How can I deal with my annoying patient?

Patients can be hard to deal with sometimes. While there are some fabulous ones out there, there is always that one that can make any doctor irritated. When this happens there are a few things that you can do. Try and figure out why the patient is acting the way they are - sometimes the long wait in the waiting room can try patience for those who are already stressed out and overwhelmed. When it comes to sitting for long periods, or not getting the answers they want, this can make them seem almost combative. Take a few seconds to regain your self-control before answering. Keeping calm and professional can help diffuse the situation.

Instead of disagreeing out of hand with those that come in “knowing” what their problem is, take the time to listen to their concerns and address them. There are patients who have been dealing with medical issues and are aware of the symptoms they are having, but there are also patients who “self-diagnose” with online websites. By listening and then addressing any concern, you can relieve a lot of the fears that they are having.

When you have a hypochondriac patient, they tend to come in for the smallest thing. By giving them a little attention and allaying their fears, you can resolve most of the issues. When all else fails, sometimes you can recommend that they visit another doctor, to get a second opinion. However, it would be courteous to give the new doctor a heads up, if you know where they are going. Most annoying patients can be dealt with by having a calm and excellent bedside manner.