But are you really patient-centric?
The process was clever enough.
ALS Clinic Neurologist: You need to see Dr. Specialist. Debbie will make an appointment for you on your way out.
Caregiver to Debbie: May I make the appointment with Dr. Specialist, please? My schedule is a little difficult, sometimes. I have a meeting at work on Thursdays and Monday mornings are out and my loved one with ALS can't be at an appointment before 10 am, and after 2 pm he gets really weak.
Debbie: We'll just call them to make a first-available appointment. That way Dr. Specialist knows that you are our referral. Then when you get the appointment notice, you can call them and change it to whenever you want.
Clever? Yes.
Patient-centric? Hardly.
The patient in this case can't communicate easily. The caregiver is trying to hold down some semblance of employment while being a more-than-full-time caregiver. Both are dealing with a demanding disease. Both have very reasonable preferences for all appointments that should be easily accommodated without wasted time and calls.
Sometimes a healthcare delivery system sincerely believes that it is being patient-centric, but to the patients, it's like being at the center of a roundabout with healthcare providers going around them in circles to their own destinations.
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