Living with chronic health conditions often means spending a significant amount of time in doctor’s waiting rooms. The frustration of waiting for hours to have a brief 10-minute conversation with your physician can be overwhelming. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to make the most of your waiting room experience, why improving customer service in healthcare is essential, and offer some practical tips to help you navigate this part of your healthcare journey.
The Endless Waiting Game:
When you have a chronic condition, you become a frequent visitor to the healthcare system, which inevitably leads to long hours spent in waiting rooms. The question arises: How can you make this waiting time less stressful for your body and nerves?
The Customer Service Gap:
The frustration associated with doctor’s office wait times often stems from a gap in customer service within the medical field. While healthcare is an essential service, it has yet to fully embrace the principles of customer service. Patients pay for their appointments through taxes, insurance, or direct payment, making them customers in the healthcare system. However, it’s common practice to keep patients waiting for extended periods, a practice rarely tolerated in other service-related fields.
The Impact on Well-being:
The extended waiting times not only affect physical well-being but also take a toll on emotional health. Patients might begin to feel like hostages of the healthcare system, trapped in uncomfortable chairs with little communication about when they’ll see their doctor. This lack of respect can erode trust in the healthcare system.
The Importance of Respect and Compassion:
Respect and compassion should be fundamental in healthcare, starting from the moment you make the appointment to the time you spend in the waiting room. Simple improvements like comfortable seating and engaging reading material can make a significant difference in the patient experience.
Tips for a Better Waiting Room Experience:
- Allow Extra Time: Prepare for your appointment by assuming that delays are likely. I like the first appointment of the day or after lunch.
- Make a list and prioritize your concerns.
- Take information with you to the doctor, example pain journal.
- Consider bringing a family member or friend to the doctor’s visit.
- Keep your doctor up to date, changes in pain, mobility etc
- Be sure you can see and hear as well as possible.
- Request an interpreter if you need one.
- Bring a book.
I like pain journals
As a New Amazon Affiliate as of a couple months ago – I will get a small commission on any items you buy if you click on the link provided. I use and or gift all the items
Pain Journal: A daily record of chronic pain symptoms
Here are also some books I like
Audio Books
Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again
Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul
The Legacy Journey: A Radical View of Biblical Wealth and Generosity
Mail Order Bride – Faith Creek Brides – Books 1-10: Clean and Wholesome Historical Inspirational Western Romance
Dare to Be a Man The Truth Every Man Must Know:…and Every Woman Needs to Know
Kindle Books
The Holy Bible: Literal Standard Version (LSV), 2020 Kindle Edition
The God Who Stays: Life Looks Different with Him by Your Side
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely
Joint Purpose 
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