Service Is Improving Everywhere

      It seems like wherever you turn, our struggling economy is the main topic of discussion more days than not, and there is certainly good reason for that. The economy is one of those things that has a one-two-punch effect, as it impacts both people's personal and professional lives.

   Especially out in the business world, which has been plagued with increasing numbers of going-out-of-business signs popping up, those businesses that do survive are aggressively going after market share and doing whatever it takes to make their business or service the one you and I choose. Strangely enough, one of the things that can be done that generally costs any business little to nothing is to simply increase customer service.

   I bring this up because over the last six months or so, I can't help but notice that customer service is improving all around me. At several restaurants my wife and I frequent, the owners, who were already quite social, are now on the restaurant floor almost continuously, visiting each table to make certain that your meal meets expectations, while at the same time working to assure that you have a pleasant dining experience. When I walk into Wells Fargo to do my banking, someone says hello to me immediately, and the service that follows is outstanding. The guy at the auto parts store yesterday was incredibly helpful, and I was only replacing a license plate bracket, not buying a rebuilt transmission. These are but a few of many service upsides I've been seeing.

   Those observations being made, I couldn't help but take a minute to wonder if there have been any changes in the service that we in EMS are providing our customers these days. Unlike a business that decides to improve customer service in hopes of increasing its revenue stream, I believe there are several different things going on in EMSland that might benefit from some improved service. Read on and see if you agree.

Expect Sicker Patients

   I've been looking at the handful of health plan choices available to me as a state employee, and almost all will have hefty increases in co-pays (most are DOUBLING after the first of the year), with many other increases across the board as well. I have to assume this is pretty consistent with what is happening to most folks as the insurance companies put the screws to us to fill their coffers before healthcare reform sets in.

   Now, imagine the family with a sick kid who needs to go to the hospital. Where the co-pay previously just kept them from filling the gas tank up, it now wipes out half the grocery money for the week. My crystal ball tells me that more people are going to try at least one or more inexpensive, over-the-counter interventions before finally giving in and deciding to go to the hospital. For those cases where the cheap fix doesn't play, it means that a day or two may have passed and you are going to see a much sicker patient than you would normally. Given the hype associated with the H1N1 virus, and this year's virus season in general, if that's the culprit, you could really find yourself behind the curve with patient care as a result. If that's not enough, you've got another challenge to deal with as well.

Expect Higher Levels of Frustration

   Let's be honest: No one really wants to go to the hospital for any reason. So there is already a lot of stress by the time the patient decides to call 9-1-1. Given the unemployment numbers nationwide, you will undoubtedly run into scenes where at least someone is recently unemployed. How much tension does that add to the equation?

   Our scenes are dynamic and unstable enough as it is, and overpopulating them with folks who are already anxious and stressed out is clearly not a plus. In addition, when people decide to vent their frustrations, you and your partner become convenient targets. Never forget: Don't take these attacks personally. Take them professionally. These are the rantings of stressed-out, unhappy, frustrated human beings.

   While we often bring solutions to the table, in this case, we don't. It wasn't our decision to wait a couple more days to see if the OTC meds would do the trick before finally calling in the cavalry. Nor did we lay them off from their job, and it's very unlikely that we can offer them a replacement job either. Each of these new elements just adds additional challenges to your already challenging job as an EMS provider.

   Given my basic philosophy of "when given lemons, make lemonade," my suggestion for the best way to counteract the problems stated above is to turn your customer service knob up a couple of notches. Just as I have recently felt the impact of increased customer service, I have to believe that a similar effect would happen to you. Granted, it's not a 100% certainty, but a little more patience, a little more understanding and doing whatever you can to make people's EMS experience a little more positive in this incredibly crappy fiscal time sure can't hurt, and it just might help. Until next month…

   Mike Smith, BS, MICP, is program chair for the Emergency Medical Services program at Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, WA, and a member of EMS Magazine's editorial advisory board.