Telecommunication in Healthcare

Telecommunication

• Telecommunication involves appropriately screening phone calls, documenting messages, and relaying instructions.
• Administrative MAs are often the first point of contact, creating a patient's initial impression.
• First impressions set the tone for the overall patient experience.
• Displaying a professional attitude with active listening and empathy builds purposeful relationships.
• A case study scenario and a patient experience coach video are provided for further understanding.

Screen Phone Calls: Skill Overview

• Answer the phone.
• Identify the caller and the purpose of the call.
• Conclude the call or transfer it as needed.

Screen Phone Calls: Step-by-Step

• Answer the phone by the third ring.
• Identify the healthcare organization and yourself.
• Greet the caller with a welcoming message.
• Clear communication minimizes errors.
• Identifying callers facilitates connection and determines whether they are a patient or provider.
• Use methods of two-factor identification.
• This allows retrieval of the electronic health record if callers are patients.
• Determine the reason for the call, and route appropriately.
• Emergency calls require following office protocols like transferring the call, instructing to call 911, or activating EMS.
• Handle non-emergency calls directly or transfer them.
• Complete the caller's request.
• Transfer the call to appropriate staff/departments, and clarify any information.
• Ensure callers end the call first to display professionalism.
• Ensure clarity before ending, and confirm there are no further questions.
• Use automated phone systems and multiple phone lines.
• Each day is unique, and requires active listening to any existing nonverbal cues.
• Answer questions within the scope of practice
• Route calls and prioritize based on organizational policy.

Screen Phone Calls: Practice

• Complete the practice activities provided.
• Reflect on your answers by comparing to rationales or expert responses.
• Document areas for improvements to be made upon.
• Two-factor identification and determining the reason for the call are crucial for responding appropriately.
• A competency checklist covering all steps of successfully completing screening phone calls is provided.

Document Phone Calls: Skill Overview

• Proper documentation of all calls is important for organizations.
• Documentation protocol depends on the type of call.
• Focus is on patient calls.

Document Phone Calls: Step-by-Step

• Answer the phone by the third ring, identifying the organization and yourself.
• Greet callers with a calm demeanor, speaking slowly and clearly.
• Identify callers to facilitate connection and determine status.
• Determine if identifying callers are patients, caregivers, guardians, providers, or another individual.
• It is critical to use two-factor identification to retrieve the electronic health record.
• Determine the purpose of calls and route accordingly, following established protocols for professional responses.
• Use active listening skills to accurately record information.
• Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Take action according to the level of urgency.
• Clarify information and answer questions before ending the call.
• Provide a realistic timeframe for response, allow callers to hang up first.
• Review and confirm information in the patient medical record.
• Take action on items and monitor the communication chain to ensure messages have been fully addressed.

Document Phone Calls: Final Considerations

• Messages are a primary means of communication in healthcare.
• Accurate documentation is important for patient outcomes, trust, and satisfaction.

Document Phone Calls: Practice

• Complete the practice activities provided.
• Comparing them to the rationales or the expert responses is crucial for determining performance.
• Practice activities such as the EHR, completing the competency checklist are provided.

Document Internal Messages: Skill Overview

• Internal messages are generated and directed to providers or others for multiple reasons.
• They must be conveyed concisely and accurately, and must be delivered in a timely fashion.

Document Internal Messages: Step-By-Step

• Answer the phone by the third ring, identify yourself and the health organization and provide a greeting.
• Deliver instructions with a calm demeanor, speaking slowly and clearly to ensure the caller is comfortable.
• Identify callers to determine their status (patient, caregiver, guardian, provider, or other individual).
• This allows for retrieving the electronic health record if it is a patient.
• Use a two-factor identification process.
• Reason for calls should be determined, and routed with professional responses with consistency.
• Use active listening skills, and follow proper spelling, grammer, and punctuation.
• Record information accurately, and take action based on urgency.
• Urgent health issues should be routed to providers unless 911 should be called.
• Results with significant and abnormal findings may be reported via phone and delivered immediately.
• Route calls from patients regarding progress and health status.
• Services such as referrals should be routed to providers.
• Before ending the call, you need to clarify information and allow the caller to hang up first.
• It should be determined if the message should get to the provider immediately.
• Messages should be documented and answered in a timely fashion based on urgency.

Document Internal Messages: Final Considerations

• The need for internal messages are received via multiple formats, and must be flagged if there is urgency
• Routine messages should undergo proper routing, and a clear understanding of protocol should exist.

Call Patients with Provider Instructions: Skill Overview

• Outgoing calls are placed to patients, business partners, or providers.
• Communication skill and compliance ensures understanding.
• Priority should be given based on urgency, with wise use of downtime.

Call Patients with Provider Instructions: Step-by-Step

• Privacy should be ensured with less busy times and screened calls.
• Review, authorization, and confidentiality must be maintained.
• Call the patient, and identify the call with the health care organization and the identity of the patient.
• Understanding of delivery between provider instructions.
• The MA will also perform calm demeanour, and adapt to barriers.
• Call patients should also confirm their understanding, and ask any questions they may have.
• Urgency should be specified if the call should be connected to the provider.
• Document the call immediately, provide any important details, and communicate.
• Take note of any communication barriers that were prevalent during the interaction.

Call Patients with Provider Instructions: Final Considerations

• Documentation should be concise, may be followed up as additional information, and require precautions and understanding.
• Errors should be avoided to ensure proper safety.

Wrap-Up: Skill Considerations

• Legal and procedural requirements when answering calls and taking messages is vital.
• Be able to manage call hold times properly.
• Services such as engagements and interpreters should be present as needed.
• Calls should be returned at agreed timescales, and communication should be done.
• The interactions should be professional with patients.