TS has been struggling with dizziness for several years. He has been to several doctors in multiple specialties. He has set up an appointment with a new doctor and is hopeful that the encounter will be positive. Dr. HF walks into the room still talking to one of the practice nurses, who is out in the hall. Dr. HF remains standing and his first question to TS is why did he not go to an ENT office since his chief complaint is dizziness. When TS tries to explain that he has been to two different ENTs already, Dr. HF cuts him short and asks a couple of yes-or-no questions. Dr. HF did a quick exam, ordered a test, and sent in a prescription before walking out of the room. As the door closed TS felt empty. He had no confidence that a test would help and really did not even know how to take the medication. He decide to not follow through with the test and did not give the medication a full trial. He did not have any improvement in his symptoms and felt that he had wasted his time and copay.
Diagnosis:
Negative patient engagement
Recommendations:
- Whenever possible, focus on the patient before opening the door to the exam room
- Use body language and active listening to ensure your patients feel heard
- Check for understanding
- Ask, “what are your questions?”
- Remember that poor patient engagement leads to poor outcomes and reduced follow-up rates with negative effects on your revenue
- Poor patient engagement also sets you up for unhappy patients, decreased practice enjoyment, and eventual burnout.
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