Abstract
Life on reception can be tough. Do we fully appreciate this demanding role? Can we walk a mile in their shoes? The skills required are considerable; communication, negotiating, educating and resilience are but a few. Coupled with that, remuneration is not considerable. So, who would be a receptionist? What are their reflections about life on reception? While we as doctors feel the rewards of patient care, receptionists can feel deflated when their patient contacts are fractious or negative. Furthermore, when things go wrong in the consultation room it can be the receptionist who bears the brunt of subsequent patient dissatisfaction. What can we do to make their lives better? Let’s hear from Elaine, a former receptionist in an inner city practice for 20 years, now an esteemed Health Care Assistant, reflect on her time as a receptionist.
In the early 1990’s when I was first employed as a medical receptionist, my practice manager wrote a poem: ‘Who would be a receptionist, when it’s such a thankless task!’ A good question! I thoroughly enjoyed my role as a receptionist; the busyness, the relationships with colleagues, the interaction with patients and the feeling of a job well done. Our days were filled with retrieving notes (Lloyd George) from filing cabinets for every patient that had an appointment, a home visit or a prescription request. We would add a new prescription in case it was needed on the visit, write a new continuation card so the doctor would not run out of space and all letters and results were date stamped and sorted correctly. And it went on, with so many little tasks picked up to keep the cogs turning. Each receptionist would have responsibility for a particular area, be it overseeing baby clinic, ante natal clinic or supporting the general management of the practice. It was generally a tight and happy ship!
Reception training involved shadowing another receptionist for several weeks until the terrifying moment when you had to speak to the patient alone. But it worked and we soon stepped into the rhythm. We learned not just the procedures, but the working patterns of each GP and nurse. Guidelines were there, but we all know that everyone has their individual preferences. Staff turnover was low and people were settled in their jobs. We closed to have lunch together while the phones were directed to an answer phone giving time to breathe and finish the morning work in time for the evening shift.
After 20 years in reception I was offered the chance to train as a Health Care Assistant and switched to the ‘other side’. With all the ‘improvements’ in general practice it has not really reduced the workload for reception, only changed it. If all the ‘new ideas and ways of working’ actually worked, then there would be transformation, but they are hard to implement quickly and need education. When time is saved it is often replaced with other tasks to support patient care and targets.
Dealing with patient dissatisfaction was challenging. I think posters stating ‘We will not tolerate abuse’ reduced angry confrontations at the desk, but it was still tough. ‘You are just a receptionist’ is a phrase heard all too often, a perception that may never change, but one so far from the truth. Receptionists are the front of house staff, the first contact with every person that comes through the door. Receptionists get to know patients and build relationships, sometimes conveying any concerns they may have to clinicians. Is this a form of unrecognised triage? Receptionists need to feel valued, by patients and colleagues alike. This is crucial for recruitment and retention. The way we work has changed, but the job has not. Today the environment is more demanding, faster and often just exhausting.
So, who would be a receptionist?
Receptionists are never ‘just receptionists’. They are highly skilled professionals who have a pivotal role in facilitating healthcare and triage. Value them. Learn from them. Sit on reception. Walk a mile in their shoes. Thank God for our receptionists!