By Steve Moran

I stopped by my doctor’s office today to drop off some notes about my stepfather’s declining cognitive capabilities, in preparation for his Medicare annual visit tomorrow. He needs that information so that he can do a better and more informed job of caring for my stepfather.

It was all nicely typed up on a single page and in an envelope with the doctor’s name on the outside. It simply needed to go in his inbox.

Making the Simple Complex

The receptionist immediately grabbed pen and a clipboard with a form on it, thrust it all back at me, and told me she couldn’t take it until I filled in the form. It was clear I was an inconvenience. It seemed excessive, but I am nothing if not compliant.

I sat down and looked at the form. It is designed to accompany forms that need to be filled out by the physician and then be given back to the patient. Think workers’ comp, disability, maternity leave. Except for the patient name and the physician name, there was not a single thing on that form. I filled in the three blanks that I could, left the rest blank, then handed it back.

I explained that the form was not really for this kind of thing. She told me it didn’t matter. That was just their process. Apparently the doctor can’t receive anything unless it has a form.

Note: This is not a large practice with dozens of doctors. While part of a massive health care system, this family practice office has maybe three docs.

Leadership and Staff Behavior

She got the job done, and was technically not particularly rude. But I left there liking the health system a little less, that practice a little less, and my doctor a little less. The one overarching message she sent me loud and clear was that she didn’t give a crap (sorry, but simply can’t figure out a better word) about …

  • Me
  • Her job
  • Her employer
  • The professional staff she supports

And this is all super sad, more for her than anything. It is impossible that someone like that can love their job. It means she comes to the office eight hours a day, five days a week feeling miserable and spreading that misery to others.

Even More Important …

She treated me that way because she believes that kind of behavior is okay in her organization. Maybe she even once got reprimanded for simply dropping a note into the doctor’s box. This is ultimately the culture that has been designed by Sutter Health and/or the practice manager at this location.

They might even love her because she is so efficient.

Guard Against This

As leaders, we have to guard against this. It hurts our business, it hurts team morale, and it can cost you business. Maybe she needs to be fired, or more likely she simply needs to be shown a better way and rewarded for being nice rather than grumpy.

And the bonus: She would be so much happier in her own life.