Inside Duke Medicine
Living our values: Integrity
posted September 13th, 2011
PRMO scheduler Nikki Whitlor
PRMO scheduler’s integrity gained a patient’s trust
As a patient service representative, Niki Whitlor detected a pattern in a certain patient’s calls. Each time a procedure was scheduled, the patient called to cancel.
As the cancellations mounted, so did Whitlor’s concern for the patient.
In the spirit of her professional and personal integrity, she knew she needed to do something. When the patient called again, Whitlor carefully opened a channel of communication to build trust with the patient and better understand the situation. Whitlor was able to connect with the patient who eventually confided that she could not afford the prep kit required for the procedure.
“When I learned that was the problem, I offered to help her in any way possible,” Whitlor said. “Still, she turned me down initially.” However, when the patient called to cancel another procedure, she was lucky to hear Whitlor’s voice.
“This time she was more open and we talked about her situation and what she needed,” Whitlor said. “I told her I would buy the kit and bring it to her.”
After a long, warm conversation, the patient agreed to accept the help. Whitlor spent about $30 of her own money to secure the kit and the patient invited Whitlor to her home for the delivery.
“The effort was well worth it for many reasons,” Whitlor noted. “Most importantly, we got her scheduled for the procedure.”
“It was the right thing to do for that patient or any patient in that situation. Listening and working to build trust is part of the job,” she said.
View the complete pdf of the Sept. 2011 Inside Duke Medicine or click through the articles online.