Dear office staff at any doctor's office:
No one really wants to be in your office. We usually aren't there because we woke up that morning and decided that today we wanted to answer uncomfortable questions about out life style and habits. Nor do we have a burning desire to pee in a cup, get poked with sharp objects, cough on command, etc. We don't like the scales even when we are naked at home-- what makes you think we will like it with 20 pounds of clothing on?
May I make a few suggestions to make our visit a bit more comfortable?
Please look at our charts before you call us back. Personally I would love it if just once you remembered to call me by my "preferred" name. After all, you guys had a line in that pile of paperwork you gave me that asked what I wanted to be called. That, for starters, will go along way to making me a little less anxious about my visit.
Hey, and think about those magazines you have out there. If the date is more than six months on a gossip magazine; toss it. That celeb has moved on and that beau is ancient history (according to the grocery store check out line). And ask yourself this question: Would I sit down and read this magazine? If the answer is no, cancel the subscription and subscribe to something else. And while your picking out some new subscriptions, take a look at who is sitting in your waiting room. A urologist office might not want to have a lot of "Fit Pregnancy" i of "Your Baby" n the waiting room. I was the youngest person in the waiting room and I technically could be a grandma and most of those waiting were of the male gender. And as my husband says, "The only magazine that is still good six months later is the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit issue."
Let's talk about that pile of paperwork. Seriously, how many times do I need to fill out the same form, I was there just last week. I understand if it has been a little while since we've had the privilege of meeting, but golly, please! How about a form that says, "nothing has changed since last week". You can put that on the top of the form and we can just click it. It's kind of like filling out those forms online where there is a checked box for shipping address same as billing address. Instead of checking all the boxes again, please just one box "same as last time" would be so nice.
Let's talk-- I've spent a lot of time in your waiting rooms.
Sincerely,
DOREEN (that's my preferred name) Blanding