Before you write this article off as being irrelevant or inconsequential, I’m not inferring that the delivery of healthcare services to people equates with those healthcare services provided to animals. In my particular example, however, a lesson may be gleaned that is universally applicable to all providers of healthcare services.
Following two months of angst over dog lethargy, unusual accidents and lack of appetite among other worrisome observations, I began the tedious and expensive sojourn of trying to find out what’s wrong with Rover. He could “talk” to me only with his eyes and body language, but sometimes those, in themselves, spoke volumes.
Cutting to the story’s end, the little guy had a stone in his bladder – a BIG stone, irregularly-shaped with a very coarse and abrasive surface, which was causing Rover more than a bit of discomfort. Surgical removal was our only option.
He’s bouncing back nicely. But what I learned along the way to his diagnosis, treatment and recovery has been something of an eye-opener or, perhaps, a re-sensitization to what I already know about effective communication techniques. The team of veterinary professionals who oversaw his treatment was impressive from initial encounter to post-op check ups.
1. They talked to me
2. They spoke often with me
3. They took time
4. They made me feel like I was being heard
5. They spoke to me as a peer without condescension
6. The conversation was never rushed
These six simple actions that took place over the course of three phone calls and two office visits totaling 29 minutes led me to feel that I had a positive experience. That averages out to less than 5 minutes per patient (or, in my case, pet-owner) encounter. So the misperception that a greater time investment must be made to correlate with better communication or increased patient satisfaction appears to be just that … a misperception. Here the corollary seems to be just the opposite of common sense… no greater expenditure of time, yet significantly improved patient satisfaction. So what makes the difference? Making USE of the time invested. That’s a skill. There is where the “art” comes in.
There is a lesson here for every healthcare professional that cannot be over-emphasized: Effective communication (with a bit of practice) takes very little time, goes the distance in making the receiver of care at once comfortable and confident and - despite diagnosis, prognosis, expense and the like - is invaluable to educating the patient and forging a strong, vibrant, interactive, engaging and, therefore, healthy clinician-patient relationship.
To further demonstrate my point, here are some of the things that impressed me and increased my satisfaction with the vet experience:
The pre-op phone call: Did I understand the procedure? Did I have any questions about the procedure or care afterward? Did I have any concerns that had not been addressed as yet?
The post-op/recovery phone call: A fairly detailed explanation was provided as to what was done, what was found, what the outlook is for the future, what the short-term issues are, what the long-term care issues may require, what the new dietary restrictions will be, and what kinds of future tests may be warranted.
The five-day follow-up phone call: How does the surgical site appear? Is there any redness, swelling, seepage? How is Rover’s appetite? Are there any reactions to the medications? How is elimination now? Are there any signs of distress? What is the overall physical and mental status of the patient several days post-discharge? Are there any obstacles with adherence to the meds, the new, restrictive diet and post-surgical site care? And the final question: How are you, the caregiver, holding up throughout this ordeal?
AMAZING! And none of these conversations took more than 45 seconds to a minute-and-a half to complete. Talk about a small investment of time with incalculable returns on that investment (the infamous “ROI”).