Don’t cause a scene

It’s unavoidable. A patient won't be happy with a treatment outcome or maybe is looking at a bill that’s a littler larger than expected.  For whatever the reason, every now and then patients get angry and they want you and your team to know about it.

When a patient starts getting loud at the front desk, take that patient aside to talk about whatever the problem is. Let the patient know you can see he or she is frustrated and you’d like to talk about the issue somewhere with less distractions. Stay calm and don’t react with anger; that will only make the situation worse. Let the patient know you understand his or her frustration and you want to come up with a solution.

Because your team members are likely the ones on the receiving end of a patient’s anger, make sure they know how to handle these types of situations. Take time to do some training in your team meetings and role play common situations. That way your team members will be prepared if and when they’re confronted with an angry patient.