How should this be handled if the patient gets angry? This could happen in a physical clinic as well as an online one.
As some events may occur that make patients angry, the doctor and the medical staff may encounter issues related to patients' behaviour in the E-clinic. How can patients' anger be handled in the electronic clinics?
Dealing with patients' anger in electronic clinics
Some patients may feel angry during the electronic appointment, which may lead to insulting the doctor and several other things at times. The following are the key ideas that can be used to manage patients' rage in online clinics:
- Alert the patient to your feelings
You can say things like, "You feel angry because you think that I do not feel what you feel," to a patient in an electronic clinic to let him know that you understand how he feels. This is one of the most crucial things that can help with patient anger.
Because it is common for patients to experience anger as a result of their illness, the doctor must be aware of this and make an effort to allay the patient's anxiety by providing him with a sense of containment.
Many sentences can be used, such as: "If you and I take turns, I will feel exactly what you feel, so I understand you." Similar phrases significantly reduce the patient's anxiety and help him feel contained and not alone.
- Be honest
It is advised to be honest in similar cases and avoid saying unreal things to the patient in order to calm him down. Avoid using words like "Your condition is simple and does not cause concern" or "The condition is easy to treat and there is no reason for anger," which are advised against.
In contrast to saying real and honest sentences that give the patient the impression that his feelings are appreciated and fully contained, listening to unreal sentences causes the patient to lose faith in the doctor and gives him the impression that the doctor does not respect his feelings.
In the electronic clinic, YourDoctorTips pro includes a dedicated section for psychiatry so that the doctor can refer the patient there if he is particularly upset and unable to help him due to anger.
- Keeping conversations with the patient to a minimum
It is simpler to control your own emotions than the patient's because the patient is the one who is angry, not you.
It is advised to keep the patient under control, calm him down, and only listen to him instead of talking to him.
- patience
It is important to remember that the feeling of anger frequently passes quickly, so it is best to be very patient and to occasionally keep quiet in case the patient starts shouting or acting in another way.
- Having a discussion with the patient about the source of his rage
Try to discuss the source of the patient's rage by asking questions like, "You seem upset about something; would you like to talk about it?" or "Is there a reason why you were so irate with the nurse? Would you like to talk about it?"
- When interacting with a patient who is angry, pay attention to their body language.
When speaking with a patient, it is advisable to pay attention to the doctor's body language. The doctor shouldn't have a stern expression, arched eyebrows, or pursed lips because these actions can make the patient feel threatened and angry, which will only make the situation worse.
- addressing the core issue
Instead of concentrating on the subproblems and the words the patient uttered while in an extremely agitated state, it is best to ask the patient about the main problem first and deal with it. This will allow the main problem to be started and the most crucial points related to it to be written and discussed.
- Terminate the meeting if necessary
It is advised to end the appointment immediately and not deal with the patient in this situation if the patient becomes extremely irate and screams loudly, threatens or insults the doctor.
Conclusion
How can patients' anger be handled in electronic clinics when a doctor is exposed to a variety of patient cases in a single day? Simple methods can be used to deal with patients' anger, such as: patience, trying to contain the patient and listening to him, or ending the hypothetical appointment when necessary.
If you have any questions about how to handle angry patients in online clinics, don't be afraid to get in touch with the Web Medicine Pro team.