Cellphone Usage

I was at a physician’s office a few weeks ago and I heard a cell phone ring. I looked around and realized it was not a patient’s phone; rather it belonged to an employee. The employee actually stopped what she was doing for the patient and answered her telephone. The patient had to wait to schedule her follow up appointment until the receptionist finished her conversation.

Does that medical office not have a policy for employee use of cell phones or don’t they enforce the policy? I realize that there are times when we need to be reached at work. We have children, parents, and emergencies. Yet what are we saying to our patients when we stop treating them to answer a personal call?

A medical office should have a policy for personal telephone calls and enforce it. Make sure the policy addresses personal emergencies. Under normal circumstances, personal cellphones should not be on during business hours. Your patients need to know that they are important and worth your time.

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