice manager, adds some of the reception staff duties on to her medical practice responsibilities (thank you, Gail!!).
Her reports back to the rest of the practitioners are always eye-opening--how differently she is regarded and spoken to when she is perceived as a receptionist, than when she is perceived as a physician. Although many, most, of our patients have friendly, courteous, even affectionate relationships with our staff members, a small proportion of our wonderful patients can be rude, and even mean, to our receptionists, billing staff, and medical assistants. It's not just that folks are in pain, I don't think--even people who have very warm and mutually respectful long-term relationships with their practitioners sometimes behave disrespectfully to the rest of the staff. Our office is not so unusual--the position of receptionist in a medical office is always considered to be very challenging and stressful work, and to find people who are willing to do it for many years is rare.
What do you think?
I am always surprised to hear these stories. I'm reminded of the years I spent waiting tables while in college. My experience then was that sometimes we treat those whose work is service less like fellow human beings and more like...well, like servants, whom we expect to give us what we want whether it's possible or not.
Our goal and intention is to cultivate an atmosphere and a culture where our support staffers feel that they are supported too, and where mutual respect is part of every relationship. Our current staff people deeply understand that their interactions with patients are opportunities, often the first opportunity our group has, to offer compassion, care and healing.
2 comments:
Nice to visit your site, and thanks for visiting mine...
Just had dinner with a friend who's an M.D. and a naturopath, and his friend. She happened to be a neurosurgeon who looked all of 18 years old (and her fiance is an acupuncturist). Interesting discussion! Lots of talk there about how you're perceived by your peers...
LOVE!
Hi Dan,
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking time to comment...that does sound like an interesting discussion -- lots of cross-cultural experience there!
Christy
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