{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The patient isn't always right: How to handle difficult conversations","description":"The patient may always deserve empathy\u2014but that doesn\u2019t mean the patient is always right.   Every optometry practice has difficult patient interactions: the patient who shows up for an appointment that isn\u2019t on the schedule, the person demanding an exception to a policy, or the patient expecting the practice to absorb the consequences of something that simply isn\u2019t its responsibility.   In this episode of The Optometry Success Podcast, we role-play two real-world situations and break down how practice owners and their teams can respond without becoming defensive, immediately giving in, or escalating the situation.   We discuss the importance of tactical empathy, giving patients choices, anchoring expectations, and empowering team members to make decisions without unnecessarily involving the doctor. Chad also explains why doctors may actually be the wrong people to handle these situations: our desire to solve the urgent problem in front of us can cause us to forget everyone else affected by that decision.   That leads us to the \u201ctyranny of the urgent\u201d\u2014when the loudest, most immediate problem takes priority over everything else. Saying yes to one demanding patient might simultaneously mean saying no to the eight other patients on your schedule, your team, your profitability, and your own sanity.   And sometimes, even after doing everything right, the patient still won\u2019t accept the answer. We leave that question for our next conversation: What happens when empathy, flexibility, and reasonable solutions still aren\u2019t enough?   NBS (Next Best Step): Identify one common situation in your practice where your team feels pressured to make exceptions for patients. Define the boundary, decide who has the authority to handle it, and give your team a framework for responding with empathy\u2014without automatically saying yes.   Have a question for us to address in a future episode? Submit it here!   Resources: The Optometry Success Podcast, Episode: Extended Warranty - Your Profits for Patient Peace of Mind Book: Never Split the Difference Learn more about Partners in Profit Download the Practice Owner's Financial Toolkit 20\/20 Money Ultimate Financial Success Masterclass OD Mastermind Interest Form Check out Adam's new book: How to Buy an Optometry Practice   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https:\/\/shorturl.at\/Fq1Ro  Subscribe on Spotify: https:\/\/shorturl.at\/jCtsk    ","author_name":"The Optometry Success Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/sites.libsyn.com\/604445","html":"