Nearly every medical practice encounters challenging patient interactions at times. These situations can strain patient care, staff well-being and practice operations.
Here, we offer concrete tactics to manage difficult moments and protect your practice. You’ll learn de-escalation techniques and ways to protect your staff based on insights from experienced healthcare administrators. By implementing these ideas, you can navigate patient conflicts with grace and understanding, while maintaining a professional environment that supports high-quality care.
Communicating when patients are upset
When patients are upset, they need to feel seen and heard. Try a simple approach where you validate their concerns, repeating their words back to them, before recentering the conversation.
Validating patient concerns shows you’re tuned in to their experience. It isn’t about agreeing with everything they say, but rather recognizing their feelings. Something like, “I understand this is frustrating for you” can help defuse tension and build rapport. Then, restate what the patient has said in a calm tone while continuing to move the conversation into neutral territory. This approach can also give you a chance to clarify misunderstandings.
Jim Roth, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of a healthcare group in the Greater Los Angeles area, explains, “Even if you disagree with them, it's important to restate to them what they said. That's how they know that they have been heard. You can say, ‘I get that you feel . . .’ or ‘I hear you saying . . . ’ which are ways to lead into it without assenting to it.”
Transitioning from there to more straightforward information can help you find common ground. For example, if you’re explaining a common procedure or policy, you could say something quick like, “I know you’ve probably heard this before, but . . .”
By using these communication methods, you could turn difficult conversations into productive ones and help your practice run smoothly, even when challenges arise.
De-escalating dramatic scenes
When tensions rise, using de-escalation techniques can mitigate the risk of an explosive scenario. Start by composing yourself, then move the conversation to a private area to uncover the root of the issue.
Medical practice consulting firm founder Susan Childs explains why composing yourself is the first step, “Everything hits your brain emotionally before it goes to the cognitive, commonsense part of your brain. Every single thing. It goes up through your spinal cord, through your brain, through the limbic system, the whole thing. So you literally count to five or 10 and wait before you respond.”
By taking those few seconds, you may be able to approach the situation more calmly and professionally. Moving into a private room can give your patient space to calm themselves, too. The result can be a useful discussion that reveals underlying concerns, like anxiety about long wait times or fears about a diagnosis — and your discovery could allow for a more compassionate response to their needs.
Case study: The patient who feared losing her job
When Childs ran a family practice with an urgent care unit, a typically pleasant patient surprised her by becoming highly upset when another patient was seen first due to a life-threatening emergency. Once in a private room, Childs learned that the first patient wasn’t bothered by someone else going first; she was worried she’d lose her job if she didn’t get back to work on time. Together, they called her employer and resolved the real cause of her distress.
Keeping your staff safe
Some patients may not respond to reason, compassion, or professionalism, which means additional safety measures may be necessary. Consider enhancing security by hiring extra personnel or installing panic buttons at the front desk and in other key areas of your office. These precautions not only provide practical support but also foster confidence and resilience among your staff.
In some states, certain laws may make it your responsibility to shield staff from harassment, regardless of the source. It’s also good business, since staff and patients may be less likely to engage with practices where they don’t feel safe.
Documenting events
Documenting negative interactions can provide a clear record of events. Patients may document events, too, leaving online reviews or communicating with payers about care. If accounts conflict, your records can help inform future interactions or protect your practice, if formal complaints or issues arise.
Being upfront may prevent things from escalating. Joseph Atzenbeck, the founder of a healthcare group in Oregon, shares his strategy, “I always take the time to say, ‘Thank you so much for calling me about this instead of writing it online, because HIPAA laws prevent me from really responding in any meaningful way.’ I think that’s a powerful thing to tell people, ‘You know, it’s wonderful to have a conversation that’s difficult and to see if we can work through it.’”
With documentation to guide conversations like these, patient difficulties can become stepping stones to stronger relationships.
Case study: The patient who filed untrue complaints
During a routine life insurance physical, Childs encountered an unexpected challenge. A patient abruptly refused a key test, accusing the practice of mistreatment and later filing complaints with medical authorities. Childs’ meticulous documentation helped counter the false claims, protecting the practice where she worked at the time.
Patient interaction best practices
Your demeanor with patients can play a crucial role in preventing friction. Prioritize being present and attentive, regardless of the distractions in your practice. This focused engagement demonstrates to patients that they are valued, making it easier to resolve misunderstandings or conflicts.
“We all have a lot going on during the day in a practice,” says Roth. “But it’s important to leave those things outside the door. When you walk into a patient room or bring a patient into your office to have a discussion with them, you need to set anything else that’s bothering you aside so that you can really be present to the situation at hand.”
Setting clear expectations can help, too. When you communicate wait times, payment policies and treatment plans before check-in with automated pre-visit communications, you help patients prepare for their visits, while setting expectations.
Effective communication can help patients feel respected and understood, potentially reducing the likelihood of difficult interactions.
This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.
