Photo courtesy USNews

Do you access customer disruption when providing service?  Within many industries, and especially healthcare, providing assistance can adversely impact the daily routine of the patient and/or family.  Generally, little is done to minimize these adverse outcomes.  Consider the simple act of having a nurse come to the home 3 times per week for evaluation and labs:

1.  Which days?  What happens if a day must be changed?  Will that impact medication administration?  Lab testing?  etc?
2. What time of day?  Will the visit interfere with meals, other routine appointments, and social activities?
3. What is the recourse if the caretaker doesn’t show up?  Do they call you or you call them–or a third party?  What is the back-up plan?  What if that fails?
4. Will the nurse be the same or will this be whomever is available?  Does continuity matter for care?  Will this cause more confusion for the patient and/or family?

As you can see, there are multiple opportunities for things to go wrong often leaving the patient in the middle.  Of course, there are usually phone numbers to call but those on the other end generally relay information to those that can respond, leading to further delays and potential gaps in care.

Unfortunately, the public has grown accustomed to this “yellow cab” experience–you get what we send you or you can call someone else.

For patients, especially those that are homebound or with complex disease, it is vital that each day has reasonable predictability.  Long waits, missed meals, altered caregivers can all lead to challenges that are often invisible to those that are delivering care.  If you are a provider, are you addressing this aspect of your operation?

If you are a patient or relative caregiver, are you putting up with uncertainty and confusion?  Are you demanding accountability from those that are serving you?  You have the right to know how to engage with someone that has the authority to address any of your concerns.  If paid for by insurance, who is your case manager (or how can you obtain one)?  Find out who regulates the service since most providers must abide by minimum standards of care at the local, state or national level.  Report problems if not resolved.  Obtain the services of an advocate, sometimes referred to as patient navigation.  Call 2-1-1, the national local resource organization (www.211.org).

Resources can be very useful at times, but can be applied in a disruptive way, impacting preferred outcomes.  If you are a provider, think about your process and how to minimize these issues.  If you are a patient, take action to report concerns to those that can assist.