It was a simple shoulder strain. I went through the yellow pages and found a physical therapist for an assessment and recommendation. Brian was professional and thorough, and let me know that I would be better in no time. He offered to call my doctor and take care of the referral. As a customer, I was pleased with the service he was providing. After several attempts by my diligent physical therapist, he confessed to me that my doctor’s office had lost the report he sent not once, but twice. He conceded that I would have to contact them so he could provide treatment. I called my doctor’s office and the phone was answered by someone who I pictured to be a chain-smoker wearing jeans and a tee-shirt. As she coughed into the phone, I said I needed to get a referral so that I could complete physical therapy. She curtly asked “name?” followed by my date of birth. After a painful 20 seconds of silence, she told me she didn’t have any record of me being a patient there. I spoke up and said I was indeed a patient and needed to get in right away for my referral. After a deep sigh she said the file was probably there somewhere and she reluctantly made me an appointment for the next day. I was surprised when I arrived to see that the person I pictured to be a worn out, heavy smoker was actually a well-dressed medical professional. After a short wait I was ushered back to an exam room. I couldn’t help but notice that every counter, file cabinet and desk was covered with patient files. It looked like a disaster and I was sure my file was buried somewhere. I waited and I waited and I waited some more. The doctor never did make it in. After 45 minutes, a young, fresh faced physician’s assistant breezed into the exam room. She had a bright smile and a cheerful voice as she told me that they had all been talking about me. I responded with, “Really? Why?” She explained that they wanted to make sure I was checked completely before my neck surgery! I shook my head as I told her she had the wrong person. The perky P.A. told me that she was certain that I was the right patient and that I needed neck surgery! I had a strange feeling that I was a part of a Three Stooges episode and I knew I had to take charge of this situation before it went any further. I thought to myself, “I am not a patient laying back waiting for treatment. In fact, I want to be treated like a customer.” As a customer, I wanted my doctor and her staff to treat me as if the practice depended on me! I spoke up, as a customer would, and stated I did not need neck surgery, but a simple evaluation of my shoulder. I added in that I did not appreciate sitting in a closed room for 45 minutes. She confessed they were upgrading to a new system and the patient files and scheduling were in disarray. Her puppy dog eyes suggested I accept it, like a patient. I have decided to be a customer instead and I am changing doctors. What can you do to help your support staff right now?1) Give them permission to do the right thing for your customer who happens to be a patient. That could include making a call when appointments are running behind, providing refreshments for those who are waiting, and smiling. 2) Provide training that sets goals, allows for collective brainstorming and provides feedback on progress so that everyone will be involved and motivated. Sending an e-mail reprimand or wagging your finger as you tell your staff they aren’t doing it right does not motivate change. 3) The way each person starts and ends their interaction with the customer, whether over the phone or in person, needs to send the same message which is, “You are a very important person who I am privileged to serve.” Do the right thing- whatever it takes. Your customers are realizing that they have been treated like patients for far too long. They deserve excellent customer service AND patient care.