Case Story

This case focuses on a typical day in clinic for Harry Healthcare. It shows how care can be negatively impacted when we make assumptions about patients based on limited information about their background. As you read through this story pay special attention to how one’s biases can affect the care that is provided.

"Double-booked"

What a morning! As if it’s not enough that I spilled coffee on my pants coming to work, one glance at the schedule showed me what kind of day it’s going to be. We’ve got Jenny Metzer and Jordan Rogers, two kids with cystic fibrosis double booked at 2:30 this afternoon. Dealing with two families at once is going to be hard enough, but it’ll be more of a circus because one of the families is the Metzers.

Not that the Metzers are bad people, mind you, but they are just so “clueless.” I know that sounds bad, but the office feels dirtier after they’re gone. I’ll have to clean up the dirt left on the floor by Mr. Metzer’s work boots, and I swear their hair smells like greasy French fries and lingers in the air well after they’re gone. And they take up so much time! I have to start from the beginning every visit, repeating all the things I feel like I’ve told them a million times before. How many times a week is little Jenny getting airway clearance? You know that she needs to be doing that at least 2 times daily, right? And there will be Mr. Metzer. He stares blankly at me every visit. All I can hope is that he understands enough to keep Jenny healthy. I’ll have to ask Mrs. Metzer for the umpteenth time about their compliance with Jenny’s meds. She’ll look at me, annoyed, and tell me that ‘they’re doing all they can,’ and that ‘Jenny’s doin’ just fine.'

Thank goodness for the Rogers—the other family booked at 2:30. The time I waste with the Metzers will be made up by the lack of time I have to spend with the Rogers. I love talking with Jordan’s mom Maggie. I bet she’s a great mom to her 4-year-old, Jimmy. She’s so confident and well dressed and sweet. Maggie's and Dan’s new baby Jordan is going to turn out just fine with help from such a great family. Maggie took maternity leave from her sales rep job, and I know she spends a lot of time taking care of the baby properly. Of course, Dan’s always at our meetings too. He takes off of work at the law firm to come in with Maggie and the kids every time and pays attention to every detail. And they’ll be so well organized that we can breeze right through the visit. How refreshing after a visit with the Metzers!

You will get “the rest of the story” in the learning activities section of this lesson.

 

Things to consider about this case

There are several issues to consider about this case. You will explore these issues more fully in the learning activities.

• If you work in a clinic setting, how do you deal with busy schedules?
• How well do you think Harry Healthcare knows these families?
• What concerns do you think the two families may have about their clinic appointments?

 

What to do next

Now that you have read the case, go to the Lecture section to gain a better conceptual understanding of how being aware of your own cultural identity can help you work more effectively with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.