Dear Cindy – PT Turf War?

I am a receptionist, and I recently started a new job at a clinic. There are several PTs on staff, and they each have their own patients.

I think one of the PTs is trying to steal patients from the other two. Occasionally a PT has to treat another PT's patient because the patient drops in unexpectedly or because s/he can't come in during their PT's usual hours. When this happens, the PT who sees the patient treats her/him, and then schedules a follow-up with her/his regular PT. Well, when "Zoe" sees a patient who is not hers, she schedules the follow-up with her!

I don't know if the PTs have some sort of arrangement, but I've noticed that she's the only who does this and she seems to do it only with relatively new patients (who probably aren't aware that they're supposed to see one PT). Should I say something? I don't want to seem like a troublemaker, but if she is stealing patients, I feel like I should say something.

Sincerely,

The Receptionist

The next time she tries this, play the innocent and say, "Hey, Zoe, I'm new, so could you clarify something for me? Is it clinic policy to reschedule patients with their original PT, or can anyone take them?"

See what she says. She may plead ignorance too, and then you could "clear things up" with the clinic owner. Or she may have a reasonable excuse, e.g., she and the PTs have a deal to increase her clientele because she has fewer clients than they do, or the patients specifically requested that she do follow-up, or the other PT didn't want to treat crazy old Mr. Smith again, etc. Or, Zoe may see that you're on to her, and stop stealing patients.