hat I Wish Patients Knew
Part3: From our Practice Manager, Amori
Dear Patients, Colleagues and Friends,
As we begin 2026, our practice theme is Stillness, Skill and the Long View.
It is not a marketing phrase or a resolution for the year ahead. It is a way of working that has grown quietly over time — shaped by experience, mistakes, learning, and deep respect for the healing process.
Stillness is the pause before action. It is the moment when we slow down enough to think clearly and choose wisely, rather than react quickly.
Skill is built over years — through training, repetition, humility, and constant refinement — not only in the operating theatre, but in every consultation, review, and conversation.
The long view reminds us that meaningful results take time. Life is rarely instant. It unfolds over months, sometimes years.
This newsletter brings our “What I Wish Patients Knew” series to its close. In earlier editions, I shared my perspective as a plastic surgeon — about responsibility, planning, precision, and partnership. You then heard from Sr Beryl, our wound care sister, whose work lives in the daily, practical reality of healing and recovery. Together, those perspectives spoke from the clinical front lines: the hands that operate and the hands that guide healing.
This final voice comes from another essential place in the practice — one that is often unseen but deeply felt.
What I Wish Patients Knew From our Practice Manager, Amori
By the time a patient walks through our doors, the journey has already begun.
That may sound strange. Forms may not yet be completed, and appointments may still feel far away. But before the first consultation, work is already happening — referrals are reviewed, availability considered, timelines weighed, and the framework for safe care quietly prepared. Those early steps shape everything that follows, and they matter more than most people realise.
As a practice manager, I see the entire pathway.
If the surgeon focuses on precision and the wound care sister focuses on recovery, I focus on the systems that allow care to happen smoothly and safely. I work in an admin team of one, but I am never working alone.
As a practice, we operate as a team of three: a surgeon, a wound care sister, and a practice manager. Look wider, and the team grows quickly. Referral doctors, anaesthetists, pathologists, hospitals, pharmacists, medical aids, and funders all play a role.
From my desk, it often feels less like managing a diary and more like conducting an orchestra — many skilled players, each with their own timing, rules, and requirements. My role is to help them work in harmony. That takes time, coordination, and steady attention.
This is what I wish patients knew:
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The administrative journey is different from the clinical journey — by design
The clinical journey is personal and focused on the body and healing. The administrative journey exists to make that care possible — safely, legally, and responsibly.
Approvals, bookings, consent forms, invoices, and paperwork are not there to create obstacles. They are safeguards. They protect patients, practitioners, and outcomes. And they take time.
When approval is pending, it usually means multiple conversations and follow-ups are happening quietly in the background.
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Delays are usually due to coordination issues, not a lack of care
When something takes longer than expected, it is rarely because effort is missing. More often, it is because several moving parts need to align.
Like an orchestra, every section must come in at the right moment. Rushing one part too early can throw off the entire performance. Sometimes, waiting is the most responsible option.
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Every patient journey is unique
Even when procedures are similar, experiences are not. Medical aids differ. Hospitals differ. Bodies heal differently. Life circumstances vary.
Comparison is natural, but it often leads to unnecessary frustration. The aim is not sameness, but suitability — a process that fits the individual situation.
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Patience supports healing in very real ways
Urgency and stress affect decision-making and recovery.
When administrative steps are handled calmly and thoroughly, the clinical team can focus fully on what matters most: healing, and administrative mistakes are minimised.
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The background matters more than it seems
Accurate forms, clear communication, and early financial clarity reduce last-minute pressure. A quieter administrative background allows care to stay in the foreground, where it belongs.
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Holding the long view is part of my job
While dates and deadlines naturally feel important, the focus behind the scenes remains on safety, coordination, and long-term outcomes—not only for one patient but for everyone involved in their care.
That sometimes means slowing the pace. Not because care is lacking — but because care is being taken.
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I am always grateful, and I value each patient
There is deep appreciation for the effort patients bring to the process — the preparation, the patience, the willingness to engage, and the trust placed in the system. These contributions are seen, valued, and make a meaningful difference to how smoothly care unfolds. Thank you.
In Closing
Stillness, Skill and the Long View show up differently at each point in our practice — in the theatre, in the wound care room, and behind the scenes at the admin desk — but they are all directed toward the same goal.
Thank you for trusting this process, even when it requires patience. Thank you for allowing space for careful planning, thoughtful timing, and steady healing. It is a privilege to be invited into such an important chapter of your life.
On behalf of me as your plastic surgeon, Sr Beryl, your wound care sister, and Amori, our practice manager, thank you for walking this journey with us.
