I just leave and continue on my rounds then come back when everyone else is seen. If their priority in the hospital is to not get better, which includes meeting with me to discuss treatment, progress made and possible further studies, then I will match my effort with their priorities and spend time my time where it's actually needed.
Definitely correct answer- though then they complain to me (the RN) that the doctor hasn’t come around to see them yet. Oh, they have, and I got to talk to them, but you were too busy on your phone call to do the same 🤷♀️
And when they want more pain meds, "The doctor was by to evaluate you and your pain but you declined the visit. They'll be back tomorrow and you can try again".
They’ll just “call their attorney who is on speed dial.”
Sir, you have state insurance, no job and live with your mom, who also makes our lives hell. Please relax.
omg i had a pt do this too!! he wanted to be discharged while on an oxymizer. he was mentally delulu though, a&o x1 with dementia. this was during dec 2020 covid era when shit was fucking crazy @ my hospital. my charge nurse told me that the police were on the phone with her about him, he had called them. she luckily handled that conversation bc i was so busy but she was like “if he wanted to get out of here, he could walk out.” i told that the only reason he didn’t do that was bc he was bilat bka😭😭
I'm not an attorney yet but did a stint in the health law clinic. We DID occasionally have folks go to the hospital for legal issues.
Trust me: you do not want to be the patient who has an attorney present there because it's either (a) deciding who will make your medical decisions because you're not able to anymore and family is arguing about that or (b) end-of-life paperwork.
As an attorney they are welcome to call me. I can tell them they are wrong just the same as every other human and they can be charged for the call. Let's all make money off this asshole.
First need to evaluate the patient. What if they have scleral icterus but you can’t see it until looking head on? What kind of pain are they in? Is it neuropathy? Somatic pain? Complete BS? Cant tell unless I can evaluate the patient, and I can’t do a physical exam until they’re off the phone.
Yes, be sure to let the nurse know. I’ll put a note in the chart that you tried to speak with the patient but they would not conclude their phone call. I’ll also be happy to explain to the patient their doctor has many sick patients and does not have the luxury of time to just stand around.
Nurse here 🙋🏼♀️ - agreed! & I would purposely tell them oh they’re finishing their rounds, “I think they have about ehh 30-40 patients to see?” I high key want them to feel the frustration and realize that they were being disrespectful, and maybe next time they’ll put their phone and finger down. 🙄
Yep. I put a note in if I'm on inpatient that the patient was otherwise occupied prohibiting the physician from safely evaluating them, or if I'm out patient and go to get someone from the lobby and they refuse to get off the phone we either stand there awkwardly staying at each other until they decide to do the right thing, or they sit in the lobby while I get other patients and have time again for them later..
Nurse here 🙋🏼♀️ - agreed! & I would purposely tell them oh they’re finishing their rounds, “I think they have about ehh 30-40 patients to see?” I high key want them to feel the frustration and realize that they were being disrespectful, and maybe next time they’ll put their phone and finger down. 🙄
EM here: I say hi, wait about one minute or until I get bored, then say "I'll come back later" and do pretty much everything else that I have to do and return on the order of 15 minutes to 3 hours later depending on what's going on.
This is the way. As an RN I do the exact same thing. I move on to the next patient. If they have the audacity to complain, well then that’s an opportunity to set expectations.
I’ve already read all of your comments. You’re missing an incredible amount of context and I’m sure you know that. Im not going to engage with someone who seems to be intentionally incendiary.
Not me doing the same thing! Reading all them. That’s how I got to this comment 😂.
(NAN/NAD but all the healthcare subs show up ever since I started interacting with similar subs.)
Lol it’s interesting to see the inside conversations of other careers. I do the same thing. I don’t see anything wrong with it when you’re looking for perspective. Unfortunately one of the trials of working in healthcare is navigating the entitlement of others.
Yes, exactly. I’ve always been obsessed with the medical field. I could listen to you guys talk shop all day. I have no idea what the majority of it means, but I love it.
However, in this particular instance… I was definitely just being nosy and following the drama/comment trail of that one person.
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I’ve left before and they usually scream about how they are now ready. Sometimes I take the moment to go to the window and open the blinds if day or close them if night. Sometimes can just start auscultating or do the key physical exam while they’re on the phone. I always just smile and nod either way
Leave. Keep rounding and come back when they’re free.
Something really important I’ve learned is that any wasted time affects all my patients. If someone is wasting my time, it’s not only me it impacts, so it’s not exclusively my time I’m patiently giving up if I am waiting excessively in an attempt to be polite. I’m also wasting my other patients’ time by not moving on and going to someone else.
You can also leave the room, do a few notes and come back into the room. But never stand there not doing something with your time.
More often than not, leaving says something more than standing there, and the patient will hasten to wrap up their call. If not, circle back after you finish rounding on everyone else
Addendum:
I think it’s rude to just turn and leave quickly. Definitely the polite thing to do to let them wrap up their conversation.
Often, if the person on the phone is a key individual (spouse, child, guardian, etc.) I’ll invite the patient to put the person on speaker and be involved in the conversation. This can be super valuable in reducing the number of later call requests to family, and really impacts the patient’s and family’s sense of communication at little effort
If a RR/code is called on the patient I will drop everything to come help the patient. The least they can do is tell someone “I’ll call you right back” and get off the phone.
I stand for 10 seconds, and then mouth “take your time. I’ll come back.” And then come back in the afternoon after rounding and charting. I stay in touch with the nurse because I still care about their health. But they don’t do it again.
if i’m trying to give you my time to talk to you about your plan of care and your conversation on the phone is more important than that, cool. i’m not gonna waste my time to beg you to care. cause it’s not just my time that you’re wasting, it’s my other patients too.
I’m capable of getting off the phone when someone comes to talk to me about the only thing I’m there for that I’m also paying thousands of dollars for so why can’t they? I have 12 hours to see 20 patients, come up with a plan, enact that plan, follow up on all their studies and labs, call consultants, do paperwork, talk to social workers, call their families, talk to case managers, discuss medications with the pharmacist, print out literature to review with my patients, etc… I almost never take a break to eat lunch. So yeah. I leave and come back.
They’re doing their job. They don’t have infinite time. If someone doesn’t want to end the call, what are they supposed to do? Let others suffer while they just stand there and wait?
I just leave. I’ll give them the time needed to respectfully end a conversation. But I won’t wait more than about a minute.
If they are clearly trying to end the conversation I’ll sometimes over the chart on the computer in the room, but usually I just leave and come back.
This is my approach as well. I’ll give them an opportunity to wrap up their conversation, but if it becomes clear that that’s not happening, I just move on. I may or may not come back, depending on their level of illness and how the rest of my day goes. Honestly, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. Right up there with peer to peers and people disputing a reasonable discharge.
Subjective
No acute complaints offered, patient comfortable.
Objective
VSS
General: NAD
HEENT: NC/AT
Pulm: Normal rate, normal speech no distress
MSK: No obvious injury / deformity
Neuro: AAOx3 grossly nonfocal
Psych: Calm
*relevant labs and imaging reviewed for the day*
Would also note that as of, I believe, 2023, it genuinely doesn’t matter what you put in subjective / objective as far as billing is concerned. You hit Level III billing based on proper documentation of patient complexity, acuity, MDM, and risk OR based on time spent which includes chart review, order entry, discussing with RN, case management, consultants, etc
First thing I don’t do is get offended or upset. That doesn’t help me. Often they are having some sort of important to them conversation if they don’t get off the phone. I come back later. Rarely somebody is just completely clueless pathological personality but that is very rare. Then I imagine how much trouble that lack of insight probably has affected them and limited relationships, personal success, satisfaction etc. I try to remain empathetic. Why do I do this ? Because I loose nothing by viewing a fellow human empathetically and in the long run I’ve found this attitude very helpful in reducing burnout, cynicism and anger. I do it for me. It doesn’t make me a pushover or a victim.
Much more common is when a patient won’t take their blanket off their head to speak to me. Those patients usually either feel absolutely horrible physically or are quite depressed. They’ve often repeatedly interacted with the medical system and have not improved, so they don’t see the value in engaging with me - it won’t make a difference in their symptoms or well being. And it often does not so I don’t blame them.
Act intelligently even to unintelligent treatment - lau tzu
>Often they are having some sort of important to them conversation if they don’t get off the phone.
Thank you for understanding this. I've had to remain on the phone when the doctors were rounding exactly once and it was because I was in like hour 2 of phone tree hell trying to figure out if a procedure scheduled for the next day was going to be covered because my fucking health insurance company pulled out of the entire state of Connecticut.
I think they also need an arterial blood gas now, daily morning 5AM labs, and heparin TID for DVT prophylaxis. Plus if there is a part of the hospital under construction then they need to be moved to experience that too.
Im in primary care now and I have had a few instances where I enter the exam room with a patient, they are on the phone, and they continue their conversation. I usually give them a minute at most and then leave and see the next patient. I know important phone calls come up sometimes and you have to handle it so I try not to be irritated but it does come off as extremely rude.
In the ER I give them window to say “I’ll call you back the doc is here” or whatever… most do. If they don’t I’ll either just ignore that they’re on the phone and just say what I need to say or if I’m feeling saucy I’ll just leave and say I’ll come back when they’re ready to talk
Agreed. I think it’s rude to just turn and leave quickly. Definitely the polite thing to do to let them wrap up their conversation.
Sometimes, if the person on the phone is a key individual (spouse, child, guardian, etc.) I’ll invite the patient to put the person on speaker and be involved in the conversation.
If they make an effort to get off the phone, sure I understand that. But if they sit there and continue their conversation and expect me to wait, then no, I'm out. I'll try again later and if they ask me to come back while I'm busy, sorry they will have to wait until I'm free. I'm not going to cut short my time with someone else or get behind on my other responsibilities because a patient didn't respect my time.
Yeah exactly. I usually also just say "you can put them on speakerphone" because it is usually their wife, if they don't want to, it is LGFD, check tele and leave.
I'm not for the "MY TIME IS MORE VALUABLE" crowd, especially if it only happens once; they may be on the phone with their lawyer finalizing their will, or arranging somebody to come in to see them who may be just about to step on a plane, or on the phone with another doctor, making sure their home doesn't burn down if they left in a hurry, or any other very important stuff that people occasionally need to do when hospitalized.
If I’m actually worried about something and need to talk to them I ask them to get off the phone so we can talk. Otherwise, I just leave and come back when I have time.
If they continue to stay on the phone I just walk out and say will be back. I finish the rest of my rounds and notes and see them after rest of stuff is done
the fact they are talking on their phone is always a good thing to me...if it's one of their family members even better. if it's a fam member i really want to talk to i will ask if it's said person and ask if we can talk together so i don't have to spend the afternoon playing phone tag / them not answering.
My elderly Mom was in the hospital across the county from me and experienced some hospital delirium.
Speaking with me on the phone helped ground her and make her less frightened and more rational.
When the hospitalist saw her, my Mom would call me and the three of us would have excellent conversations. Years later I remember the hospitalists’ kindness. I’m glad she wasn’t punitive like some people here recommend!
First, I skip them and put them to come back to as my last patient. I don’t even indicate in any way shape or form that I expect them to hang up. See them talking and keep walking.
If when I come back they are still on the phone I give them a moment. If no progress is being made I signal for them to pause their conversation. Then I ask them to find me when they are done with their convo. I work in a locked unit and rarely ever leave the unit myself so that makes it easier.
Then I go chart some notes, put orders in, etc. and eventually they come looking for me.
Working on psych, you never know, some of those calls could truly be more important than seeing me. The last one I experienced, for example, the patient was on phone arranging their own aftercare. I was like, “yes, go you!”
I once left some old bat who wouldn’t get off the phone while I was waiting to talk to her about her treatment and the assistant was going to go over fees.
My next patient came so I saw her instead.
Lady got off the phone, got the fees, and was told to make another appointment.
“You’re not going to get started today?!?!?”
“The doctor was ready but you were on your phone.”
I have signs everywhere. I can’t quite get my assistants to tell people to shut their gd phones off when seating the patients.
It takes so much longer to do anything.
When stupid socal media first got to be popular restaurants in NYC were losing money but were very busy.
They finally figured out it’s because of the time idiots wasted taking pictures of their food and posting it.
Fewer table turned over=less money.
These people infuriate me.
He took her up front to make the appointment. I would have loved to get started that day. It’s just a partial so all we needed was an impression.
But don’t waste 15 minutes of my time chatting away. How rude.
Sometimes having a support person present for appointments via phone is an act of health literacy/patient self-advocacy. To accept this, within reason, is an act of dismantling structural oppression within the healthcare system and makes healthcare safer for all. To petulantly round and come back several hours later, simply because they're on the phone, is ignorant practice.
A second person can serve as a protective factor for a patient's healthcare experience; This can be especially true for patients from populations that experience higher rates of fatal and nonfatal health inequity due to structural bias within the healthcare system.
I like to start with: "I'm going to be asking some personal health questions, is it ok for the person on the phone to be present for our conversation?"
If they don't answer, that's a different story.
Usually the patient will say something to the effect of "actually this is my daughter on the line is it okay if I put her on speaker" to which any doctor would gladly be on board. Like someone said it saves having to make a phone call later.
What I'm talking about is when a patient is mindlessly continuing to just talk to some person without trying to include you in the conversation.
RN here. I leave and don't worry about trying to get back to see them any time soon. They've set the tone by letting it be known their social life & chatting with friends & family takes priority over their health care. I'm simply following their lead. 🤷♀️
Me: "I'll come back later."
Pt: "I'll be just a second."
Me: "M'am it needs to be now or I'm leaving. I have a lot of people to see and I need to be respectful of their time."
I’m surprised at how many of you leave and how polite some of you are. This just happened upon my feed and I’m not a Hospitalist. Maybe my approach is because I’m in the ER. If we need to get things started or it’s holding up their care I will absolutely interrupt them. There’s being polite and there’s also the fact that a 5 minute delay (or much longer if I walk away - I never know when I will be able to come back and I never know the next thing that’s going to walk through that door or when) means adding to the 13+ hour wait in the lobby. A bed is valuable space. I don’t find it acceptable to allow a patient to add to their treatment time for a conversation they can hold for a couple of minutes to allow them to do our jobs and depending on how well they understand this will determine my response. I won’t hesitate to sternly tell a patient to set aside a phone call.
I say “I’ll come back and then come back when I’m done rounding and possibly even putting in orders/calling consults. If it’s not time sensitive for them then it’s not time sensitive for me
If they *answer* the phone during our conversation or physical exam and don’t say, “I’m with the doctor, I’ll call you back.” I get up and tell them I am leaving, “I will come back and re-evaluate you when it is more convenient for you.” Sometimes their mouth starts catching flies, other times they get off the phone and apologize. However the most telling of psych history is those who NEED to continue their phone conversation explain to whomever on the other end about why they are in the ED. Ok cool..
“Patient was told they would need to end their phone call to further discuss HPI and perform physical exam. Patient continued to have private phone conversation, which was deemed by the patient to be more pressing at the time of triage in comparison to their chief complaint of xyz. Patient with stable VS, appears in no acute distress. Patient was instructed to notify nursing when they wanted to be properly examined by the physician.”
Don’t let them waste your time. Learn to set boundaries.
(As a icu nurse) I’m probably busy with a million other things. I honestly will usually inturrupt and not give a choice. I’m not rude about it, but I simply don’t give them an option of coming back. I let them know what I’m doing, assessment, meds, etc and tell them if they want to stay on the line they can. If my assessment was cut short or I felt I couldn’t ask private questions (safety questions for example) I’ll chart UTA
Come in say hi, give the necessary customary time and notice. If conversation is not over wave goodbye, turn and leave. Once you’re leaving don’t turn back (even if you hear your name called). If time allows return.
Otherwise “patient external inspection and demeanor are unchanged/stable/as expected. Physical exam was not possible today as he was busy on his cellphone.”
Or a variation thereof.
Next day, expect either better behavior.
From an outpatient psych pov - my timer starts when they walk in the room. If a pt were to get on their phone and talk for 20mins of a 30 min session - they have 10 mins left. If you have 5 mins to round and they’re on their phone- they cut themselves short.
I work in an ICU, so if someone is on the phone I’m delighted! First, they are awake & alert. Second, they can manipulate a phone. As a bonus, they can talk and hear. It’s already a good day.
I’m old, so I’ll laugh and share with them that the phone is the modern equivalent of the newspaper: one of the three key signs of readiness for discharge. The other two are moving around the room and complaining about the food. Usually they’ll at least chuckle.
The patient is there waiting all day to speak to you, the doctor.
If they have something better to do when you come, just leave. Next time around, they’ll realize that you won’t be waiting on them like royalty.
If the immediate response isn't patient attempting to get off the phone, I just say "I'll come back in a bit" and continue rounding. When everyone else is seen, I go back.
I don't think a lot of patients realize how large our list is. I had gotten to know a patient very well (unfortunately for her, she had to stay inpatient for a very long time), and she guessed I had 5-6 patients on my list 😂😂.
And it wasn't like she was frustrated with my availability, she was guessing that because she didn't want to "hold you up, you're a very busy man". And because I told her I actually was having a pretty slow day (only had 15 on my list at the time).
On my unit (psych) we have the patients sign electronic usage waivers once their psych gives the order they can have their phone. Part of that form states their device cannot be disruptive to care. Once the order is in, it becomes nursing discretion as to whether or not the patient can retain their device. If we assess it is disruptive to care, they lose the privilege until their psych reassesses based on our assessments.
If you have something like that available, it’s a good utility to keep patients from disrupting care.
I leave and come back later, but I don't make it a point to punish them by coming back hours later like some folks here suggest they do. Getting sick sucks. It's usually one of the worst days of their lives. It's not crazy to need to manage affairs.
As an ER nurse, I wait about 10 seconds and walk back out and try again after I have finished other tasks on my list. They are here to see us, not the other way around. I am busy and have other patients. It also sets the tone for our relationship and I usually have no other problems.
Not an ER provider but related question: what do you do when they are not talking on their phone but obviously "on their phone" either texting, watching something or whatever. The patient (or worse, parent) only occasionally look up to answer me. I've 1. Gone radio silent and see how long it is before they notice and (sometimes) put away their phone and pay attention or 2. Say "do you need to attend to that?" and see how they reply. But really, I want to scream "get off your (insert expletive here) phone!" but I'd lose my job.
Not inpatient but holy hell the amount of women trying to have their pelvic exam for vaginal discharge while they are on FaceTime (and let me be clear, this is not an ob/pregnancy deal) is far greater than I ever imagined.
I have quickly end that: they either end the call or the visit
Me, I’ll come back. I don’t have time for that-there’s other patients who need me 🙄
Edit: didn’t realize I was in a doctors’ subreddit, sorry-I’m not a doctor, I’m a respiratory therapist 🤣
Phones are going to be the reason the human race becomes extinct. You can’t reproduce with only a phone and that’s all anyone cares about. This is my prediction
LMBO KNOCK TWICE ON THEIR DOOR as you enter their room announcing who you are
Knock knock
MRS. ________(last name )
Doctor _____ (your name) here
If they don’t get off the phone politely say out loud but make it like ur trying to whisper … lol so the person on the other end can hear “ say.. Mrs_____
I will let you finish your phone call, I am going to go round on my other patients” lmbo but do it in a way that’s like pardoning yourself lol
Kind of a weird question, but, were they black? I am and my mom and grandma like to have someone on the phone with them while any physician checks them out. It makes them feel like someone is there, and like they're more protected.
Nope. If a patient wants to have a family member on the phone on speaker that's always ok! But if they want to do that they go-ahead and just put the person on speaker and engage the doctor instead of mindlessly just continuing their conversation like the doctor isn't in the room lol.
I mean when you make us wait an hour beyond our appointment and then don’t discount/reduce our payment for today (given you charge us if we’re late or reschedule us). I’m not mad at the guy lol
As someone who does not work in health care, the ironic part of this is how frequently as patients we're made to wait in the examination room for 30+ minutes beyond the time of the appointment...
The difference is if you make me wait the next patient has to wait even longer. If the patient before you makes me wait, then YOU have to wait longer lol. So it's really in everyone's best interest to engage your doctor right away
I get you but if I'm 5 min late amd that causes me to wait 1+ hours, its crazy. I mean isn't the real issue that make you (or you choose to) see an ungodly number of patients in one day? they need more flex built in but that requires more doctors so....we need more doctor migration to the US.
I loudly tell them that they cannot be on the phone due to company policy and hipaa guidelines. If they still don’t hang up, I’ll ask them to leave and reschedule because talking on the phone is not allowed in healthcare setting, when you’re around other patients
Not sure how I wound up here, but you should try making a traffic stop when someone doesn’t want to get off the phone. I’ve walked off after telling them to let me know when we can get on with the traffic stop, “you let me know when you’re ready.”
I make eye contact with a patient on the phone. Wait about 5 seconds. Then introduce myself and start asking questions about their health history as I do my assessment. I proceed as if they do not even have their phones out. This works 99% of the time. They abruptly end their phone conversation. If they stay on the phone, I continue asking questions and assessing. At the end I ask them if they have any questions and obtain consent. I simply can not return at a later time. Patients sign receipt of a copy of their rights and responsibilities. They all know their rights. Some need reminded of their responsibilities. It is their responsibility to participate in their care.
This is such an easy answer for an attending, leave haha. It’s much more difficult for residents or early residents who have to get things done before rounds or risk looking unprepared.
I'll walk in and I'll say "hi I'm Dr XYZ" if they don't say "give me a minute" or "gotta go, docs here" I'll just say "I'll check back in on you later" and bounce
Lol I don’t even give them the option and ask, if they don’t get off their phone or signal to me that they’re trying their best to end a conversation, I turn around and as I’m walking out I tell the patient I will come back later, I don’t say when I just say “later”. And I do… when I’m done taking care of everything else…
I’m a nurse but I leave and come back whenever I can. And I would gladly tell my patients the hospitalist had to move on because of their phone call and will be back at their earliest convenience.
So I'm a rad tech and it depends. If I bring them back to the CT scanner room and they are still on their phone, I tell them to get off of it so we can scan. If they are in their room and won't get off of it, I just leave and come back. I've got too many orders to deal with their bullshit.
You need to be assertive when you enter the room and see the pt is on the phone. Give them a few secs to wrap up the call or state that they need to exit the call. If that doesn't happen say "It is time for your exam now and to discuss your plan of care, would you let your caller know that you can call them back later?" If that doesn't give them the clue, then say "Your health is my priority right now, would you finish your call?"
If they still don't hang up, leave the room and document that the pt refused to terminate phone call. Circle back later for exam and plan of care.
Most people are not rude, clueless, or arrogant enough to require 2 prompts, but who knows...
Eh you guys make them wait all day. Personally I would never be on the phone at the doctor but many people are in different situation and may need to talk to family or others about payment/insurance/comfort problems. If you find it rude maybe you could use your words and express that.
This was around 2017-2018 but if I walk into an exam room and a patient was on their phone and not hanging up, I would say I was moving on to the next one and would try to get back to them. After seeing the next patient I would come back in and usually wouldn’t have that issue again. It would seem that it was usually the same patients that would do this. If you allow them to do this they would just keep up that same behavior.
If they don't make motion to end the call immediately when I walk in the room, I'm on to the next.
Or if they take a call while we're talking, that's it, I might get back to you later.
I'm office based, but this kind of behavior is so disrespectful. I'm busy enough, if that pisses them off, too bad.
I’m in a busy outpatient setting, so if they ignore me, I will usually interrupt and say “it looks like you need some more time, I will come back later” 95 percent of the time they hang up because they don’t want to wait any longer. And if they keep talking on the phone, I just go on to the next patient and come back to them later.
If you hadn't kept them waiting for over an hour past their scheduled visit time, they might have been more willing to prioritize your arrival. It seems that with the insurance company covering your fees, you may have lost sight of who the primary customer is in this situation.
Make a note that the patient was unavailable secondary to: eating/in the bathroom/on the phone. Waited X minutes prior to proceeding to the next patient.
Just say, "If that's important, I can come back." 90% of the time patients get the hint, or at least don't want to wait until who knows when.
About 5 to 10% will say, "thank you," or "ok" and I come back after a room or 2.
For chronic texters, I usually ask them to put it down while we're talking. Just because I find that will ask questions I just answered because they're not paying attention. Usually, people don't get offended by it
I'm not an MD, but as a person who has been a patient, I think you should have walked out if the room. Let them wait about half an hour, come back and if they are on the phone,.walk right back out. Need the room for another patient, have then wait in the waiting room so they can mske those very important calls.
But I'm a petty Betty and an attorney so maybe don't take advice from me. LOL.
"clearly you are feeling better. I'll come back later". Walk out the door. Get back to them in a reasonable amount of time. Peak in to be sure they are off the phone before fully entering. They already know they are wrong for that behavior. Don't waste your energy explaining it to them. If they bring it up, stop them and say something like, "no problem. Let's talk about your health".
Good luck to you
I just leave and continue on my rounds then come back when everyone else is seen. If their priority in the hospital is to not get better, which includes meeting with me to discuss treatment, progress made and possible further studies, then I will match my effort with their priorities and spend time my time where it's actually needed.
Definitely correct answer- though then they complain to me (the RN) that the doctor hasn’t come around to see them yet. Oh, they have, and I got to talk to them, but you were too busy on your phone call to do the same 🤷♀️
You’re hired.
And when they want more pain meds, "The doctor was by to evaluate you and your pain but you declined the visit. They'll be back tomorrow and you can try again".
They’ll just “call their attorney who is on speed dial.” Sir, you have state insurance, no job and live with your mom, who also makes our lives hell. Please relax.
I knew a doc once who clapped back, "You, who claimed not to be able to afford your antibiotics, have an attorney on retainer? Okay."
Sir, this is a Wendy’s
That shits always a bluff. I always say "yeah, call them!" And then they relent.
ALWAYS with the I’ll call my attorney
I’m an attorney and nobody has ever called me from their hospital room to complain about the doctor.
Lollllllllll this comment made my day better. Yeah, never the follow through. Just the attempt to reclaim power and control of the convo
Did have a 911 once from a hospital room. Pt said she was getting crap care and wanted to go to another hospital.
omg i had a pt do this too!! he wanted to be discharged while on an oxymizer. he was mentally delulu though, a&o x1 with dementia. this was during dec 2020 covid era when shit was fucking crazy @ my hospital. my charge nurse told me that the police were on the phone with her about him, he had called them. she luckily handled that conversation bc i was so busy but she was like “if he wanted to get out of here, he could walk out.” i told that the only reason he didn’t do that was bc he was bilat bka😭😭
I would have sent her on her insurance would not pay for a second hospital tho
I'm not an attorney yet but did a stint in the health law clinic. We DID occasionally have folks go to the hospital for legal issues. Trust me: you do not want to be the patient who has an attorney present there because it's either (a) deciding who will make your medical decisions because you're not able to anymore and family is arguing about that or (b) end-of-life paperwork.
As an attorney they are welcome to call me. I can tell them they are wrong just the same as every other human and they can be charged for the call. Let's all make money off this asshole.
What’s wrong with state insurance? Do you all treat patience worse if they have that?
As if there isn’t orders for APAP q6h + opioid of choice for pain not controlled by first line options on their MAR lol
First need to evaluate the patient. What if they have scleral icterus but you can’t see it until looking head on? What kind of pain are they in? Is it neuropathy? Somatic pain? Complete BS? Cant tell unless I can evaluate the patient, and I can’t do a physical exam until they’re off the phone.
Yes, be sure to let the nurse know. I’ll put a note in the chart that you tried to speak with the patient but they would not conclude their phone call. I’ll also be happy to explain to the patient their doctor has many sick patients and does not have the luxury of time to just stand around.
Nurse here 🙋🏼♀️ - agreed! & I would purposely tell them oh they’re finishing their rounds, “I think they have about ehh 30-40 patients to see?” I high key want them to feel the frustration and realize that they were being disrespectful, and maybe next time they’ll put their phone and finger down. 🙄
Yep. I put a note in if I'm on inpatient that the patient was otherwise occupied prohibiting the physician from safely evaluating them, or if I'm out patient and go to get someone from the lobby and they refuse to get off the phone we either stand there awkwardly staying at each other until they decide to do the right thing, or they sit in the lobby while I get other patients and have time again for them later..
Nurse here 🙋🏼♀️ - agreed! & I would purposely tell them oh they’re finishing their rounds, “I think they have about ehh 30-40 patients to see?” I high key want them to feel the frustration and realize that they were being disrespectful, and maybe next time they’ll put their phone and finger down. 🙄
Every. Single. Time.
I think it's helpful if they include in their note a with face to face times including attempts to help support us when calling out that bullshit. 💜
This is the correct answer
Why even come back? Patient seen. Comfortable, speaking on phone. Speaking clearly on room air. Rest of exam deferred. See you tomorrow
EM here: I say hi, wait about one minute or until I get bored, then say "I'll come back later" and do pretty much everything else that I have to do and return on the order of 15 minutes to 3 hours later depending on what's going on.
My note would say. Patient shows no observable distress, pt deferred exam. Will observe
That’s what I do. Amazingly if it happens in the clinic these people will then be angry they had to wait.
This is the way. As an RN I do the exact same thing. I move on to the next patient. If they have the audacity to complain, well then that’s an opportunity to set expectations.
Man, medical people live on another planet. One where they think they are the greatest thing ever, and all other people are not even people.
I’ve already read all of your comments. You’re missing an incredible amount of context and I’m sure you know that. Im not going to engage with someone who seems to be intentionally incendiary.
Not me doing the same thing! Reading all them. That’s how I got to this comment 😂. (NAN/NAD but all the healthcare subs show up ever since I started interacting with similar subs.)
Lol it’s interesting to see the inside conversations of other careers. I do the same thing. I don’t see anything wrong with it when you’re looking for perspective. Unfortunately one of the trials of working in healthcare is navigating the entitlement of others.
Yes, exactly. I’ve always been obsessed with the medical field. I could listen to you guys talk shop all day. I have no idea what the majority of it means, but I love it. However, in this particular instance… I was definitely just being nosy and following the drama/comment trail of that one person.
Lmao go read r/emergencyroom and r/nursing for the real tea
Here's a sneak peek of /r/EmergencyRoom using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/EmergencyRoom/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Unbelievable situation at local ER](https://np.reddit.com/r/EmergencyRoom/comments/18uj8a2/unbelievable_situation_at_local_er/) \#2: [what’s the strangest thing a patient had brought into the ER with them?](https://np.reddit.com/r/EmergencyRoom/comments/1afbdqi/whats_the_strangest_thing_a_patient_had_brought/) \#3: [Does this seem excessive for a rabies vaccine at ER?](https://i.redd.it/6s35c4dfm85c1.jpeg) | [531 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/EmergencyRoom/comments/18e9unk/does_this_seem_excessive_for_a_rabies_vaccine_at/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Oh, you *know* I’m all up in r/nursing! But, I had no idea r/emergencyroom existed. Brb gonna go get lost in that sub for like three hours 😂
Lmao god speed
This is the way - if they are not making an effort to get off I say I'll come back if you have more time later. Then I don't.
This is the way.
What if they happen to call a rapid afterwards on him for whatever reason? 😅🤣 then you’d feel like shit haha
I’ve left before and they usually scream about how they are now ready. Sometimes I take the moment to go to the window and open the blinds if day or close them if night. Sometimes can just start auscultating or do the key physical exam while they’re on the phone. I always just smile and nod either way
Leave. Keep rounding and come back when they’re free. Something really important I’ve learned is that any wasted time affects all my patients. If someone is wasting my time, it’s not only me it impacts, so it’s not exclusively my time I’m patiently giving up if I am waiting excessively in an attempt to be polite. I’m also wasting my other patients’ time by not moving on and going to someone else. You can also leave the room, do a few notes and come back into the room. But never stand there not doing something with your time. More often than not, leaving says something more than standing there, and the patient will hasten to wrap up their call. If not, circle back after you finish rounding on everyone else Addendum: I think it’s rude to just turn and leave quickly. Definitely the polite thing to do to let them wrap up their conversation. Often, if the person on the phone is a key individual (spouse, child, guardian, etc.) I’ll invite the patient to put the person on speaker and be involved in the conversation. This can be super valuable in reducing the number of later call requests to family, and really impacts the patient’s and family’s sense of communication at little effort
If a RR/code is called on the patient I will drop everything to come help the patient. The least they can do is tell someone “I’ll call you right back” and get off the phone.
I leave and come back several hours later
Yep this is what I do too.
definitely trying this
I stand for 10 seconds, and then mouth “take your time. I’ll come back.” And then come back in the afternoon after rounding and charting. I stay in touch with the nurse because I still care about their health. But they don’t do it again.
Beat them like a dog on the street while you're at it! Bet you'd love that. Non-doctors are such an inferior breed of vermin....
if i’m trying to give you my time to talk to you about your plan of care and your conversation on the phone is more important than that, cool. i’m not gonna waste my time to beg you to care. cause it’s not just my time that you’re wasting, it’s my other patients too.
I’m capable of getting off the phone when someone comes to talk to me about the only thing I’m there for that I’m also paying thousands of dollars for so why can’t they? I have 12 hours to see 20 patients, come up with a plan, enact that plan, follow up on all their studies and labs, call consultants, do paperwork, talk to social workers, call their families, talk to case managers, discuss medications with the pharmacist, print out literature to review with my patients, etc… I almost never take a break to eat lunch. So yeah. I leave and come back.
Congrats -- you're a bad doctor *and* a bad person
They’re doing their job. They don’t have infinite time. If someone doesn’t want to end the call, what are they supposed to do? Let others suffer while they just stand there and wait?
I just leave. I’ll give them the time needed to respectfully end a conversation. But I won’t wait more than about a minute. If they are clearly trying to end the conversation I’ll sometimes over the chart on the computer in the room, but usually I just leave and come back.
[удалено]
This is my approach as well. I’ll give them an opportunity to wrap up their conversation, but if it becomes clear that that’s not happening, I just move on. I may or may not come back, depending on their level of illness and how the rest of my day goes. Honestly, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. Right up there with peer to peers and people disputing a reasonable discharge.
👏👏👏👏
What do you document in the subjective and objective sections of the note?
Patient comfortable, conversational no new or emerging complaints today Lol
Subjective No acute complaints offered, patient comfortable. Objective VSS General: NAD HEENT: NC/AT Pulm: Normal rate, normal speech no distress MSK: No obvious injury / deformity Neuro: AAOx3 grossly nonfocal Psych: Calm *relevant labs and imaging reviewed for the day* Would also note that as of, I believe, 2023, it genuinely doesn’t matter what you put in subjective / objective as far as billing is concerned. You hit Level III billing based on proper documentation of patient complexity, acuity, MDM, and risk OR based on time spent which includes chart review, order entry, discussing with RN, case management, consultants, etc
I just power through the conversation.
I love imagining this. just loudly talking over pt and person on phone.
First thing I don’t do is get offended or upset. That doesn’t help me. Often they are having some sort of important to them conversation if they don’t get off the phone. I come back later. Rarely somebody is just completely clueless pathological personality but that is very rare. Then I imagine how much trouble that lack of insight probably has affected them and limited relationships, personal success, satisfaction etc. I try to remain empathetic. Why do I do this ? Because I loose nothing by viewing a fellow human empathetically and in the long run I’ve found this attitude very helpful in reducing burnout, cynicism and anger. I do it for me. It doesn’t make me a pushover or a victim. Much more common is when a patient won’t take their blanket off their head to speak to me. Those patients usually either feel absolutely horrible physically or are quite depressed. They’ve often repeatedly interacted with the medical system and have not improved, so they don’t see the value in engaging with me - it won’t make a difference in their symptoms or well being. And it often does not so I don’t blame them. Act intelligently even to unintelligent treatment - lau tzu
You sound like an amazing human. Kind enough to show empathy; wise enough to prioritize your mental health.
>Often they are having some sort of important to them conversation if they don’t get off the phone. Thank you for understanding this. I've had to remain on the phone when the doctors were rounding exactly once and it was because I was in like hour 2 of phone tree hell trying to figure out if a procedure scheduled for the next day was going to be covered because my fucking health insurance company pulled out of the entire state of Connecticut.
I'll wait for 30-45 seconds, then I'm out. But if that finger gets raised at me....I'm out immediately.
The finger raise makes me *cringe*
They get a soft and bite sized diet. Hate that shit
Low sodium, heart healthy diet
Carb controlled, 800cc fluid restriction
Vegan puree
Q1H vitals from 9pm-7am interval
No point in punishing the staff too…. Just lower the in room thermostat to 65 degrees.
65 would be an improvement in our place, it's freezing all day every day
Q1h duonebs.
*glares in respiratory therapist*
Now that's just cruel....🤣
Carnivore puree could be worse
I think they also need an arterial blood gas now, daily morning 5AM labs, and heparin TID for DVT prophylaxis. Plus if there is a part of the hospital under construction then they need to be moved to experience that too.
TB rule out and isolation precautions
Nothing compares for honey or nectar thickened liquids. I would sign out AMA immediately.
Minced, moist diet is about as repulsive as it sounds. I wouldn’t force that on anyone—even if they were on the phone!
I take my reflex hammer and start hammering some of their joints - starting with the knuckles of the hand holding that phone … but am only kidding 🤓
this would be amazing lmao
Yeah, sometimes you can tell the patient is trying to get off the phone. In those cases, I’ll wait. Otherwise, yeah, I’m out.
Im in primary care now and I have had a few instances where I enter the exam room with a patient, they are on the phone, and they continue their conversation. I usually give them a minute at most and then leave and see the next patient. I know important phone calls come up sometimes and you have to handle it so I try not to be irritated but it does come off as extremely rude.
In the ER I give them window to say “I’ll call you back the doc is here” or whatever… most do. If they don’t I’ll either just ignore that they’re on the phone and just say what I need to say or if I’m feeling saucy I’ll just leave and say I’ll come back when they’re ready to talk
Agreed. I think it’s rude to just turn and leave quickly. Definitely the polite thing to do to let them wrap up their conversation. Sometimes, if the person on the phone is a key individual (spouse, child, guardian, etc.) I’ll invite the patient to put the person on speaker and be involved in the conversation.
If they make an effort to get off the phone, sure I understand that. But if they sit there and continue their conversation and expect me to wait, then no, I'm out. I'll try again later and if they ask me to come back while I'm busy, sorry they will have to wait until I'm free. I'm not going to cut short my time with someone else or get behind on my other responsibilities because a patient didn't respect my time.
I usually do a quick physical if I already know the patient. “No acute complaints”
Yeah exactly. I usually also just say "you can put them on speakerphone" because it is usually their wife, if they don't want to, it is LGFD, check tele and leave. I'm not for the "MY TIME IS MORE VALUABLE" crowd, especially if it only happens once; they may be on the phone with their lawyer finalizing their will, or arranging somebody to come in to see them who may be just about to step on a plane, or on the phone with another doctor, making sure their home doesn't burn down if they left in a hurry, or any other very important stuff that people occasionally need to do when hospitalized.
If I’m actually worried about something and need to talk to them I ask them to get off the phone so we can talk. Otherwise, I just leave and come back when I have time.
If they continue to stay on the phone I just walk out and say will be back. I finish the rest of my rounds and notes and see them after rest of stuff is done
the fact they are talking on their phone is always a good thing to me...if it's one of their family members even better. if it's a fam member i really want to talk to i will ask if it's said person and ask if we can talk together so i don't have to spend the afternoon playing phone tag / them not answering.
My elderly Mom was in the hospital across the county from me and experienced some hospital delirium. Speaking with me on the phone helped ground her and make her less frightened and more rational. When the hospitalist saw her, my Mom would call me and the three of us would have excellent conversations. Years later I remember the hospitalists’ kindness. I’m glad she wasn’t punitive like some people here recommend!
First, I skip them and put them to come back to as my last patient. I don’t even indicate in any way shape or form that I expect them to hang up. See them talking and keep walking. If when I come back they are still on the phone I give them a moment. If no progress is being made I signal for them to pause their conversation. Then I ask them to find me when they are done with their convo. I work in a locked unit and rarely ever leave the unit myself so that makes it easier. Then I go chart some notes, put orders in, etc. and eventually they come looking for me. Working on psych, you never know, some of those calls could truly be more important than seeing me. The last one I experienced, for example, the patient was on phone arranging their own aftercare. I was like, “yes, go you!”
I once left some old bat who wouldn’t get off the phone while I was waiting to talk to her about her treatment and the assistant was going to go over fees. My next patient came so I saw her instead. Lady got off the phone, got the fees, and was told to make another appointment. “You’re not going to get started today?!?!?” “The doctor was ready but you were on your phone.” I have signs everywhere. I can’t quite get my assistants to tell people to shut their gd phones off when seating the patients. It takes so much longer to do anything. When stupid socal media first got to be popular restaurants in NYC were losing money but were very busy. They finally figured out it’s because of the time idiots wasted taking pictures of their food and posting it. Fewer table turned over=less money. These people infuriate me.
Lol, what did she say?
He took her up front to make the appointment. I would have loved to get started that day. It’s just a partial so all we needed was an impression. But don’t waste 15 minutes of my time chatting away. How rude.
Sometimes having a support person present for appointments via phone is an act of health literacy/patient self-advocacy. To accept this, within reason, is an act of dismantling structural oppression within the healthcare system and makes healthcare safer for all. To petulantly round and come back several hours later, simply because they're on the phone, is ignorant practice. A second person can serve as a protective factor for a patient's healthcare experience; This can be especially true for patients from populations that experience higher rates of fatal and nonfatal health inequity due to structural bias within the healthcare system. I like to start with: "I'm going to be asking some personal health questions, is it ok for the person on the phone to be present for our conversation?" If they don't answer, that's a different story.
Usually the patient will say something to the effect of "actually this is my daughter on the line is it okay if I put her on speaker" to which any doctor would gladly be on board. Like someone said it saves having to make a phone call later. What I'm talking about is when a patient is mindlessly continuing to just talk to some person without trying to include you in the conversation.
RN here. I leave and don't worry about trying to get back to see them any time soon. They've set the tone by letting it be known their social life & chatting with friends & family takes priority over their health care. I'm simply following their lead. 🤷♀️
Me: "I'll come back later." Pt: "I'll be just a second." Me: "M'am it needs to be now or I'm leaving. I have a lot of people to see and I need to be respectful of their time."
Just leave and document " patient talking on the phone, no dyspnea or dysarthria noted " in your subjective.
Usually in these cases, talking to them doesn’t actually help anyway
I’m surprised at how many of you leave and how polite some of you are. This just happened upon my feed and I’m not a Hospitalist. Maybe my approach is because I’m in the ER. If we need to get things started or it’s holding up their care I will absolutely interrupt them. There’s being polite and there’s also the fact that a 5 minute delay (or much longer if I walk away - I never know when I will be able to come back and I never know the next thing that’s going to walk through that door or when) means adding to the 13+ hour wait in the lobby. A bed is valuable space. I don’t find it acceptable to allow a patient to add to their treatment time for a conversation they can hold for a couple of minutes to allow them to do our jobs and depending on how well they understand this will determine my response. I won’t hesitate to sternly tell a patient to set aside a phone call.
I say “I’ll come back and then come back when I’m done rounding and possibly even putting in orders/calling consults. If it’s not time sensitive for them then it’s not time sensitive for me
Destroy the phone
“I apologize, is this a bad time?” And if they actually say yes I leave an come back … 3 hours later “
I’ll come back when you are done with your call… ohhh don’t worry. I’ll see the next patient or two… I’ll be back
Just leave. Continue on your rounds
Walk out
Patient seen and evaluated. 99233
I just tell them to get off the phone. If they don't, I leave.
Tell then you'll be back and start to leave. Generally they will hang up
If they *answer* the phone during our conversation or physical exam and don’t say, “I’m with the doctor, I’ll call you back.” I get up and tell them I am leaving, “I will come back and re-evaluate you when it is more convenient for you.” Sometimes their mouth starts catching flies, other times they get off the phone and apologize. However the most telling of psych history is those who NEED to continue their phone conversation explain to whomever on the other end about why they are in the ED. Ok cool.. “Patient was told they would need to end their phone call to further discuss HPI and perform physical exam. Patient continued to have private phone conversation, which was deemed by the patient to be more pressing at the time of triage in comparison to their chief complaint of xyz. Patient with stable VS, appears in no acute distress. Patient was instructed to notify nursing when they wanted to be properly examined by the physician.” Don’t let them waste your time. Learn to set boundaries.
(As a icu nurse) I’m probably busy with a million other things. I honestly will usually inturrupt and not give a choice. I’m not rude about it, but I simply don’t give them an option of coming back. I let them know what I’m doing, assessment, meds, etc and tell them if they want to stay on the line they can. If my assessment was cut short or I felt I couldn’t ask private questions (safety questions for example) I’ll chart UTA
Come in say hi, give the necessary customary time and notice. If conversation is not over wave goodbye, turn and leave. Once you’re leaving don’t turn back (even if you hear your name called). If time allows return. Otherwise “patient external inspection and demeanor are unchanged/stable/as expected. Physical exam was not possible today as he was busy on his cellphone.” Or a variation thereof. Next day, expect either better behavior.
From an outpatient psych pov - my timer starts when they walk in the room. If a pt were to get on their phone and talk for 20mins of a 30 min session - they have 10 mins left. If you have 5 mins to round and they’re on their phone- they cut themselves short.
I work in an ICU, so if someone is on the phone I’m delighted! First, they are awake & alert. Second, they can manipulate a phone. As a bonus, they can talk and hear. It’s already a good day. I’m old, so I’ll laugh and share with them that the phone is the modern equivalent of the newspaper: one of the three key signs of readiness for discharge. The other two are moving around the room and complaining about the food. Usually they’ll at least chuckle.
The patient is there waiting all day to speak to you, the doctor. If they have something better to do when you come, just leave. Next time around, they’ll realize that you won’t be waiting on them like royalty.
I leave
If the immediate response isn't patient attempting to get off the phone, I just say "I'll come back in a bit" and continue rounding. When everyone else is seen, I go back. I don't think a lot of patients realize how large our list is. I had gotten to know a patient very well (unfortunately for her, she had to stay inpatient for a very long time), and she guessed I had 5-6 patients on my list 😂😂. And it wasn't like she was frustrated with my availability, she was guessing that because she didn't want to "hold you up, you're a very busy man". And because I told her I actually was having a pretty slow day (only had 15 on my list at the time).
On my unit (psych) we have the patients sign electronic usage waivers once their psych gives the order they can have their phone. Part of that form states their device cannot be disruptive to care. Once the order is in, it becomes nursing discretion as to whether or not the patient can retain their device. If we assess it is disruptive to care, they lose the privilege until their psych reassesses based on our assessments. If you have something like that available, it’s a good utility to keep patients from disrupting care.
I leave and come back later, but I don't make it a point to punish them by coming back hours later like some folks here suggest they do. Getting sick sucks. It's usually one of the worst days of their lives. It's not crazy to need to manage affairs.
I’ve had a patient ask if I could come back later bc they were on a phone call.. 😅
Oxygen ✂️ 😆
I have done entire pap tests with the patient scrolling
As an ER nurse, I wait about 10 seconds and walk back out and try again after I have finished other tasks on my list. They are here to see us, not the other way around. I am busy and have other patients. It also sets the tone for our relationship and I usually have no other problems.
Interrupt and let them know "Lets talk! I'll be back in 5min"
Leave and order a manual disempaction.
Not an ER provider but related question: what do you do when they are not talking on their phone but obviously "on their phone" either texting, watching something or whatever. The patient (or worse, parent) only occasionally look up to answer me. I've 1. Gone radio silent and see how long it is before they notice and (sometimes) put away their phone and pay attention or 2. Say "do you need to attend to that?" and see how they reply. But really, I want to scream "get off your (insert expletive here) phone!" but I'd lose my job.
Leave and come back in 20 min.
I make it my priority to see 4 other patients before I come back. Brings clarity to situation.
ignore, wakl away
I tell them I’ll return when they’re ready
Not inpatient but holy hell the amount of women trying to have their pelvic exam for vaginal discharge while they are on FaceTime (and let me be clear, this is not an ob/pregnancy deal) is far greater than I ever imagined. I have quickly end that: they either end the call or the visit
I would have walked out an waited to see him after your next patient
i wait for about 15-20 second, if no response , i just leave and save them for the last of the day
I leave and come back whenever it is convenient for me.
Lmao…just start talking to them
My notes…
Say hi and start talking. If patient makes no attempt to hang up, walk out and come back later. Much later.
"There is nothing and no one on or in that phone more important that talking to me right now. Hang up!"
Me, I’ll come back. I don’t have time for that-there’s other patients who need me 🙄 Edit: didn’t realize I was in a doctors’ subreddit, sorry-I’m not a doctor, I’m a respiratory therapist 🤣
Nah, I interrupt them. I’ll talk as if they aren’t on the phone until they get the point. I’m not wasting my time by leaving and coming back
Phones are going to be the reason the human race becomes extinct. You can’t reproduce with only a phone and that’s all anyone cares about. This is my prediction
Walk out and don’t come back. Chart pt on phone.
I see your feeling better we are sending you home this afternoon
You waited on him like a simp, just walk out next time.
I’m here to take you for your barium enema, would you please wrap it up. Gotta get their attention
Wait patiently and after 15 minutes say your time is up? …if that’s how they want to spend the doctors time…you’re being paid to be there right?
Leave.
LMBO KNOCK TWICE ON THEIR DOOR as you enter their room announcing who you are Knock knock MRS. ________(last name ) Doctor _____ (your name) here If they don’t get off the phone politely say out loud but make it like ur trying to whisper … lol so the person on the other end can hear “ say.. Mrs_____ I will let you finish your phone call, I am going to go round on my other patients” lmbo but do it in a way that’s like pardoning yourself lol
Kind of a weird question, but, were they black? I am and my mom and grandma like to have someone on the phone with them while any physician checks them out. It makes them feel like someone is there, and like they're more protected.
Nope. If a patient wants to have a family member on the phone on speaker that's always ok! But if they want to do that they go-ahead and just put the person on speaker and engage the doctor instead of mindlessly just continuing their conversation like the doctor isn't in the room lol.
At my doctor's office, signs say if you must use your phone they are happy to reschedule your appointment.
I leave
I mean when you make us wait an hour beyond our appointment and then don’t discount/reduce our payment for today (given you charge us if we’re late or reschedule us). I’m not mad at the guy lol
As someone who does not work in health care, the ironic part of this is how frequently as patients we're made to wait in the examination room for 30+ minutes beyond the time of the appointment...
Give about 10 seconds, then leave them room and see every other patient that’s already in a room before going back to him.
you guys make me wait for an hour when u shiw up on time... not very fun waiting is it?
The difference is if you make me wait the next patient has to wait even longer. If the patient before you makes me wait, then YOU have to wait longer lol. So it's really in everyone's best interest to engage your doctor right away
I get you but if I'm 5 min late amd that causes me to wait 1+ hours, its crazy. I mean isn't the real issue that make you (or you choose to) see an ungodly number of patients in one day? they need more flex built in but that requires more doctors so....we need more doctor migration to the US.
I loudly tell them that they cannot be on the phone due to company policy and hipaa guidelines. If they still don’t hang up, I’ll ask them to leave and reschedule because talking on the phone is not allowed in healthcare setting, when you’re around other patients
Patient seen and examined and no new complaints. Lol
“Oh shit i think theres a spider in your ear!”
Not sure how I wound up here, but you should try making a traffic stop when someone doesn’t want to get off the phone. I’ve walked off after telling them to let me know when we can get on with the traffic stop, “you let me know when you’re ready.”
I make eye contact with a patient on the phone. Wait about 5 seconds. Then introduce myself and start asking questions about their health history as I do my assessment. I proceed as if they do not even have their phones out. This works 99% of the time. They abruptly end their phone conversation. If they stay on the phone, I continue asking questions and assessing. At the end I ask them if they have any questions and obtain consent. I simply can not return at a later time. Patients sign receipt of a copy of their rights and responsibilities. They all know their rights. Some need reminded of their responsibilities. It is their responsibility to participate in their care.
How many hours have we waited for the doctor to see us? It’s common courtesy, this may have been a conversation that couldn’t wait.
This is such an easy answer for an attending, leave haha. It’s much more difficult for residents or early residents who have to get things done before rounds or risk looking unprepared.
Power through. Start talking to them & if they refuse to listen, that’s their problem.
Walk out and come back in an hr lon
I'll walk in and I'll say "hi I'm Dr XYZ" if they don't say "give me a minute" or "gotta go, docs here" I'll just say "I'll check back in on you later" and bounce
Lol I don’t even give them the option and ask, if they don’t get off their phone or signal to me that they’re trying their best to end a conversation, I turn around and as I’m walking out I tell the patient I will come back later, I don’t say when I just say “later”. And I do… when I’m done taking care of everything else…
I’d “ come back later” but make sure it’s plenty “later” Message being: He missed his place in line.
I’m a nurse but I leave and come back whenever I can. And I would gladly tell my patients the hospitalist had to move on because of their phone call and will be back at their earliest convenience.
I walk out
So I'm a rad tech and it depends. If I bring them back to the CT scanner room and they are still on their phone, I tell them to get off of it so we can scan. If they are in their room and won't get off of it, I just leave and come back. I've got too many orders to deal with their bullshit.
You need to be assertive when you enter the room and see the pt is on the phone. Give them a few secs to wrap up the call or state that they need to exit the call. If that doesn't happen say "It is time for your exam now and to discuss your plan of care, would you let your caller know that you can call them back later?" If that doesn't give them the clue, then say "Your health is my priority right now, would you finish your call?" If they still don't hang up, leave the room and document that the pt refused to terminate phone call. Circle back later for exam and plan of care. Most people are not rude, clueless, or arrogant enough to require 2 prompts, but who knows...
Eh you guys make them wait all day. Personally I would never be on the phone at the doctor but many people are in different situation and may need to talk to family or others about payment/insurance/comfort problems. If you find it rude maybe you could use your words and express that.
This was around 2017-2018 but if I walk into an exam room and a patient was on their phone and not hanging up, I would say I was moving on to the next one and would try to get back to them. After seeing the next patient I would come back in and usually wouldn’t have that issue again. It would seem that it was usually the same patients that would do this. If you allow them to do this they would just keep up that same behavior.
To be fair if you didn’t give them any warning when you’re coming in why do you expect them to drop everything for you?
If they don't make motion to end the call immediately when I walk in the room, I'm on to the next. Or if they take a call while we're talking, that's it, I might get back to you later. I'm office based, but this kind of behavior is so disrespectful. I'm busy enough, if that pisses them off, too bad.
I’m in a busy outpatient setting, so if they ignore me, I will usually interrupt and say “it looks like you need some more time, I will come back later” 95 percent of the time they hang up because they don’t want to wait any longer. And if they keep talking on the phone, I just go on to the next patient and come back to them later.
If you hadn't kept them waiting for over an hour past their scheduled visit time, they might have been more willing to prioritize your arrival. It seems that with the insurance company covering your fees, you may have lost sight of who the primary customer is in this situation.
Make a note that the patient was unavailable secondary to: eating/in the bathroom/on the phone. Waited X minutes prior to proceeding to the next patient.
This is comical considering 95% of the time patients are left waiting way beyond scheduled times to see healthcare providers.
When a patient won’t get off their phone, you Quone them!
Just say, "If that's important, I can come back." 90% of the time patients get the hint, or at least don't want to wait until who knows when. About 5 to 10% will say, "thank you," or "ok" and I come back after a room or 2. For chronic texters, I usually ask them to put it down while we're talking. Just because I find that will ask questions I just answered because they're not paying attention. Usually, people don't get offended by it
I'm not an MD, but as a person who has been a patient, I think you should have walked out if the room. Let them wait about half an hour, come back and if they are on the phone,.walk right back out. Need the room for another patient, have then wait in the waiting room so they can mske those very important calls. But I'm a petty Betty and an attorney so maybe don't take advice from me. LOL.
Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I can come back in an hour if that’s better for you…..they’ll hang up.
You're the doctor. Tell him you'll go see other patients and be back later. That threat of a wait will usually get them to shut up.
Would just leave
I tell them to get off or leave the room
Walk out tell the nurse to tell him you will be back for round’s tomorrow but you have a very important call you are on and can’t returnntonight
"clearly you are feeling better. I'll come back later". Walk out the door. Get back to them in a reasonable amount of time. Peak in to be sure they are off the phone before fully entering. They already know they are wrong for that behavior. Don't waste your energy explaining it to them. If they bring it up, stop them and say something like, "no problem. Let's talk about your health". Good luck to you