Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Entitled patients: 6 ways to respond

Susan Keane Baker
Patient
June 10, 2013
Share
Tweet
Share

You probably know patients who present with entitled attitudes and you may think there’s not much you can do about them.  Entitled patients often demand excessive attention and may question your competence when they are not satisfied with how important you make them feel.

By using one or more of the following approaches, you can manage entitled patients respectfully while reducing your risk of stress and burnout.

1. Be on the same side.  When an entitled patient brags about knowing your CEO, your best strategy is to praise your CEO with a lot of specifics.

“You know our CEO George Doria?  Isn’t he amazing?  At our weekly meetings, he’s the most down-to-earth guy.  He never fails to ask how my son is doing in baseball.”

The entitled person immediately sees that threatening to complain to the CEO is not going to intimidate you.  And it may dawn on him that you’re in a position to complain to the CEO about the entitled attitude he presented.

2. Use empathy to absorb tension.  George Thompson and Jerry Jenkins, authors of Verbal Judo, suggest: “Empathy Absorbs Tension.” Without an obvious demonstration of empathy, the entitled patient will view you as the obstacle to what she wants.

“I’m sure being here is taking time away from important things you need to do. I don’t like waiting either and know it’s frustrating. As soon as the doctor is available, I will immediately let you know.”

Subtle emphasis of “immediately” will convey that you understand the need for urgency.

3. Take patients as you find them.  Ten percent of the time, patients will be annoying.  If you allow that ten percent to control your entire day, you’re at greater risk for stress and burnout.  Consider acceptance as part of the patient’s treatment plan say Marian Stuart and Dr. Joseph Lieberman, authors of The Fifteen Minute Hour: Therapeutic Talk in Primary Care. Your tone of voice conveys how you really feel, so focus on making it non-judgmental.

“Let’s see what we can do to make this better.”

4. Focus on the person, not the personality. Make it a point to listen when you have time.  Everyone wants to feel unique and special.  What does the entitled person do when he is not there being your patient?  If he drops the names of the hottest restaurants, could you ask for advice for a special occasion coming up?  It isn’t easy to do this, but it may be just the technique that turns the entitled person into an easier patient.

5. Use the million-dollar phrase. Entitled people believe that what they want is fair, and when they can’t have what they want, they often react with criticism that is hurtful rather than constructive.

You need a safety net response to prevent situations from escalating out of control. Focus on slowing down your responses.  Pause before answering.

ADVERTISEMENT

Listen to the criticism without interrupting or objecting.  Then with all the sincerity and respect you can muster, pull out your million-dollar phrase:

“Mr. Forbes, thank you for telling me.”

6. Find a team member to step in for you.  It can be interesting to learn that a patient behavior that drives your colleague crazy doesn’t bother you in the least, and vice versa.  Consider a non-verbal signal to alert a colleague to come over and help the entitled patient.  Remember to do the same for your colleague when his or her version of the difficult patient arrives.

Susan Keane Baker is a speaker specializing in physician-patient relationships.  She is the author of Managing Patient Expectations.

Prev

Looking up health information online: Do you really trust your doctor?

June 10, 2013 Kevin 11
…
Next

Ask patients if they feel comfortable asking questions

June 10, 2013 Kevin 4
…

Tagged as: Patients

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Looking up health information online: Do you really trust your doctor?
Next Post >
Ask patients if they feel comfortable asking questions

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More in Patient

  • AI’s role in streamlining colorectal cancer screening [PODCAST]

    The Podcast by KevinMD
  • There’s no one to drive your patient home

    Denise Reich
  • Dying is a selfish business

    Nancie Wiseman Attwater
  • A story of a good death

    Carol Ewig
  • We are warriors: doctors and patients

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Patient care is not a spectator sport

    Jim Sholler
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions
    • It’s time for pain protocols to catch up with the opioid crisis

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • First impressions happen online—not in your exam room

      Sara Meyer | Social media
    • How locum tenens work helps physicians and APPs reclaim control

      Brian Sutter | Policy
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 27 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions
    • It’s time for pain protocols to catch up with the opioid crisis

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • First impressions happen online—not in your exam room

      Sara Meyer | Social media
    • How locum tenens work helps physicians and APPs reclaim control

      Brian Sutter | Policy
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Entitled patients: 6 ways to respond
27 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...