helpanewgrad Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Hello, I need some advice on how to deal with bad patient reviews. I am a new graduate working in family medicine for the past few months. I recently found a review where a patient was unhappy with timing regarding receiving information regarding results. However, they felt it necessary to add whether I was qualified as a pa. I found this to be unnecessary given our visit was thorough and I addressed his concerns by ordering imaging. In our office, we allow staff to contact patients with normal results for labs and imaging ( both were normal) which I sent to our front staff with explanation. Over the next few days, I had gone back and forth with staff messages regarding his concerns always responding within same or next day. However, apparently the delay ticked him off and he felt a bad yelp review was necessary. This is very discouraging given I am so new to the field and patients want to pick at any weakness. I worry about angry other patients and getting a poor online reputation. How would you deal?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkertdm Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Yeah, I had one like that too. Personally, I just ignored it, because I did my best, and his claims were unfounded. It did teach me to document each patient encounter very well. Some things you could try: 1. Let it go. Seriously. There's always going to be a few "customers" you can't get their order right, and that's life. If they want to spew hatred instead of being a grown up, that's on them. 2. Discuss with your clinic administrator about this situation; one place I worked would respond to most Yelp reviews and offer an in person discussion with management. 3. Discuss with your legal department; there's undoubtedly an aspect of something the lawyers can use; this person may be maligning the practice as well as you. 4. Reach out personally to this cretin. Not the way I would go, and would argue against it; much like arguing with a three year old. That's all I can think of. Just treat every patient like you want to be treated; there are some malcontents who believe they deserve more and try to bully you. Be like a sapling in a storm and bend but don't break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpanewgrad Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 Thank you for your feedback. I guess I am just disappointed seeing that was the first piece of feedback that I have received so far. I have followed up with more requests trying to meet their expectations and get called unqualified. I understand the frustration of reaching providers to discuss topics, but I don’t feel calling out my knowledge as a provider just in this scenario. I guess I need to get thicker skin in this field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trazodone Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Just gotta move forward from it. In my experience if you let it get to you, then it will do exactly that. Patients who you seem to have a good relationship with will turn on you in a heart beat. It is unfortunately the way human nature is. The second they don't get what they want, even if you know that antibiotic is not needed, they're gone and they'll write slander on the internet. It'll consume you if you let it. I always think of the good experiences and the patients who truly care about you. The rarity where a patient truly asks me how I am doing, or how my life is going, those are what matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkertdm Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 25 minutes ago, helpanewgrad said: Thank you for your feedback. I guess I am just disappointed seeing that was the first piece of feedback that I have received so far. I have followed up with more requests trying to meet their expectations and get called unqualified. I understand the frustration of reaching providers to discuss topics, but I don’t feel calling out my knowledge as a provider just in this scenario. I guess I need to get thicker skin in this field. Also remember that happy patients don't write letters or reviews- because they are off being happy. For every bad review, there are 5 happy people. I made that number up, but you get the idea. The first time you will wonder what you did wrong, what you could have done differently, what if what if, what if. That's the cost of turning healthcare into a service industry. And if it's a matter of someone waiting for a normal lab result, it has nothing to do with your clinic at skills. He is in no position to judge you, at all. He has literally no idea of the training you went through, the thought process that goes into each and every paper that crosses your desk. He (or she) is a special snowflake who thinks because he WANTS HIS HEALTHCARE NOW the world stops You did fine. Let it go, Elsa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkertdm Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 41 minutes ago, helpanewgrad said: Thank you for your feedback. I guess I am just disappointed seeing that was the first piece of feedback that I have received so far. I have followed up with more requests trying to meet their expectations and get called unqualified. I understand the frustration of reaching providers to discuss topics, but I don’t feel calling out my knowledge as a provider just in this scenario. I guess I need to get thicker skin in this field. The more I read this, the more I am reminded of myself six years ago. Please, don't take it to heart. There is not a person on this forum who has not felt this exact same way. I had one patient who said they did all the talking...I'm not sure what they were expecting...sheer ridiculousness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
einstein2u Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 let it go. you can't make everyone happy, so don't try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Don't worry, impatient folks happen - with increasing frequency. Only thing you can do is try to set expectation during the initial visit for how long it will take certain results to be available. Always pad that by a day. That way you can start with "like we talked about, it's been x days and here are your results...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted February 18, 2019 Administrator Share Posted February 18, 2019 This is not even a provider issue, and if you're getting complaints, there's a distinct possibility your support staff are not managing patient expectations well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 If you reviewed the labs and passed it on to front office to call, you did what you were supposed to do. THEY did not call the patient in a timely fashion or so he /she says. They dropped the ball. Unfortunately S__T rolls up hill in our profession. Just put it behind you and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ral Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I try not to take things personally, and I always fall back on my longstanding belief: Ral's dictum: If one out of every hundred patients thinks you are an a-hole, then that patient likely has the problem. If ninety out of a hundred patients think so, then you are most likely an a-hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 34 minutes ago, ral said: I try not to take things personally, and I always fall back on my longstanding belief: Ral's dictum: If one out of every hundred patients thinks you are an a-hole, then that patient likely has the problem. If ninety out of a hundred patients think so, then you are most likely an a-hole. That's so funny. My wife has a saying "it can't always be everyone else." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 That's so funny. My wife has a saying "it can't always be everyone else."In my world, yes it can. That’s what I keep telling myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAdamsPAC Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 21 hours ago, helpanewgrad said: Hello, I need some advice on how to deal with bad patient reviews. I am a new graduate working in family medicine for the past few months. I recently found a review where a patient was unhappy with timing regarding receiving information regarding results. However, they felt it necessary to add whether I was qualified as a pa. I found this to be unnecessary given our visit was thorough and I addressed his concerns by ordering imaging. In our office, we allow staff to contact patients with normal results for labs and imaging ( both were normal) which I sent to our front staff with explanation. Over the next few days, I had gone back and forth with staff messages regarding his concerns always responding within same or next day. However, apparently the delay ticked him off and he felt a bad yelp review was necessary. This is very discouraging given I am so new to the field and patients want to pick at any weakness. I worry about angry other patients and getting a poor online reputation. How would you deal?? Did you do anything wrong here? If not screw him and move on. You are just starting out so don't let the a-holes that you will encounter set the mood for your practice patterns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted February 18, 2019 Moderator Share Posted February 18, 2019 get all your friends and family to fill out reviews Now realize that they have proven that online reviews mean NOTHING NADA and same goes for pressganey - the ER doc who gave everyone they wanted - against his medical advice (nothing dangerous) had great scores. someone that practices medicine will get crappy scores.... fogetaboutit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk732 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 You could do what I know a few other people have done - make up an email account, and periodically write your own reviews. I have read many reviews of folks online if I was looking to work with them - there are always some dumbasses out there that think (a) they know everything, (b) are better than everyone else, (c) really feel that the only way to practice medicine is to do what your "customer" demands, not what is best for them. One last thing nobody mentioned here - if the shyte continues, just refuse to see them, since you can't be objective with someone who refuses to get their personality disorder in order and in fact, have slandered you. If all else fails, as I pointed out to a few folks that felt the need to threaten me either with veiled speech or outright, I used to look after one of the best sniper platoons in NATO... SK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 "One last thing nobody mentioned here - if the shyte continues, just refuse to see them, since you can't be objective with someone who refuses to get their personality disorder in order and in fact, have slandered you." I'm pretty sure one of my patients could knife me during a visit and they wouldn't be discharged. Our organization understands people's frustrations...just not the staff's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk732 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 2 hours ago, sas5814 said: "One last thing nobody mentioned here - if the shyte continues, just refuse to see them, since you can't be objective with someone who refuses to get their personality disorder in order and in fact, have slandered you." I'm pretty sure one of my patients could knife me during a visit and they wouldn't be discharged. Our organization understands people's frustrations...just not the staff's. I often wonder the same about where I work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAdamsPAC Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 On 2/20/2019 at 12:11 PM, sas5814 said: "One last thing nobody mentioned here - if the shyte continues, just refuse to see them, since you can't be objective with someone who refuses to get their personality disorder in order and in fact, have slandered you." I'm pretty sure one of my patients could knife me during a visit and they wouldn't be discharged. Our organization understands people's frustrations...just not the staff's. I've felt your pain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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