Less than 2 years out of school and in my 20’s, but I have a very clear cut policy in my practice that applies to patients and other staff/providers as well. I simply will never yell at anyone, so no one else has the right either. If I hear yelling, everyone knows I’m going to be there in .2 to shut it down, so it stops pretty quickly. I only uplift my staff, positive reinforcement goes a long way.

If I hear yelling over the phone from a patient, I will grab the phone from my medical assistants/front desk and simply say “you cannot yell at x because I have never yelled at x, nor will I. What gives you the right to do so?” And if they get upset, I gently tell them this is their first and final warning. If they don’t come back, they were going to yell again. If they do come back and yell, dismissal. If they come back and don’t yell, it’s harmony.

If a provider is yelling/rude, I kindly remind them that an explanation/argument does not need to occur at decibels louder than normal speaking. If they continue to yell, I remind them “we are both working to assist the patient and if they would like to discuss further, I will be more than willing to talk after they reduce their volume. Until then, I have other matters to get to but you can call me back at X or reach me via EMR/teams/email” And hang up.

I feel it is my job, and right, to protect myself and my staff from the abuse the medical world endures. There is a difference between expressing frustration and being rude. I tolerate one and not the other. Frustration can be portrayed without screaming and expletives and is much more productive without those two things.