Coming to the Clinic - part 3

For a couple weeks now, I’ve been sharing ways you can get the most out of your appointment with your medical provider. Last week, I gave you some hints on making that appointment. Today I’ll tell you how best to check-in for it.

     1)     When you were making your appointment, if you were told to come early (anywhere from ten to twenty minutes), you should abide by that recommendation. If your appointment is 10:00 and you are walking in the door of the building at that time, you may end up waiting in line for five minutes before you can even check in. Then the PSR (you were told before who that person is, click this link if you forgot) needs to update your insurance information in the computer. You didn’t bring your insurance card? Really? Coz then I think you should be sent home to try again another day. You might also be asked to make your co-payment. I know this is a pain and sometimes even painful. Just remember, the PSR who is asking for your hard-earned money is only doing her job. You wouldn’t expect McDonald’s to give you your Big Mac without paying for it, would you?

     

     2)     After you check in, please have a seat in whatever waiting room the PSR has directed you to. Do not, I mean do NOT go to the bathroom. I am sooo sorry, but didn’t your mom ever teach you to go to the bathroom before you leave the house? If the staff comes out to the waiting room to get you and you are not there, you might lose your turn and end up waiting longer to be seen. Also, another well-meaning patient might announce to God and the rest of the room that you had to empty your bladder. Do you really want to be embarrassed like that?

  

     3)     Speaking of going to the bathroom, there is one time when you shouldn’t go before you leave your house. If you are having any kind of bladder or kidney issues, we are going to need to get a urine sample from you. After you check in, if the PSR hasn’t already mentioned to you about giving us a sample, ask her if you can pee in a cup. We can always dump it if, for some reason, your provider is not so interested in your urine. But better safe than sorry.

     4)     Oh, and before you take a seat in the waiting room, you can hang up your coat. And it’s okay to leave it there. You do not need to bring your coat back with you. I know it is cold in the exam room, but why do you want to drag that heavy thing around with you? (You’ll find out why I mention this next week.)

  

     5)     If you are hard of hearing, it would be to your benefit to sit closer to the door where you are going to be called from, if you know which one that is. Or at least be facing the door and trying to watch for the staff. I know you haven’t seen your old high school buddy in many years and you are thrilled you ran into them in the waiting room, and we hate to interrupt your conversation, but maybe, just maybe you can meet for coffee later.

I’m sure there’s a lot more that I forgot (such as to remind you again to bring all of your medication in their original containers and that it’s okay to bring a well-meaning friend or family member along, especially if things may get complicated and you may forget everything we tell you).

I’d love to hear what other thoughts you have, whether you are a patient or a health-care worker. You can post a comment below. 

The waiting room at the clinic in Saikeri, Kenya, where I volunteered for a couple days in 2013. If I was a patient in this waiting room outside, I probably wouldn't pay attention to anything but the beauty of Africa.