How to make waiting areas less hostile?
Typical waiting rooms in hospitals are boring.
What is the effect of this?
They can push the initial tone of the consultation into either confrontation or cooperation.
Confrontation
Confrontation might be triggered by unexpected and unexplained long waits (more than 20 minutes).
The tension gets worse, when the parent thinks that someone else is prioritized over them (experience of unfairness).
This causes frustration at the very moment when the patient already feels heightened personal pressure.
Long waits lead to increased fear (= closed up attitude).
Long waits decrease the chance of curiosity (= open attitude).
How to make waiting areas less hostile?
After a long wait …
When the parent and the child finally enter the room for the consultation, they will start the encounter with a feeling of negativity or even confrontation. In this situation, the parent often also comes with a sensation of weakness and dependency because they depend on the service of the healthcare professional for their child’s health. Therefore, although they might avoid ventilating irritations towards the doctor, these irritations linger in the room and might hinder effective exchange of information.
In any setting where the waiting area is only functional as mere-“patient-hold”, every minute will be experienced longer.
Cooperation
Cooperation can be facilitated by predictable and short wait times.
If waiting is unavoidable, the parents should be informed about an estimation of the duration. This could happen, for example, as part of the “preparation package”. Also, this should be repeated at the moment of arrival at the location.
Setting up the waiting area
How to make waiting areas less hostile?
The waiting area should foster the child’s need for activity during the wait.
This place should feel as safe as possible within the setting.
Toilets need to be easily accessible.
The opportunity to get something to drink might be helpful.
In contrast, the option to have snacks available before the appointment, can easily backfire.
Regularly, children would need to hand back the food, to allow the examination.
In a nutshell:
Typical waiting rooms in hospitals are boring. Let’s change that!
Let’s improve the experience for a better tone, prior before the consultation.
Previous post Next post
Connect Respect Engage Extra tips Contact/About me
Communication lives on comments … fancy to share yours?