How To Make Waiting Time More Enjoyable For Your Patients

If not enjoyable, at least more tolerable

by Susan Keane Baker

Waiting takes time. Time is money. While everyone can get more money, no one gets more time. Therefore, when your patients have to wait, make the experience as pleasant as possible:

Provide reception activities such as: A minimum of eight different magazines, reflecting the interests of your patients. Crossword puzzle pads. Etch-a-sketches. Stationery & stamps for writing letters. A telephone for local calls.
Offer a library of consumer health books, with reviewer notes - reviewers being folks from your department or practice. A local bookstore may provide the library for you in exchange for having the store's business cards and a sign saying that any of the books can be ordered by phone.
Provide reception distractions, such as: Art exhibits by children. "Words of wisdom" exhibits by older Americans. A bird feeder outside a window. Headphones and relaxation tapes. An aquarium. Individual, comfortable seating. Rocking chairs.
A gallery of positive patient comments - have glass cut to fit over your tables and insert the comments between the table and the glass. Be sure to obtain patient permission first!
A "wall of honor" of staff members with their comments about what they like to do in their spare time; why they came to work at this organization, etc.
Frustration can increase if patients see staff members taking care of "non-patient" tasks rather than taking care of them. If possible, charting should be done during the patient encounter, rather than after the visit. This increases the amount of time spent with the patient. Indirect care responsibilities, such as charting and telephone calls, should be done out of the view of waiting patients if at all possible.
Even if patients have waited during prior visits, a sincere apology for a wait is helpful when employees are perceived to be doing everything they can to be responsive to the patient quickly. On the other hand, an insincere apology, or one that is routinely given as if giving it will excuse the wait, can increase a patient's anger about waiting.

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