What if?

        I'm thankful for the 39 great years that I served as an educator in the same school district.  I thank God that I could spend most of my life in such a great profession and enjoy my work.  Even though I had several opportunities to change jobs and professions over the years, I have no regrets in what I did.

         However, I do often wonder if I were to start all over again today if I would make the same choice.  Quite possibly I might not.  Schools and the pressures of parents and outside groups, like legislatures, have made it so different and difficult that I'm not sure I would enjoy the pressure - even with the better pay that teachers receive today.

         I think if I were to start over there are two professions that I might consider - computer programming or medicine.  I love working with computers although I can no longer keep up with all the changes.  But the logic and creativity needed would really suit me and it would be fun to try.

         As far as the medical field, it is so very expensive to get your degrees and there are many new pressures for doctors today, especially with insurance and government regulations.  But over the past few years I think I have become a "professional medical user" and have many ideas about how I would change the administration of a doctor's practice.

          For example, If I were to ask my patients to arrive 15 or 30 minutes before their appointment  to get checked in I would be sure that I would service them on time.  It is so frustrating to be asked to arrive 30 minutes early for a five minute check-in and then sit 45 - 60 minutes before seeing a doctor.  And some of the check-in could probably be accomplished before arrival for some patients with internet access.

          I would also have a large computer screen or whiteboard which would indicate current waiting times and which doctors are on time and how many minutes behind other doctors are.  This would help patients know what is going on while they wait.
          And if a doctor were more than 15 minutes late in seeing a patient, a coupon would be given to the patient for a discount on a future appointment.  Two would be given for 30 minute waits, three for 45 minutes, etc.

           I would also give each patient a survey to complete when they check out.  That way they could express their opinions about the visit.  This might just improve operations and let doctors know what their patients really think about them and their care.

           I would assign each patient a number when they check in - like at a meat counter -and when the doctor is ready for them the nurse would just call out the number rather than their name.  Or we could issue beepers like they use in some emergency rooms.  In these days of privacy concerns and regulations like HIPPA, it seems to me that your name should never be announced in the waiting room for all other patients to hear.

         I would also instruct the nurses not to say "How are you?" when they greet you.  Why would you be there spending big bucks to be there if you were fine?  I must admit that this question always frustrates me. There must be a more appropriate greeting to give patients when they arrive.

          As a doctor I would look at my patients when I talk to them rather than spending all my time looking and writing on the computer.  The computer isn't sick, I am!  Now I realize that the computer has become a necessity for record keeping, but I also believe that patients would like to talk directly to the doctor rather than watch them work on their computer.   And I think the doctor might learn some important things by actually looking at the reactions of their patients.

          Now if my patient had tests done, I would arrange to have the results shared with them as soon as they are received - even if I am not going to be in the office for a few days.  Let another doctor report them. Patients want and deserve to receive their results promptly rather than wait for several days to receive them.  If nothing else, at least post them on the portal as soon as they are received by the practice.

          And I would reserve several appointment slots each day for those who suddenly need to be seen.  It is terrible when you have a pressing need and can't be seen by your doctor for several weeks.  And preference for these special appointments would also be given to the doctor's regular patients.

          One more minor point.  If patients are called in advance by telephone to remind them of their appointment, the recorded message would be made by somebody who can pronounce "Lancaster" properly.  You Lancaster readers will understand what I am saying.

         Now I guess I should stop.  As an educator I used to get upset with folks, especially elected officials, who had never taught, but were so willing to tell us how to do our jobs.  I guess that having once been a student gave them the "wisdom" to know how things should be done.  
         And so, maybe having often been a patient doesn't really give me the "wisdom" to criticize the medical field.  So probably this is one more useless blog.  But, "what if?"