It happens during many doctor appointments. A patient is sitting in the waiting room when a staff member or nurse asks why the person is there. Since, in most cases, the question was asked at the time the appointment was made, the encounter often leaves the patient wondering why the office doesn’t know the reason for the visit.
That’s a poor patient engagement that does not strengthen the bond between clinicians and patients, explained Stephen Dickens, senior consultant in organizational dynamics at State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Co. during a session at this week’s MGMA16 in San Francisco.
