By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP
Maria sat in the cold, sterile waiting room, her hands trembling slightly. She trembled not from withdrawal, but from anxiety. She glanced around at the faded posters on the walls, most of them warning about the dangers of opioid use. None of them talked about hope.
She had been here before. Not this exact office, but rooms like it, where the chairs felt harder, the lights harsher, and the faces colder. The last doctor barely looked at her, scribbling on a notepad while she stumbled through words she wasn’t sure he even heard. He didn’t ask how she was doing, only if she’d passed her drug screen. She left feeling like a number, not a person.
But today felt different.
The door creaked open, and a woman in a white coat smiled. Not the forced, polite kind, but the kind that reached her eyes. Maria? she called gently.
As she sat down, she didn’t rush. She didn’t shuffle papers or glance at the clock. She just listened.
And for the first time in a long time, Maria felt like more than her addiction.
This is the difference...
When it comes to outpatient treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), the relationship between the patient and the provider can be a pivotal factor in recovery. Recently, I posed a simple yet powerful poll question on social media regarding outpatient addiction treatment:
“What makes a good doctor vs. a bad one?”
The responses were candid, heartfelt, and revealing. They highlighted both the best and worst of patient experiences, offering crucial insights for healthcare providers who want to improve the care they deliver. Here are some of the actual responses, followed by key takeaways that every provider can learn from.
Patient Voices: What They Had to Say
1. “I guess i’m lucky/blessed to have a doctor who is also a recovering addict. He just told me last week. I have a whole new appreciation for him.”
Takeaway: Lived experience can create deeper empathy and understanding. Patients value providers who understand on a personal level.
2. “A bad one only sees you for 5 minutes and doesn’t listen to anything you say, just throws scripts at you. A good doctor will listen to you and give you a chance to tell them what’s going on and how you feel.”
Takeaway: Active listening is non-negotiable. Patients want to feel heard, not rushed.
3. “My Suboxone doctor is amazing. He is also my new primary doctor. He listens to what I say, he is knowledgeable and compassionate too. Really, everyone I have contact with (receptionists, nurse, and therapist) are all amazing.”
Takeaway: The entire care team matters. Compassion shouldn’t stop at the doctor’s office door. Front-line staff set the tone for the patient experience.
4. “A good doctor will listen. A good doctor will (when you are ready) safely and comfortably taper you down. A good doctor is not in it just for the money, as some are in this line of treatment.”
Takeaway: Treatment plans should be collaborative, respectful of the patient’s readiness, and free from the influence of financial motivations.
5. “I’ve been seeing mine for almost a year but only met him once. I definitely feel like a paycheck to them, and I can’t do it anymore.”
Takeaway: Consistency and face-to-face engagement matter. Patients need to feel like more than just a billing code.
6. “My doctor listens, which was something my old doctor didn’t do. He spoke at me, not to me, and nothing he said was nice. He was arrogant, rude, and very ignorant about Suboxone and addiction in general. He played God a lot! It was awful, and I always had a lot of fear going into his office knowing that he could cut me off at any given moment if he was in a bad mood.
My new doctor not only is a good listener, but when I speak, he really takes the time to sit with me and has a lot of empathy for me. I am not fearful of him and feel comfortable talking to him when i’m feeling weak.
Takeaway: Fear has no place in a therapeutic relationship. Providers should create safe spaces where patients feel respected and supported, not judged or controlled.
7. “I’ve only had one that i’d say was a bad doctor. He’d overbook patients every day, and it was basically first come, first serve. I’d sit in the waiting area for anywhere from 1-3 hours after taking a drug screen, and then i’d be in his office long enough for him to write a script and send me on my way. It was obvious to me and many others that it was all about the $$$ and nothing more.
Takeaway: Overbooking and transactional care erode trust. Quality over quantity should be the mantra.
8. “Compassion, understanding, kindness, and being down-to-earth are the main things I consider a good doctor. I also like them not to sugarcoat anything and tell you how it is. A bad doctor is a doctor that tells you he loves heroin because it made him rich and just piles on medications.
Takeaway: Authenticity matters. Patients appreciate honesty without cruelty and straightforwardness without disrespect.
What Can Providers Learn from These Insights?
1. Listen More Than You Speak:
Active listening isn’t just a soft skill, it’s a clinical tool. It helps providers understand the root of a patient’s struggles, reduces the risk of missed information, and builds trust.
2. Treat the Whole Person, Not Just the Disorder:
OUD is complex and deeply personal. Compassionate care goes beyond prescribing medication. Providers should engage in meaningful dialogue about the patient’s life, struggles, and progress.
3. Consistency Builds Trust:
Patients need continuity. Frequent changes in providers or minimal face-to-face interaction can make patients feel disconnected from their care. Whenever possible, maintain consistent provider-patient relationships.
4. Empower, Don’t Control:
Recovery is not about compliance; it’s about collaboration. Empower patients to be active participants in their treatment plans. Avoid paternalistic attitudes that can feel demeaning or coercive.
5. Time Is a Treatment Tool:
While time constraints are real in healthcare, even brief appointments can be meaningful if approached with genuine presence. A focused, attentive 10-minute session can be more impactful than a distracted 30-minute one.
6. Compassion Starts at the Front Desk:
Receptionists, nurses, and administrative staff are the first and last points of contact. Their demeanor can make or break a patient’ s comfort level. Train all staff in trauma-informed care.
7. Transparency Over Transaction:
Patients can sense when profit takes priority over people. Be transparent about treatment plans, costs, and options. Your integrity will speak louder than any clinical credential.
8. Language Matters:
Words can heal or harm. Avoid stigmatizing language, and speak with respect. Terms like non-compliant or addict can reinforce shame. Instead, focus on person-first language: person with OUD, a person in recovery, etc.
How Vantage Clinical Consulting Can Help
At Vantage Clinical Consulting, we understand that delivering exceptional care in OUD treatment isn’t just about clinical protocols it’s about people. We help healthcare providers bridge the gap between best practices and real-world application through:
• Provider Training & Development: We offer workshops on trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and patient-centered communication to improve the provider-patient relationship.
• Compliance & Quality Improvement: We support organizations in meeting JCAHO standards for OUD treatment, including MOUD implementation and overdose prevention strategies.
• Organizational Culture Assessments: We help clinics identify gaps in service delivery that affect patient satisfaction and outcomes, offering tailored strategies to improve care.
• Team-Based Care Optimization: From front-desk staff to clinicians, we train entire teams to ensure that every patient touchpoint reflects empathy, respect, and professionalism.
• Support for Sustainable Recovery Models: We help practices design recovery-oriented systems of care that prioritize collaboration, empowerment, and patient autonomy.
If your organization is ready to enhance the patient experience and improve OUD treatment outcomes, Vantage Clinical Consulting is here to help.
Commentaires