What is important

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as Just a question, Patient Education, Salutations

Who are you?

It’s a very pertinent question. It can be answered in a plethora of different ways. The way each person answers the question tells us a lot about them. It tells us where the priorities lie, what they think about themselves, their career, what they’ve done with their life, and perhaps even where they are going.

One could answer this question several ways:
I’m a pharmacist. — Tells us about a person’s career or career path.
I’m a man/woman. — Tells us of their gender role (obviously). They also think their manliness/femininity personifies them.
I’m a husband/wife. — Tells us the most important thing in their life is their relationship with their S.O.
I’m a (insert religion). — Tells us that their relationship with a higher power is important to them.
I’m a son/daughter. — Tells us they value family. They probably have a good relationship with their parents.
I’m a father/mother. — Tells us they have children and they are one of the most important things in their life.
I’m a brother/sister. — Again, tells us they value family and probably have a close relationship with their siblings.
I’m a Brother/Sister. — This one could tell us they were involved in a Fraternity and valued it and the relationships they forged from it.
I’m a [pharmacy] student. — Tells us where they want to go with their life. Their aspirations.

You see, we can learn a lot about someone with just a few words — with some assumptions and clever associations. But, what’s the most important thing about someone? That’s very easy. Do you know it?

THEIR NAME! A person’s name epitomizes who they are. If you know someone’s name, you may not know everything about them the statements above can tell us, but you have a way to get that information — an ‘in’ so-to-speak. Not knowing someone’s name — or forgetting it — can be a very embarrassing situation. I do all I can to remember the name of every person that comes into my pharmacy. I think every Pharmacist and Technician should. Not only does it help us ensure the right person gets the medicine, it lets the person know that you care WHO they are and not just WHAT they are buying or HOW much they are spending.

Do whatever you need to do to remember everyone’s name. Write it down. Say it ten times in your head while looking right at them. Take a mental picture. Do whatever works! Simply by announcing someone’s name as they enter the pharmacy pretty much guarantees you a customer/patient for life. (”Hey James [or Mr. Smith]! What’re you up to today?” — or — “Hey John! How is that new Blood Pressure medicine working?” [with respect to patient privacy, of course])  It also ensures that you will probably get the benefit of the doubt should you ever make a mistake or screw the person over by accident. That personal relationship will help make sure that cool heads prevail, and it also will assure that angry patients see you as a human, with a name, that can make mistakes. But, as a human, you are allowed to be remorseful of those mistakes and apologize….all from knowing something as simple as someone’s name.

So, readers, I ask you this, WHO ARE YOU?

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