(We frequently get patients acting rudely and/or aggressively to the reception staff for various reasons such as the doctor running late, but the doctors never really believe it as the patient is all nice when they see the doctor. If a patient is rude or aggressive they receive a warning letter and if it happens a second time they are no longer allowed to be seen at this doctors’ office. On this day we have a young female doctor working with us for a few weeks before she returns to Ireland; she looks about 20 and is very small and petite. She is standing in reception when an agitated patient arrives:)
Patient: “I’ve got an appointment with [Young Doctor].”
Receptionist: “Can I take your name, please?”
(The patient gives his name and the receptionist realises his appointment was around 20 minutes earlier.)
Receptionist: “I’m sorry, [Patient], but you’re 20 minutes late for your appointment. I’ll have to ask [Young Doctor] if she will still see you.”
Patient: “You’ve got to be f****** kidding me. I’m only 20 minutes late! The doctors make me wait often enough! Just tell the f****** doctor that I’m here and I’m not leaving until I’ve seen her.”
(At this point the receptionist turns to the young doctor to ask her if she will still see the patient. She addresses her by her forename but only manages to get her name out before the patient interrupts.)
Patient: “Oh, my god, you stupid cow! Stop gossiping and just go sort it out with the f****** doctor, will you!”
(The doctor leaves to go to the consulting room but quietly tells the receptionist to phone her, which she does. The doctor tells the receptionist she will see the patient and to send him in. After the consultation we found out it went something like this:)
Patient: *smiling* “All right, doc?”
Young Doctor: “[Patient], you were very rude when you were in reception.”
Patient: *starts blushing* “What? I apologised for being late but the receptionist shouted at me. She was the one being rude.”
(The young doctor realises the patient hadn’t recognised her, so repeated his conversation almost word for word. He still denied it all.)
Young Doctor: “[Patient], I was in reception when you arrived. I was the one [Receptionist] turned to when you called her a stupid cow. She was polite to you and didn’t turn you away for being past your appointment time. I will consult with you today but you owe both of us an apology and if we don’t get one I will make sure you receive a warning letter.”
(The patient stammered through an apology, had his consultation, and was reminded on leaving to apologise to the receptionist, which he did!)
