The morning is off to a slow start, patients were late, procedures of been complicated and required more time, and to top it all off there was a mandatory fire alarm drill. At 7:30 AM you called the 9 o’clock patient, Mr. Jones, to tell him that things are running behind and asked him to please come at 11. You talk to his wife who is his escort and she was happy to accommodate the request and thanks you for calling.
It’s now 11 o’clock and Mr. Jones and Mrs. Jones arrive. Mr. Jones goes directly to the restroom. Mrs. Jones comes up to check in, when you tell her you’ll need a few signatures from Mr. Jones, she warns you that Mr. Jones is in a terrible mood. When Mr. Jones comes out of the restroom you ask him to come to the front desk, as you need his signatures. He heads your way with a scowl on his face. As he gets to the desk he tells you he signed everything at his doctor’s office two days ago when he got his prescription for his prep, he has no idea why you’re having him sign all these papers again. Don’t you communicate with his doctor’s office? He tells you he hates going to the doctor he hates doctor offices and hates everything to do with doctor’s offices; and now he has to be here longer because his procedure has been delayed.
He gets very agitated and slams down the pen you’ve handed him. You explain to him you do communicate with the doctor’s offices and these forms are specific to the surgery center, that you’ll make it as quick and painless as possible and you apologize that his procedure has been delayed. This only makes him more aggravated. His wife notices the tension and walks over; he gets upset with her and tells her to go sit down. She looks like she’s about to cry. Mr. Jones’s face is getting more and more red and he continues to mumble about how everything is stupid.