Recently my primary care doctor referred me to a specialist for a routine test. When I got to the specialist’s office for a pre-test consultation, I felt uncomfortable: the waiting room was cramped, the receptionists were surly, and the grey office walls were full of taped-up signs that like, “You’ll be held responsible personally for all copays,” and other generally aggressive statements. There were no smiling nurses, no soothing fish tanks, no pictures of vacation destinations- nothing that hinted, particularly, of humanity at all. The doctor was nice enough but rather perfunctory. This place was all business- and frankly, it was a downer.
As I walked out of the office, I thought without hesitation that I’d find another doctor to do the test. Why? Because nothing about my experience there made me feel this doctor was a caring professional I’d want to have treat me- or even administer tests to me. In that office, patients are patients- not people- and there’s something diminishing about that. Don’t get me wrong- I didn’t need fancy wallpaper or a pedicure while I waited to see the doctor to feel good about it- just a smile, or perhaps a “Have a nice day.”
It reminded me of a social service organization where I once attended a meeting. The organization’s large building was lit badly, had peeling paint on the walls, featured lots of taped up notices, and generally felt grungy. Some of the problems were probably due to underfunding, but others were more the result of neglect and lack of respect for the space itself. Both the staff and clients I met there seemed cranky- and it was easy to see how uninspiring it was to spend any time in that place, no matter how great their services might be.
By contrast, I recently toured the cancer center at Northern Westchester Hospital, a new client of Big Duck’s. Smiling receptionists greeted everyone who walked through the door, interesting art hung on the walls, rooms were nicely lit, walls had been painted in soothing earth-toned colors, mellow music played in the background, and there was even an art therapy station where patients sit and color or paint while they wait for their appointments.
