After driving 60-minutes in a rainstorm, I arrived at the medical clinic for a routine stress test. I was on time and looking forward to a quick in-n-out. But when I handed the doctor’s authorization to the receptionist, I immediately sensed trouble.
“This authorization is for one of our other locations,” she said flatly. “It’s not good here.”
I went straight to logic. “You’re part of a chain of four clinics operating under the same name in close proximity,” I stated confidently. “Surely this clinic doesn’t operate independently of the others.”
“You can’t use that authorization here,” she repeated in well-honed bureaucratic drawl.
I shifted tactics to a desperate appeal for compassion. “But the other locations had no appointments! And I traveled an hour to get here! In the pouring rain!”
She was nonplussed. “Your doctor can send us a new form.”
“I’ll have him email it right away,” I said, thrilled at this glimmer of hope.
“We don’t have email,” she said dismissively. “Only fax.”
It’s 2019 and your company doesn’t have email?!”
“Let me get this clear,” I said in exasperation. “It’s 2019, you’re a large company with multiple locations in a technologically-advanced country – and you don’t have email?!”
She shrugged her shoulders.
I begrudgingly contacted the doctor’s office who instantly faxed an updated authorization through their computer.
Five minutes later, no fax had arrived.
15 minutes later, still no fax.
I called back my doctor’s office.
“No problem,” he said obligingly. “I’m walking over to the fax machine to send it manually. Done!”
I patiently waited 5 minutes, 20 minutes. Still no fax. And no plan-B.
By now a second receptionist had arrived and overheard my plight. “Here,” she said, handing me her cell phone. “Have your doctor send it by email.”
“But I thought the clinic doesn’t have email.”
“We don’t. But you can use my personal account.”
After recovering from momentary shock, I burst into action. The email method worked seamlessly (imagine!) and minutes later I was on the treadmill.
The second receptionist’s small act of random act of kindness restored my belief in humanity and saved me valuable time and energy. Living with generosity is a great way to proactively enrich our life and it really doesn’t take so much effort, just a little thoughtfulness.
To get started, here are some tools:
Generosity Tool #1 – Get in the habit.
Set your phone alarm to go off every hour throughout the day. Whatever you're doing at that moment – driving, socializing, working, etc. – stop and ask: "Right now, what small act can I do to make life more pleasant for someone else?"
Generosity Tool #2 – Be proactive.
Don’t wait to be asked or "begrudgingly accede to a request." Rather, generosity is defined as Rodef Chesed – literally, "chasing kindness" – going out of your comfort zone to actively care for the welfare of others.
Generosity Tool #3 – Do it frequently.
Maimonides writes that good character is attained not by the size of a good deed, but rather by the number of deeds performed. Giving a charitable donation of $1,000 might not positively influence me to the same degree as a thousand acts – i.e., giving one dollar a thousand times.
Whenever encountering another in need, we can respond either by shrinking into our internal safe-space, or by extending ourselves on behalf of another. The second receptionist understood that when reaching out to help, we create a perpetual loop of human connection – where generosity engenders gratitude that in turn encourages more generosity.
Jump into the loop today!
(7) Edward, January 28, 2019 10:34 PM
Using Your Head
FINALLY, someone who is willing to go outside of the prescribed technology to solve a problem. I can't tell you just how many times I run into "that can't be done" answers to situations I run into because the technology they use won't allow it.
(6) Rachel, January 28, 2019 6:25 AM
But was it secure?
Rabbi, please be careful about having personal medical information sent via email. While the doctor's office and the receptionist are presumed to be trustworthy, unless both sides were using secure email, then others might have access to your personal information including date of birth, address, whatever the Israeli version is of social security number, etc.
I t is my understanding that in the US, a doctor's office is prohibited by law from sending patient information to an unauthorized email.
While your point is a good one, perhaps this is not the best example.
(5) Anonymous, January 27, 2019 3:07 PM
Brilliant and beautiful
Dear Rabbi Simmons, I appreciated your story (so realistic and well-written) and the takeaways are succinct, spot-on and doable. Thank you!!
(4) Anonymous, January 22, 2019 5:34 PM
Good Deeds
Thank you for your article. This is something I have incorporated into my daily life for many years. Doing acts of kindness makes my day and the day of the person for whom I am doing it. What's more is I have learned it is better to not tell my friends what mitzvah I did. If more people took this mitzvah upon themselves, it would be a much happier world.
(3) Anonymous, January 21, 2019 6:06 PM
Thank you. Baruch HaShem.
Lovely! Just what I needed to hear!
(2) Alan S., January 20, 2019 1:31 PM
Technology has little to do with it...
Your article points out excellent general lessons in helping, applicable in all life situations. Your comments apply not only to a doctors office, but to any location in life where two people meet.
I know this is counter-intuitive, but as a doctor, I can assure you that email is not the way to go if responses are required. Although an old technology, I believe that faxing is still the preferred way to send documents, unless the office has a dedicated person handling an email account. A quick document received either by email or fax is fine. But, most email or fax situations require a response. Usually only offices have fax machines, but everyone -- can have -- or has email.
This cuts down on the need for an office to send a response. If a fax 'situation' is working, unlike what happened to this author, there are many fewer correspondences for a provider or his or her office to respond to. Yes, email can makes things easier, but imagine a provider having to reply to dozens of emails a day, and the never ending replies that usually ensue. The provider will not have the time to see patients. And this will occur even if there is a dedicated email mail secretary.
(1) Nancy, January 20, 2019 10:27 AM
I'm so glad this situation was resolved satisfactorily
Yasher Koach to that receptionist for going the extra mile. However, I was annoyed when I read about the other members of the office staff who seemed to be apathetic about your situation.