Douglas R. Briggs, DC, Dipl. Ac. (IAMA), DAAPM, EMT
Recently, I took my dog Maggie to the vet for her checkup and shots. (No, we are not going into the debate on vaccinations.) The visit was business as usual until the time came for the heartworm blood sample. Let's just say Maggie didn't like that. When Maggie yelped and jumped with the needle stick, the assistant noted, "Oh look, she expressed her anal glands." Say WHAT?
I have had dogs for a long time, so I knew what the assistant was talking about. All predators, whether they are canines or felines in the wild or skunks in your backyard, have anal glands. Skunks discharge the secretion from these glands as a form of defense, while dogs use it primarily for territorial marking or as a form of communication. In dogs and cats, every time a stool is passed, it puts enough pressure on the anal glands that some of the secretion is deposited on the surface of the stool. Other dogs and cats are then able to tell who has been in the neighborhood just by sniffing the stools they find. Sometimes, when scared or startled, domesticated animals will discharge these glands, much like a visceral fright reflex.
So, what does all this have to do with chiropractic? My point is simple: Use words people understand. As health care providers, we have a certain vocabulary we use. We know what we are talking about; Joe Public does not. Words like subluxation and myofascial trigger point are not in the average person's vocabulary.
I have heard many practice management speakers over the years talk about being an effective communicator. "People don't care what you know - they want to know how much you care" is the common advice, and it's true. Big fancy words don't impress patients. Your ability to relate to them and help them does. Speak on their level. Take the time to explain your treatment and plan of care.
There is a time for professional language and dialogue. Choose the time and be aware of whom you are speaking to. As I have written before, we all have a professional and legal responsibility to document the care provided. It doesn't matter whether you are a straight or a mixer, if you use Gonstead, diversified, Nimmo or acupuncture, or if you run an insurance-based or cash-only practice; it is your professional responsibility to document what you find, what you plan to do and how you treat the patient. Whether you like it or not, your treatment notes will be looked at by a medical physician, insurance company, or attorney at some point. With this understanding, use the professional vocabulary when appropriate.
Most people who walk through your front door come in with a set of expectations. They saw a documentary on TV or they read an article in People magazine. My favorite is: "Oprah said..." They have a mental picture of someone who is going to reach down and cure them with a miraculous touch. We know that doesn't always happen.
Unfortunately, we are not always the first health care provider a patient has seen. Many of them have been through many painful and/or embarrassing tests. They have consulted with medical professionals who can often be cold or dismissive toward them. They have been given "diagnoses" they don't properly understand. These patients need someone who can sit down and explain to them what is going on in a way they can understand. Speaking over a patient only lends to frustration and disappointment.
At the vet, I did not care that the assistant knew big words. I was only there to take care of my dog. At that moment, she was scared. I didn't need someone spouting off professional jargon to impress me, and neither did Maggie. After the visit, Maggie was more interested in playing with the friendly receptionist who got down to pet her than the assistant with the big vocabulary.
Don't leave your patients thinking, "Say what?" Be a real person. It might seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference. When you talk to people at their level, it makes you approachable, it makes you an ally - it makes you a friend.
