Support Staff

Over the six years since I was diagnosed I've ended up spending a good deal of time with the various members of my medical team--doctors, technicians, records clerks, receptionists, nurses, aides, etc.--under sometimes harrowing circumstances. With many, I'm on intimate terms: They've hugged me when I melted down. They've given me manual breast exams. They've asked me about my bowel movements! And even though I'm no longer in active treatment, I'll be seeing them for the rest of my life for follow-ups. It just made sense to develop a good relationship with them.

I can still remember the alienation I felt when I first saw the sign "Clinical Cancer Center." I don't belong here, I thought. Now it feels like home. This is the place where people understand me. These are the people who saved my life. I don't love all of them. But I actually do love a lot of them! The physician's staff is his or her gatekeeper. In most cases you will encounter the staff more often than the physician and it important to have a cordial relationship with each one of them. Just as it is important to have a cordial relationship with your physician, his or her staff can either make life easy for you if you are in need or not go the extra mile.

You want a positive and appreciative relationship with your doctor's staff, one of good will, respect and appreciation. For example, it's 4pm on a Friday afternoon. You just realized that you are out of your thyroid medication and you have no refills left. And you are facing a holiday weekend. If you have a positive relationship with the doctor's staff, they will be more likely to help you out with a refill at this time (a very hectic time for a doctor and the staff), rather than if you have been consistently dissatisfied with them. Staff members talk to one another and to the doctor. You want to known as a nice patient who appreciates them. If you are belligerent or complain on a regular basis, you will not get what you want as easily. That is not to say that if there has been a serious error or problem, that you should not say anything. You should speak up but it is all in the approach.
Another example is if you are very ill and need to see the doctor that day. Let's say the doctor is booked up. If you are nice to the staff and have a good relationship with the appointment scheduler, you'll have a better chance of having him/her squeeze you in or get you an earlier appointment.

In all of my interviews of physicians for my new book, The Take-Charge Patient, each told me stories about patients who have been nasty and abusive. Those patients are avoided more often than the patients who are well liked. It's human nature.
If you can establish relationships with the doctor's staff members you'll be in a much better position to get what you want when you are in need.
Now, there are some doctors who have unpleasant staff members. You do your best with these people. I used to see one specialist who is an excellent doctor but his staff was so unpleasant, I finally found another doctor. Several people I know were referred to him and because of his staff, they have never gone back.
One of the roles of doctor's staff is to keep you, the patient, at bay so as not to bother the doctor. So, you must find the most diplomatic way in.