Have you noticed this at Kaiser?


I was raised by very literal parents. (not to be confused with "liberal"). They said what they meant, and
meant what they said. There was no need to read their body language. 
No wondering, "What did he really mean by that?"

So the new policies at Kaiser lately are a bit difficult for me to decipher. 
Den and I have both noticed how they “ask” more and give instruction less. 
It's all about better customer service to them, but I think it gets a bit carried away.

Like, just recently when I went in for an eye exam.

Here's the conversation after having my eyes dilated in the first room I was brought to by the nurse.

Nurse: "It will take 15 minutes for your eyes to dilate. Would you prefer to wait in the next room?"
Me: "Versus what?"
Nurse:  "Would you prefer to wait where the others are waiting?
Me: "Oh, do you need this room for the next patient?"
Nurse: "Uh no….The doctor is not even coming in this room."
Me: "Oh, so you want me go where exactly?"
Nurse: "Would you like to wait in the waiting room where the other patients are waiting for their eyes 
to dilate also?"
Me: "I will go where ever you want me to go. Where do you want me to go?"
Nurse: "You need to go into the waiting area with the other patients."
Me: "Ok then. Let's go."

As the nurse was then taking me to the next waiting area I wanted to say to her (but didn't): 
“Don't give me a choice if there is no choice. 
If I can't choose where I want to wait, then don't ask me what I prefer.”

Kaiser has even started this new thing where instead of calling your name when it's your turn 
to see the doctor….the nurse now always steps out, wanders out into the waiting room,
 looking around and calling the patient's name.

Then when they get to the correct person they say things like, 
“How are you today? Can I help you in to see the doctor?”

 I don't mind that but it drives Dennis a little nuts. While I was seeing the eye Dr that day, 
Den said some of those nurses were so “sickeningly sweet” with the patients 
and were talking in high little girl voices in a what he thought was condescending.

I still love Kaiser. I think they are an extremely well run organization. And to me, if they are trying too
hard, I can live with that. I'll just have to practice more at reading their body language.

So anyone else notice these changes at Kaiser? 
Do you like the changes?

I wonder if offices outside of Kaiser have made similar changes….

7 comments:

Rebecca said...

I don't know about Kaiser, because they don't have that here where I live. But I have noticed this here too! Maybe the new trend? I too feel it is condescending. AND I hate it when they ask you what you want but then you really don't have a choice!

Rebecca said...

One thing I have learned with this all, is to be BLUNT. Don't give them a conversation with the subject. When she asked where I wanted to wait, I would have just said right here and been done with the whole conversation. Or I would have said? Why are you asking me when I don't have a choice.

Grandma Honey said...

That's funny because I really do wonder what she would have said if I had responded that I would just stay there. And I thought I WAS being blunt by asking her what she wanted me to do….since she was so evasive and misleading. :)

Scrapally said...

our bank tellers at the drive thru are so syrupy sweet it drives me crazy! Just a nice normal level of niceness would be great. I guess it's better than the other way around, but it's too much for me...

Anonymous said...

I have not experienced this. Never been to a Kaiser doctor. But, I truly appreciate a pleasant tone of voice, especially when I'm a little nervous about going to the doctor. I respond very well to a bit of syrup when I'm scared. But, I've never been asked if I wanted something that I actually couldn't have. That would have been confusing to me. I too grew up with literal parents, and I counted on being able to trust them to say what they meant.
darlene

Grandmotherfairy said...

My doctor of 29 years retired last month...I was assigned a girl who looks like she is 12 years old...hard to take her seriously...I guess I am getting old!

pebble said...

My brother is an eye doctor at Kaiser! Ha, ha. I will have to ask him, I don't see him very often however, as I live in Utah and he in Oregon. He runs the Rockwood Clinic in Oregon. It's hard to imagine this happening in Oregon, Oregonians are pretty down to earth! Great story!

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