Anything you see about the front desk being rude... it's true. I experienced it twice.
The first time I was speaking to the receptionist. She mentioned that I needed to update my name on the online form because it was spelled wrong. Okay. She was explaining this to me while I was looking for the link on my phone to the form and did not hear this entirely.
Once I found it, I asked again just to confirm what I was doing was correct. With attitude, the receptionist said, "Well it's spelled incorrectly on the form right."
When I went into the exam room the PA completed my physical examination. But how her tone when giving me instructions was not friendly. She asked me about my bug bites and I was telling her a story about it. I thought "Wow! Someone is finally having a conversation with me like how my primary doctor does."
The PA kept interrupting me and when it took me a while to step down from the examination bed, she repeated again in a rude way. I get it. It's Saturday. It's almost closing time. Again, I would have appreciated it if she communicated with me in a more respectful way.
The only person who talked to me and treated me like a human was my MA. I didn't get her name but she was a blonde woman!
The second time, I was getting a chest x-ray and before dressing into my gown, I had to share some information with my clinician.
I went over to the front desk and asked politely if I could speak to the physician who checked me. The MA/receptionist had a demeaning tone and asked me why I needed to speak to the physician. I replied back saying "I wanted to share information with her that I did not previously share."
The MA/receptionist again asked me why and I repeated my answer. She then responded, "Whatever you need to say to her doesn't change your results." I was in shock.
Yes, what I might say to my physician might not change the results, but that response was unprofessional. It made me, the patient feel ignorant. I did not know why it was such a problem for me to speak to the physician. I understand that the clinic was busy, but I would have been okay with waiting if that was the case. Or if the MA/receptionist just kindly spoke to me explaining that I would still need to get a chest x-ray, I would have been okay with. But, I never got treated so terrible as a patient.
Additionally, I saw no teamwork. The Asian man who helped me with my x-rays was frantically asking for help because he wanted to confirm if there was anything else that needed to be done before he discharged me. Mind you, he already clocked out for lunch. He was the only one that treated me respectfully.
He asked for help from the 3 MAs/receptionists and asked him to check my chart. He asked who had my chart and no one knew (another problem). This poor man was running around to find my physician, MA, and chart when he clocked out for lunch already. I felt like he was the only person who cared. While I heard the 3 MAs/receptionists talking about a new grocery store at a location.
I am aware that healthcare workers get treated poorly, work long hours, and are tired. That's why I am aware of my own tone and behaviors so I will speak to healthcare workers, and people in general, with respect. This was not reciprocated at Concentra Fremont. read more