Have you ever gone to a doctor appointment and felt like you were being pushed through a series of events without any clear understanding of what was happening or what was going to happen next? It can be a very stressful experience.

This is exactly what happened to me last week when I went to the optometrist to get my eyes checked.

A nice young lady called my name, asked me to follow her, and didn’t introduce herself. I didn’t know if she was a doctor or a technician. We went into a room where she had me put my chin on a pad while some weird machine made an image that went in and out of focus for both of my eyes. I didn’t know what it was actually doing until later. She then told me to go to another machine where I did a similar process and the machine puffed air in my eye.

As a veterinarian, I knew what was happening, but if I had no medical knowledge, this could have been a very odd, uncomfortable, or possibly scary experience.

It occurred to me that signposting would be really helpful in this situation.

What Is Signposting?

Signposting is a technique used in customer service, healthcare, and other fields to clearly communicate the steps or actions that will take place during a process or interaction. It is designed to set expectations and reduce anxiety or confusion for the customer or patient by providing clear and specific information about what will happen next. Signposting can be verbal, such as through verbal instructions or explanations, or it can be visual, such as through signs or diagrams. Signposting is a way of communicating the steps and procedures that are to be followed in a clear and concise manner. It is an effective tool to increase client satisfaction and reduce their anxiety by letting them know what to expect. In short, signposting is simply mapping out your consultation. It is the process of telling the client what to expect or what is going to happen throughout the consultation. Signposting can significantly decrease anxiety or stress for our clients or patients.

How Does Signposting Work?

It starts with the support staff. Here’s a possible flow:

Your Receptionist

When your client enters the reception area, your receptionist would immediately say something like:

Welcome Jen. Before we go to an exam room, I’m going to verify your personal information and get Max’s weight. We’ll then go to the exam room where the technician will ask you health-related questions for Max.

The receptionist will then lead your client into the exam room.

Your Technician

When your technician enters the room and introduces herself, she might say:

Hi there, I’m Sylvia. I’ll be helping you and Dr. Bingham today. You must be Jen and this must be Max. As part of our low-stress handling, let Max have a few minutes to wander in the exam room to relax before the doctor gets here.

You

You should use signposting all the time, such as before doing the medical interview, before the exam, and certainly after the exam. Before the medical interview, you might say,

Before I do Max’s physical exam, I want to get more details on Max. Please tell me more about Max’s lameness.

After the medical interview, you might use a transition statement, which is also signposting, and might sound like:

Ok, now that I understand your concerns, I’m going to do a full physical exam. I’ll check the eyes, ears, teeth, etc., but I’ll concentrate on the lame leg at the end of the exam, we’ll then put our heads together and get a plan.

You should also signpost while executing your plan. It might sound like:

Ok. We’re going to admit Max into the hospital for a few hours. We’ll sedate him for a full radiology study, then reverse sedation when done. You can pick him up at 4 pm. If anything else comes up and we get delayed, we’ll call you. I’ll have the radiology report tomorrow and will email it to you when it comes in, then call to talk about it. In the meantime, I’ll have you start an oral anti-inflammatory for pain control.

Setting Expectations Creates Trust

Signposting is an awesome opportunity for us to set client expectations, which significantly decreases their anxiety and improves their trust in what we are doing. It is used throughout the consultation, but most intensely during the collaborative planning period. The next time you go to a doctor’s appointment, pay attention to the signposting that the doctor and staff use (or fail to use). When done right, you’ll likely find that it makes the experience less stressful