I am Not a Pizza
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Colleagues:
While in Clinic last week, I was confronted with an angry patient. The Clinic had booked me with return patients who needed more than the 20-minute time slots allotted for their care, and the Clinic had instituted a policy that if a late patient arrived even with only 1-minute remaining then they were still to be seen. I was running late for causes outside of my control, and the nurses informed me that my next patient was “threatening to leave.”
I stopped what I was doing and dropped in to the patient’s exam room to personally apologize. The patient would have none of that, and she refused my apology. She had previously booked a new patient visit with me, and she had also scheduled a different clinic visit in another town 40 minutes away. She stated that she needed to leave “now” and could not wait any longer for me. She stormed out, loudly demanded a refund at the Registration Desk, and went on her way while vociferously verbalizing something about going to the ER.
Some pizza shops hang signs that read, “Pizza makes everyone happy.” A long time ago I realized that I am unable to make everyone happy. Therefore, “I am not a pizza.” I very much wanted to tell that to my angry patient, but did not do so out of concern that doing so would only have antagonized her further and would not have been a popular response with my employer. But I can share this vignette with you and tell you that I am very much aware that if you are also in practice, you have comparable stories to share.
Simultaneously practicing GI Medicine while serving as your MSSNY President has not been easy, but it has kept me in the trenches with you as we practice our profession, render care for our patients, and deal with their insurance companies. Your President-Elect, Dr. David Jakubowicz, is also in practice, doing ENT work. Your leadership in MSSNY is not only hearing your concerns, but we are also experiencing those concerns with you, too.
One more thing. MSSNYPAC needs your donation. Click here to donate now.
All the best,
Jerome C. Cohen, MD
MSSNY President
