The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 News
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Ankylosing Spondylitis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Just You & the Patient: Tips to Stay Focused at Work

Just You & the Patient: Tips to Stay Focused at Work

November 24, 2017 • By Karen Appold

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

All day, technology dings and beeps, phones buzz, staff members need just a moment of your time, and personal issues linger in the back of your mind. With all of the interruptions and potential distractions that occur throughout a day, how do rheumatologists stay focused on patient encounters and work responsibilities?

You Might Also Like
  • Tips for Physicians to Stay Focused at Work
  • Tips for Physicians on Handling Personal Problems at Work
  • An ‘Idea Factory’ Focused on Patient Care
Also By This Author
  • In-Office Pharmacist Improves Patient Care

“Arriving at work early to address any outstanding messages or overnight concerns helps me start the day ahead of things,” says Margaret Tsai, MD, rheumatologist, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Lorain, Ohio. “Then, when patients arrive, I can fully focus on them.”

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Dr. Tsai’s office staff takes and triages all of her messages, eliminating the constant flow of messages that may interrupt patient visits. She has educated staff on the appropriate levels of urgency for patient concerns, which helps them notify her appropriately via text, phone or email.

For urgent and time-sensitive issues, such as a patient being sent to the emergency department or needing to be seen immediately or another provider calling, staff will knock on the exam room door or send her a text message. “The office staff assists me in addressing urgent patient issues in between patient office visits,” she says.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

For less urgent matters, such as requests for medication refills and medication questions, staff members email her.

Family Matters
Elena Schiopu, MD, associate professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, says it’s important to keep her smartphone in her pocket on silent. As a mother of three young children, she doesn’t want to miss a call from her children’s school about illness or injury. “To make sure I don’t miss a message, I’ll briefly look at [my phone] when the patient moves from the chair to the table, while also observing the patient’s movement pattern,” she says. “I have to look at my pager when it beeps, so I don’t miss a patient emergency.” Whenever an interruption occurs, she apologizes to the patient and tries to resume the interaction with the patient as quickly as possible.

Other disruptions may occur when personal issues mentally distract you.

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

“When I’m going through a difficult time, I’ll briefly stop in front of the patient exam room door before entering, take a big breath in and force my face into a wide smile to uplift my spirits,” Dr. Schiopu says. Maintaining this positive attitude during patient encounters helps sharpen her focus.

“It is a conscious effort. When a patient asks about my family, I’ll smile and say, ‘Thank you for asking. Everyone is doing great’—even if that’s not the case. Divulging details about a family issue is a slippery slope and [may] take time away from the patient’s time. Therefore, I turn the conversation back to them.”

Pages: 1 2 | Single Page

Filed Under: Practice Management Tagged With: Mental Health, patient communication, physician-patient communication, Practice Management, rheumatologists

You Might Also Like:
  • Tips for Physicians to Stay Focused at Work
  • Tips for Physicians on Handling Personal Problems at Work
  • An ‘Idea Factory’ Focused on Patient Care
  • How Rheumatologists Can Plan for Extended Work Absences

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

American College of Rheumatology

Visit the official website for the American College of Rheumatology.

Visit the ACR »

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2021 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.