Being in the loop keeps patients and caregivers happy

By Linda Fox

A simple prescription for the health care system: your patients are your customers.

Recently a mom and caregiver to a special-needs child in the North East Toronto Health Link was scheduled to take her son to his pediatrician - an event that occurred every few months. This was no easy task: her son was approaching his tween years and was heavy. She lifted him out of the car and into his wheelchair, then made her way through the parking lot to the medical office. Instead of the specialist, however, there was a note taped on the door, saying the doctor had moved.

"I was shocked," the mom said. "I just could not help but wonder why no one had told us!"

This was especially upsetting as the office was in a hospital and there was support staff and other doctors within the main office.

She had received no notice via phone or email that her son's doctor was leaving the location she had been attending for years. She was forced to bundle her child back into her vehicle, drive to the new location, only to be late for the appointment time. Not only was an apology not offered - they said they moved months earlier - but the doctor in a follow up email was indignant that she even complained.

Another patient, a senior woman, was booked by her hospital specialist for a gastroscopy (upper endoscopy of the esophagus and stomach) at a private clinic, to perform a publicly-funded procedure.  All went well, until a man covered from head to toe in operating room garb including facemask, suddenly said to the patient: "Roll onto your left side and pull your jeans and underwear down to your knees."

The patient, somewhat taken aback, sat bolt upright and said, "if you are doing a gastroscopy up that end, then I am leaving now!" Turns out the fully shrouded doctor was the anesthetist and had not read the procedure chart. After the patient was assured by the gastroenterologist the correct procedure would be performed while keeping her pants on, everything went according to plan...