Tips for Easing Patient Anxiety in Your Practice
Do you remember visiting your doctor as a child and feeling scared and anxious? Do you remember why? Many people—children and adults alike—dislike seeing medical professionals due to uncertainty and fear of pain or hearing bad news.
Many of these patients may be yours, which is why you must read on to learn these tips for easing patient anxiety in your practice.
Know What Anxiety Looks Like
As a medical professional, it’s critical to recognize what anxiety looks like in children and adults. Here are some symptoms of anxiety in adults:
Irritability
Restless or being on-edge
Burning sensation
While symptoms of anxiety in children look similar, they may appear in more physical sensations than mental, like:
Stomachache
Difficulty sleeping
Being tense or fidgety
These symptoms will vary with each patient you encounter, but it’s helpful to understand general anxiety symptoms so that you know how to help your patients relax.
Offer a Comfortable Environment
When a patient walks into your office, the first thing they see is your waiting room, which is precisely why you must offer them a comfortable environment.
You can do this by providing productive distractions like a fish tank, short health and wellness videos, soothing music, and more. You might also consider playing lighthearted TV comedies that can help ease their anxiety. Laughter is the best medicine, after all.
However, you can also decorate your room with calming paint colors, art pieces, and comfortable sofas and seats. But remember, it’s not just about the décor and entertainment; your team must be welcoming as well.
Train Your Team
We’ve all been to a medical office where the staff was grumpy or stressed and didn’t offer the best customer service. This only makes patients more anxious and frustrated.
Be sure to train your team to act with a positive attitude and be respectful to all patients that come through. To minimize stress within your team, ensure an excellent benefits package with proper PTO and a clean, organized environment that helps them feel more efficient.
Write Out Treatment Plan
Oftentimes, patients might feel anxious about attending a doctor visit alone because they’re nervous about remembering everything the health care staff said regarding their treatment plans.
A great way to offset this is by writing out the next steps on a piece of paper or their visit summary for them. This way, they’re confident about what to do next and can relax during their appointment.
Avoid Prescribing Narcotics
Prescription narcotic abuse is a significant social problem. For medical providers that are looking into alternative pain relief options, Kratom could be a viable option. Millions of people worldwide are taking kratom to manage pain, alleviate anxiety, boost energy and focus, or wean themselves off opiate medications. Buying Kratom in your local community could be a challenge, but ordering online will provide better prices & better selection.
Maintain Equipment
Outdated equipment can stick out like a sore thumb in a medical office, contributing to a patient’s anxiety. Try to update your equipment regularly so your patient is confident in their treatment and you can operate your machinery with peace of mind.
These tips for easing patient anxiety in your practice will enable you to adequately treat your patients and help them relax.