Being Aware of the Healthcare Client’s Mindset As Part of Better Service by Guest Blogger Matthew Ruchie

As we move back into the general day-to-day groove of daily social interaction with others coming out of the pandemic isolation, we should consider how we interact and provide service to our clients.  While many of us continued working at our normal work centers, several of us had grown comfortable with remote zoom meetings, Teams’ calls, or slack notifications to dictate when and how we “turn on” to be social.  Now is a great time to remember when we don’t have time to hone our customer service skills, they can atrophy and wither.  Just like any skill, we can reacclimate and learn how to use them again with a degree of mindfulness.  As health and mental health professionals, we can grow and learn ways to provide better service to our patients and clients alike. 

Why is it important for us to provide better service? Simply put, it is because we can!  As Dr. Thomas Lee in his book, Epidemic of Empathy in Healthcare: How to Deliver Compassionate, Connected Patient Care that Creates a Competitive Advantage, states, “No institution can rest on its laurels because it has a fabulous reputation.”  This kernel of truth hints at a larger phenomenon, all our patients and clients wish they didn’t need us!  Because of this truth, we should always be mindful of how we can provide a better experience for our patients and clients—and that involves considering their mindset!

Think about the last time you went to visit the doctor.  Now ask yourself, were you excited to be there? Almost certainly not! If we allow ourselves to have the same understanding for our patients and clients, we can consider how they might not be the most enthusiastic about needing our services, no matter how excellent they are! When a client or patient comes to see us, some feelings they might experience include but are certainly not limited to: 

• Feelings of shame arising from sensitive medical or mental health issues 
• Frustration for navigating a confusing and at times, bureaucratic healthcare system 

Facing stress or anxiety from considering tough medical decisions about care for themselves or a loved one 

Recognizing the difficult feelings consumers have about engaging with us is crucial to providing better service. Allowing ourselves to empathize can encourage us to be patient and more mindful with our patients and clients and extend to them reassurance and warmth. In what way do you and your team members do this? In what way might you be able to improve?