MA Book Chapter 22 Flashcards

Phone Communication and Scheduling

• Tone of voice can convey a person's attitude within approximately 10 seconds of conversation.
• Providers maintain a scheduling template with three timeslots daily for urgent visits: two in the morning and one in the afternoon.
• When booking same-day appointments, prioritize morning slots first, followed by afternoon slots.

Handling Calls

• If a phone rings while speaking with a patient, politely excuse yourself and answer the call.
• Remain expressionless when answering a phone call, maintaining professionalism.
• Phone menus are implemented to enhance operational efficiency.
• Document patient inquiries and relay them to the physician for proper review and action.

Message and Call Management

• When retrieving messages from recordings or answering services, prioritize based on urgency rather than the order of receipt.
• Use an answering machine during designated times, such as the office lunch break.
• A phone screening manual, also known as a triage manual, assists in managing patient calls.

Information Requests

• If retrieving information will take longer than one minute, offer to call the requester back.
• E-prescribing is the common term for electronic prescription refill requests.

Patient Interactions

• When a patient wishes to speak directly with the provider, avoid saying that the doctor is busy, maintain a supportive tone.
• Asking for the reason for the visit is essential when scheduling appointments.
• Use at least three patient identifiers to ensure accurate appointment scheduling.

Documentation and Communication

• Always document telephone calls by including your name or initials for accountability.
• Conference calling enables multiple people to communicate simultaneously across different locations.
• When transferring a patient call, inform the caller about the person they are being transferred to and provide a brief summary of their issue.

Prescription Requests and Mobile Device Use

• Do not include the original date the prescription was filled when sending refill requests to pharmacies.
• Best practice involves keeping personal mobile devices put away during office hours to maintain professionalism.

Follow-Up and Legal Requests

• For non-emergency calls requiring additional information, politely excuse yourself and offer to call back, while confirming the caller's phone number.
• Verify the legitimacy of attorneys requesting patient medical records, ensuring they are authorized before sharing any information.

Electronic Health Documentation

• Electronic Health Records (EHR) encompass both practice management and electronic medical records, emphasizing interoperability for sharing across facilities.
• Electronic Medical Records (EMR) refer specifically to patient records maintained in a digital format.
• Practice management software facilitates financial and administrative operations within medical offices.