Defusing Angry Patients at the Front Desk

This session will review the state of the problem and discuss the specific challenges faced within the healthcare environment. Overall best practices for identifying the causes for the behavior and tactics to reduce the probability of violence will be reviewed and explained.

At the end of the session attendees will understand the above areas and how to apply them to their specific roles and situations that they may encounter in their day-to day jobs.

• Establishing processes to identify the specific issues and situations that result in verbal and physical violence.
• Discussion about tactics that will reduce the likelihood of unwanted behavior, including:
  • Proxemics
  • Body Positioning
  • Awareness and skills in using verbal skills, including de-escalation
  • The role of planning  and debriefing to improve outcomes

Workplace violence in the form of misbehavior in general and abusive and violent behavior continues to increase. OSHA data has shown that the medical environment accounts for the majority of non-fatal workplace violence and this includes that stemming from what should be considered “routine” interactions at places of intake and service. Some tactics can help reduce the dynamics that oftentimes lead to this behavior.

It is crucial for both leaders as well as those who interact with angry patients on a day-to-day basis to understand the dynamics, and how their responses can impact a positive outcome. Additionally, all need to understand the role of teamwork in the situations and how to debrief situations to improve response to future incidents.