Getting Past the Gatekeepers

Getting Past the Gatekeepers

I am a heart patient. I have been since 1999. During my life I have had 6 angioplasties, which have led to 13 stents being implanted in my arteries. One of the signs, before having those procedures, is a feeling of pain in my chest, particularly after doing physical activity. I have been told by my doctors if you feel severe chest pain that does not go away, go immediately to the emergency room. If pain occurs and is sporadic, make sure to come into our office.

Shortly after the start of the New Year, I experienced pain in my chest. It occurred periodically, after either eating or performing physical activity. At first I looked to see if it was a one-time incident or would reoccur. When it did reoccur, (more than once), I realized it was time to call my doctor’s office for an appointment. After going through all the prompts and waiting on hold, I got to speak to a person. I was told, the first appointment I could get was over 2 weeks away. While I took the appointment, it bothered me that I was not asked to come in quickly. Adapting my life style and approach to my daily activities, helped me some. However, I knew that I could not just let things sit as they were.

So, I called my doctor’s office again. When I expressed my symptoms I was told to go to the emergency room. Knowing that my symptoms would not be solved with an emergency room visit, and would need further analysis, I persisted in asking was there any way I could see my doctor sooner. The person who answered my call indicated if I called the next day, and asked for my doctor’s assistant, (who worked with him with all his patients), perhaps she could do something.

The next day I called the assistant. Immediately she showed more concern for me in the first minute of our call than I had received in the prior two calls combined. She indicated to me my doctor would be seeing patients later in the week. She was going to speak to him about seeing if it was OK to add me to the schedule. A few hours later I had the appointment that I sought, (and realized I needed), to at least determine what next steps might need to be pursued to ensure my health was at its optimum.

In discussing what had happened with my wife, I realized that I had experienced something which as a career and job search strategy coach I often provide counsel to my clients. There will be people that you want to meet, or are key people in providing you either the leads you need in your search, or are the people you want to speak to about opportunities. The more a position of “power” or “authority” has, the more likely there will be several “gatekeepers” you will need to get through to speak to them. And, while it can be discouraging to navigate the gatekeepers (and they do serve a function), the need to do so, (or even go around them entirely), may be necessary. If you feel you have something of value to offer your target, then finding ways to get to them is essential.

May you be considered brazen? Perhaps! Could you be perceived as pushy? I’d prefer to use the word “persistent.” However, if your goal is of value to you, then stepping out of your comfort zone is a step you may need to take.

My health is important to me. I’d like to get answers to what is causing the pain that I am feeling. And, I know that several follow up steps may be necessary. However, delaying the process because the gatekeeper says that the doctor I want to see, (and have been a patient of for 19 years) is not available, is something which I am going to accept without using every thought process and strategy at my disposal.