Health Care worker treatment.

I just want to start out by saying that I have never had a job outside of a hospital.  I was lucky enough that I didn't need a job during highschool and my college was paid for by my parents from money they has saved up over the years.  Ir probably didn't hurt that what I went to college for,  Radiography, was offered locally (fairly) and didn't cost all that much...something areoun 17K a year.  So I was able to have a good childhood without the worries of needing to earn money...sheltered I suppose by my parents..god love em.

I decided to go into the health care field a long long time ago, I wasn't even in High School, I wanted to be a Doctor..that didn't work out since I have dedication issues...so instead I went into medical imaging.  I wasn't the brightest student but I got through.  My first job out of college was as a Phone operator at a Hospital, there were no X-ray jobs to be found at the time of my graduation so I had to make money somehow.  After three years of this caller-relation nightmare I got a job doing X-ray's at another hospital and I did this for about 6 years.  After that I lucked into a position as a trainee for Vascular Ultrasound...I have been here for about 6 years now and I am now Board Registered(certified) as a RVT (registered Vascular technologist) and still a RT(radiologic technologist) and through a general refusal to quit I have gotten to the point where I am now Lab Supervisor for a very large vascular group in NY state and Chief Tech aswell.

Now, all this was just background to show that I have been involved with patient care for a long long time so I am not just talking out of my ass.

My point is this, as a patient we try to treat you with care and compassion. There are always a few bad practioners but there are a few bad cops aswell, doens't mean you don't respect one when you meet them for the first time.

My counterpoint...as a patient...please...TRY NOT TO TREAT US LIKE SHIT.  We are not the reason you are here. 

This does not go directed at patients who are ill for the long term...these poor people have the right to be grumpy and unhappy.  This is more directed to someone who comes to a lab/office/doctors visit for a one time visit or consultation and then proceeds to treat the staff like they are their own slave labor.

We are sorry you have to fill out forms, it isn't our idea, talk to your insurance company.  We did not cause you to have your injury/ailment so please don't act like you blame us for your being uncomfortable.

You are going to most likely HAVE to wait, even if you appt was 9am and its now 9:05, we aren't delaying you on purpose, we aren't in the back chuckling over your wait.  We are most likely busy trying to provide another patient with as much care and exactness as you will be treated with when we can get you in for your visit/test.

Here's a example of something that happened today.  My office opens at 8am,  I get in at 7:30am.  When I came in this morning there was a patient waiting for me to open the door, she was complaining that she had been waiting for 15mins already.  I apologised for the wait and brought her into the lab.  Her Appointment time...8:30am.  Sorry you have to wait, but you are 75mins early.  Then I get berated because she had to fast for her study which is cruel, she had to hold off on her breakfast. 

I have been at this stuff for a long time and I am starting to get jaded I suppose. 

You know how you thank your waitstaff?  We liked to be thanked aswell.

For the most part there is a army of medical personel and support staff with the goal of making you better and if we can't do that, trying to make the time you have as pain free as we can.  Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail...but we work ourselfs ragged doing it.  We take time away from our families to try and extend the time you can have with yours.  We give up our personal lives because we want to help your life.

We are not saints, some of us are sinners..but we try.

So on the behalf of my staff, and all my brothers and sisters in the medical arts.

Know that we are trying, and try to be nice if you can.

McBaine