Last month I flew down to Regina on our local charter airline. We buckled up, listened to the safety instructions, taxied to the runway....then taxied back towards the hangar. Over the intercom the pilot explained he was unable to complete all parts of the preflight checklist so he needed to have his mechanics review the situation. We all agreed this was a very good idea and got off the plane. We were assured by the ground crew that we would be either be back on the plane within short order or we would be moved to the next hour’s flight.
Five minutes later we were back on our plane. We again fastened our seatbelts and prepared for takeoff. But what surprised and delighted me was the pilot’s next step. He got out of the cockpit, faced us, and explained in plain language that he, his co-pilot, and mechanic had identified the problem (a switch needed resetting), executed the solution, and successfully completed the preflight checklist. “Full disclosure!” popped out of my mouth before I could catch myself. My traveling companions, both who also work within the health system, laughed at me.
Why did this experience strike me as being extraordinary? I’ve experienced multiple similar delays with other airlines. But I have never been so well informed about the presence of a problem, the proposed solution (including a Plan A and Plan B), and the complete resolution of the problem as I did this time. I felt completely comfortable that all steps had been taken to ensure my safety. I thought about how confident I was that all the right things were being done by this pilot, the mechanics, and the airline.
Can we be confident our patients can say the same when they experience any delay, a complication, or a change in plans? Sadly, I know the answer to that question is no. We must keep working on creating an open, transparent space where our patients can feel the same way I did while flying with my team.
No comments:
Post a Comment