WWYD: when you encounter an acquaintance on the job

[fiatslug]

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I work in a partial hospitalization program. I *think* I may know one of my colleague's patients through my kids' school. We made enough eye contact that I'm fairly certain we both recognized each other. I'm not sure if I should approach him, and assure him that I would never have cause to ever know anything about his case and would of course never discuss seeing him in that setting, or if I should ignore it. WWYD?

 

[nitemagi]

I would start with a nod of acknowledgement when passing, leave the door open in the non-clinical setting allowing for the person to approach you. They might prefer to just leave it alone.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I would start with a nod of acknowledgement when passing, leave the door open in the non-clinical setting allowing for the person to approach you. They might prefer to just leave it alone.

+1.

A quick nod of acknowledgement is benign enough that I can do it and keep going without making it uncomfortable for the other person. I cover a range of departments (neurology, neuro surg, PM&R, oncology, etc), and they seem to have a different feel to them than if I ran into someone on the in-patient psych unit.

ps. The only issue I've had when running into an acquaintance is them asking me for my 2 cents. I don't like to step on another provider's toes, so I try and avoid getting involved. If the person really pushes it, I may speak to the provider, but just to give them a heads up and then they can let me know how they want to handle it.

 

[atsai3]

I work in a partial hospitalization program. I *think* I may know one of my colleague's patients through my kids' school. We made enough eye contact that I'm fairly certain we both recognized each other. I'm not sure if I should approach him, and assure him that I would never have cause to ever know anything about his case and would of course never discuss seeing him in that setting, or if I should ignore it. WWYD?

Agree with nitemagi & Therapist4Change.

A variant of this question is, what do you do if you encounter a patient in a non-clinical setting? (e.g., suppose you bump into your patient having a lunch date at a restaurant)

I generally make eye contact, acknowledge his presence, and smile. Follow-through is up to him. If he prefers that my role in his life remain undiscussed, he may let the moment pass. But at least I have given him a smile and acknowledged his presence (rather than ignored him, or tried to duck behind the lunch counter). If he is happy to disclose, then he will let me know ("Oh, hey it's Doctor Smith! Lydia, I'd like you to meet my psychiatrist, Doctor Smith. Doctor Smith, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Lydia."). Either way the disclosure should be up to him.

 

[kugel]

If someone I know ends up at my hospital, I avoid becoming his provider if possible.
Either way, I don't bring up the outside relationship unless he does.

If I meet a patient in the "real world," I don't do anything beyond nod, unless they do.
If the former patient stops me to talk, I don't introduce my wife. She knows that if that happens, she just keeps walking so that she doesn't find out the identity of the former patient and there are no awkward introductions (or lack thereof).

 

[whopper]

In a situation like this, I'd bring it up with the management and treatment team just in case.