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Complaints & Difficult Patient Interactions

Difficult patient interactions

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Key takeaway: In the course of your work you might have to interact with patients that are angry and upset with you or your colleagues. Everything that you need to know about how to handle a difficult patient interaction is covered on our Management of Violence & Aggression page.

Anger is a common and normal emotion. We have all felt it at least once, and our patients feel it, too. When a patient acts in an aggressive way, keep in mind that it most likely has nothing to do with you personally. Patient anger/frustration can occur for a variety of external reasons (e.g. pressures at home, mental illness, feelings of loss of control/powerlessness, etc.). Take a breath and try some de-escalation tactics.

We’ve put together a whole page on 🤬Managing Violence & Aggression to show you what to do in the event of a difficult patient interaction.

Complaints

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Key takeaway: While you’re working with us you may receive positive or negative feedback from patients, or they may make a complaint about you or one of your colleagues. Everything that you need to know about how to deal with a complaint is covered on our Feedback & Complaints page.

If our patients are not happy with their treatment, or any other matter connected to their care, they are welcome to make a complaint.

Giving our patients the opportunity to voice their concerns or frustrations is important.

Firstly, so they can express how they’re feeling.
Secondly, although it may feel difficult to receive complaints or suggestions to improve our services, it is overall beneficial for us to receive feedback that could lead to us providing better quality care to patients.

We discuss how to deal with feedback or complaints from patients in more detail on our 😓Feedback & Complaints page.

FAQs

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What should I do in a difficult patient interaction?

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What should I do if a patient wants to make a complaint?

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For questions: If you’ve got any questions about how to deal with complaints or difficult patient interactions, reach out to our Patient Experience Manager

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