Can Loving Up Patients Keep Doctors From Getting Sued?

When you go to the doctor’s office, you are not just a patient - you’re that doctor’s customer. And how you’re treated definitely affects how you feel about your physician.  Some doctors have better credentials than others. Some make fewer errors than others. Some show more concern for patients than others. Can you guess what type of doctor is least likely to get sued? 

 

The answer can be found from research sited in Malcolm Gladwell’s fascinating book, “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.” Detailed studies show that the risk of being sued for malpractice has less to do with the number of mistakes a doctor makes and more to do with the doctor’s tone of voice. Doctors who speak to their patients with a concerned tone of voice are significantly less likely to be sued. Doctors who speak in a dominant tone of voice are the most likely to get sued, regardless of their credentials. 

 

A person’s tone of voice tells you how they feel about you. Are you being respected? Dismissed? Belittled? The more concern you hear in a person’s voice, the more respected you’ll feel - and the more likely you’ll be to form an emotional connection with them.

 

What does this mean for you in your business? Start to notice your tone of voice. Customers form emotional connections with people who speak in a way that expresses respect and concern. What is your tone of voice telling the people at your place of work?  

 

For me, the most important discovery here is not that we should strategically notice and change our voices.  It’s more about how your tone of voice reveals what you think about your customers and coworkers. If you feel superior to them or are annoyed with them, it’s going to come out in your tone of voice. Rather than practicing changing your voice, I recommend thinking more compassionate thoughts. Then your tone of voice will naturally take on a more concerned tone. 

 

Reflections:

What might happen if you declared a ‘tone of voice’ day at work?