Difficult patients can be needy, demanding, and question everything. This article provides tips for healthcare professionals on how to handle difficult patients, including working on communication skills by listening more and answering questions thoroughly, setting boundaries by explaining why requests cannot be granted, and showing compassion by putting oneself in the patient's shoes and remaining calm. The goal is to improve relationships with patients through better communication.

1. How to Handle Difficult Patients
by Nexus Insurance Services
www.nexus-insurance.net

2. As a health care professional, you come in
contact with many people on a daily basis.
Every patient is unique and each person has
their own personality. It’s great when you can
build a good rapport with patients and
everything runs smoothly, but unfortunately,
there are patients who can make your work
more challenging than it already is.

3. Difficult patients can be needy, demanding,
and question everything you do. They take up
a great deal of time and energy, and can put
you in a testy mood very quickly if you don’t
know how to deal with them. Here are a few
tips that may help you create better
relationships with patients…

4. Is your behavior and way of communicating
not up to par? Perhaps your lack of
communication is making the patient question
your actions.
Work On
Communication
Skills
Spend an extra moment or two with the patient
to really listen to their needs and make sure to
answer their questions thoroughly.
If this person in front of you was a loved one,
how would you treat them?

5. There are patients who want you to be at their
beck and call. They feel entitled to demand
whatever they want and may even manipulate you
into thinking that you should cater to their
unreasonable requests.
However, it’s ok to say no.
Set
Boundaries
Explain to them why you are denying their request
and encourage them to express their concerns. It
all goes back to proper communication between
you and the patient.

6. Put yourself in your patients’
shoes.
Remain calm and treat them with
respect.
Be
Compassionate
Ease patients' nerves by listening
to what they have to say.

7. Remember that every patient does have the
right to safe and appropriate medical care.
Most of the time all a patient needs is
someone who will simply listen to them.

8. Remember that every patient does have the
right to safe and appropriate medical care.
Most of the time all a patient needs is
someone who will simply listen to them.