How To Manage The Situations With Difficult Patients

Difficult patients — what to do?

The profession of doctor, pharmacist, and nurse requires constant interaction with patients, so good communication with them is essential for the optimal performance of work, but also for them to have the best medical services.

Because people are different, and so are their needs and temperaments, medical professionals always have to deal with difficult patients who either behave inappropriately or do not listen to the advice of doctors and other medical staff.

If you have ever been in a situation where you are facing an irritated patient, find out that there are some effective ways to make the interaction effects and to be able to administer the treatment correctly or to indicate the treatment plan. The more tense the atmosphere, the higher the risk of making mistakes.

In this article, we will explore the types of problem patients, but also solutions for each type.

The best ways to manage difficult patients

To deal with and treat a problem patient, the medical staff needs intuition, experience, quick action, and good communication. Steven A. Cohen-Cole, author of “Clinical Methods,” proposes three ways to manage difficult situations created by patients:

Finding the source of the problem;

• Empathy with the patient;

• Changing patient behavior.

• According to Cohen-Cole, patients can be problematic for a variety of reasons, and what works to calm one patient may anger another. That is why every interaction must be based on the situation in question.

Types of patients

In a hospital or a clinic, every day is different from the previous one. People come and go, and so do their health problems. Some will be more complicated, while others will be easy to treat. It is important to be calm and take every person who steps on your doorstep as such. Here are the patients you can interact with, but also how to handle the situation.

Angry patients

The most common type of patient problem is upset. The causes can be multiple, some of which have nothing to do with the office, clinic, or hospital you are in. Often, angry patients are rude or disrespectful to medical and support staff.

In those moments, it is natural to be angry or defensive, especially when the anger is directed at you. However, angry patients do not need to be told how wrong their behavior is, but rather want to feel heard.

Delayed patients

You may encounter patients who do not argue or cause inconvenience in the waiting room, but some are problematic in many ways.

First of all, they can turn your schedule upside down. When this happens, the best-case scenario is to spend less time with the next patient, and the worst-case scenario is to shift all appointments. This practice could anger those who come on time and have to wait a long time.

Patients who do not show up are even more problematic. Hundreds of billions of euros are lost every year because of the hours that doctors spend not working because of these patients. To avoid such situations, the best way is to penalize those who do not show up by introducing a tax.

You can also make sure that patients do not delay or cancel at the last minute by sending confirmations by email or text message to remind them of the scheduled appointments. If this is possible, move some of the online consultations if patients are willing to accept.

Patients who self-diagnose

Google does not usually provide a correct picture of patients’ health, but this does not prevent many patients from searching online for answers to their medical problems.

Patients who self-diagnose may be frustrated and will try to undermine your authority by insisting on tests or pseudo-knowledge that they have acquired online but which have no scientific basis. Another upset of these patients comes from the fear of being contradicted.

Therefore, first, listen to what these patients have to say, and after a thorough examination, talk to them about the diagnosis, treatment plan, but also how you came to your conclusion. You can also consider targeting self-diagnosed patients to trusted online resources and journals.

Anxious patients

Many people don’t like going to the doctor. Even more, people do not want to hear about dentists and the treatments they may receive. This sometimes comes from fear of pain. Whether they are deeply concerned about a condition or are afraid of a possible treatment, these patients may be classified as anxious.

Anxious patients can be easily detected — some will cry or tremble, for example. Others express their anxiety in more subtle ways, such as avoiding eye contact or agitation. Anxious patients may be too upset to express their health concerns or to fully absorb the important information you provide about their care or treatment plan.

To effectively care for anxious patients, first make sure they are in good hands. Remind them that you are specialized or in the process of specializing in this field of medicine because you want to help people like them. They will need to feel supported to fully understand the medical care they are receiving.

When appropriate, show empathy and care. If you are treating a patient with a chronic condition, for example, you might say, “I’m sorry you have to go through this. I know it’s hard, but it’s important to stay hopeful. ”

Conclusion

Consultations or check-ups are for some patients one of the most difficult things they have to do, so they may react in a way that does not honor them or, on the contrary, they may be late or not present at all. at the agreed time.

We have detailed the main ways to handle each situation. Remember that for many, interacting with doctors can have a big impact on their overall experience. Be the one to make a good impression and handle any situation.