Telecommunication Lecture Notes PDF

TELE- COMMUNICATION DR MAJD QARI  The term refers to the science and technology of communication that occurs via the electronic transmission of impulses by satellite, cable, telephone, radio, television, or computer.  It is often up to the administrative assistant in a busy dental office...

TELE- COMMUNICATION DR MAJD QARI  The term refers to the science and technology of communication that occurs via the electronic transmission of impulses by satellite, cable, telephone, radio, television, or computer.  It is often up to the administrative assistant in a busy dental office to complete the research regarding the most current models and to determine the application of the latest communications technology for the office  If the patient is the most important person in the dental office, then certainly one can say that communications equipment is the most important system in the office  The vast majority of today’s patients will have done some form of electronic search before contacting the practice via telephone or electronically through the office website.  The communication responsibility should only be delegated to a person with a broad knowledge of dentistry and a high degree of self-confidence; he or she will be alert and able to make good decisions while possessing good verbal and written communication skills.  Speaking with a smile in the voice, being enthusiastic, and having a cordial manner may not solve all problems automatically, but speaking with hostility or disinterest ensures that future communications with patients will be more difficult.  Wireless technology, or Wi-Fi, has enhanced the communications capabilities in the dental practice by providing the ability to eliminate bulky, sometimes hazardous cords or the need to be tethered to a desk TELEPHONES  For a modest price, dental business owners can buy sophisticated telephone systems that can improve the productivity and profitability of their enterprise.  Communications can be improved between one area of the office or clinic and another through the paging and intercom features of this system.  With single-button access, the person to be contacted can be reached quickly. Often the individual can answer intercom calls without touching the phone and creating infection control concerns or interrupting work  A hands-free telephone allows the administrative assistant to work on the computer, access records, or perform some other task while talking on the telephone  Conference calls: If the dentist or the administrative assistant needs to talk to several people in various locations simultaneously (e.g., insurance carriers), a conference call may be placed. Most telephone systems are equipped with this technology, and staff can establish conference calls very easily and quickly.  Call timing. The call timing feature is used in professional offices that charge clients by the time spent handling their business on the telephone. Bill for consultation on the telephone  Call restriction. Unauthorized long-distance telephone calls can be eliminated with the call restriction feature. If an individual is authorized to make a long distance call, the call is given an authorization code that must be keyed into the telephone before the call can be processed. The telephone may also be programmed not to accept or make long-distance calls, such as a telephone placed in the reception area for patient use. SMARTPHONES  A smartphone is a mobile phone with more advanced computing capability and connectivity than basic feature phones. INSTANT MESSAGING SYSTEM  It is a cost-effective local area network (LAN) messaging program that delivers the benefits of larger, more expensive messaging systems. This system is easy to use and easy to administer; it can support one person or networks of multiple users  while the dentist is at chairside, an important telephone call comes in. To let the dentist know who is calling, the administrative assistant type a message, such as “The patient is ready,” and sends it to the dentist in the treatment room. The message instantly pops up on the computer screen in the treatment room. FACSIMILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM  Another electronic means of communication is the facsimile (fax) machine. A facsimile transmission machine is a scanning device that transmits an encrypted image of a document over standard telephone lines. The machine operates like a photocopy machine that sends an image by wire. At the receiving end, a similar machine receives the transmitted copy TOLL-FREE SERVICE  A toll-free number that begins with 800, 888, 877, or 866 allows callers to reach businesses and individuals without being charged for the call.  The charge for using a toll-free number is paid by the called party (the toll-free subscriber) instead of the calling party. TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES  The online or paper telephone directory is a vital tool in the business office. It is important that the administrative assistant become familiar with the type of directory used in the office and the information available so that he or she can use the directory as efficiently as possible.  In general, the front pages of a paper telephone directory provide important information, such as emergency phone numbers for the police department, the fire department, and ambulance services. DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE  To be effective on the telephone, keep a smile in the voice, answer calls promptly (within the first two rings), be attentive and discreet, be cordial and responsive, ask questions tactfully, take messages courteously, speak distinctly, transfer calls carefully, place calls properly, avoid discrimination, and be considerate to the caller. SPEAKING VOICE  The speaking voice has four separate but interrelated components: loudness, pitch, rate, and quality.  Loudness refers to the volume of the voice. If the speaker talks too loudly, the listener may be uncomfortable. The opposite situation can be equally unpleasant. If the speaker lacks confidence, the voice may be so quiet that people will ask for a repetition of what has been said. If this happens, the speaker should try to increase both confidence and volume  The rate of speaking can determine how well someone is understood. When discussing familiar procedures with a patient, dental assistants may tend to speak rapidly, forgetting that this is new material to the patient.  There is no ideal rate, but a general rule is to speak at a rate that does not detract from the clarity of the message and that is easy and comfortable to listen to for an extended period  Pitch is the tone of the voice. This is more difficult to change, because once it has been developed, persistent discipline is required to alter it.  A low, gravelly voice or a high, squeaky voice may be unpleasant to listen to and be hard on the throat. Many exercises for improving voice pitch are available online and from reference libraries.  The quality of a voice is a combination of physical and psychological factors. Changes in each of these alter the effectiveness of the speaking voice.  Daily experiences affect quality, and care should be taken to withhold depression, excitement, and anger from the voice when speaking on the dental office telephone.  To achieve a good telephone personality, develop the qualities of alertness, expressiveness, interest, naturalness, and distinctness  Everyone enjoys being recognized, so be attentive to the patient’s identity, and express this in the voice.  Furthermore, when the patient presents a problem, do not stammer and stutter and say, “Yeah, well, uh, I don’t know.” Such a response indicates inexperience to the patient.  “I will be glad to check your record” or “Let me check with the dentist and call you back within the next hour” is the type of response that indicates a sincere effort to help and a willingness to seek a solution to the problem  Remember, if a patient is promised a call back, do it at the time promised.  Offer to find an answer if information is not known.  Do not force the patient to seek the information himself or herself.  Nothing is more boring than listening to a person who speaks in a monotone.  Put expression into what is being said. Add enthusiasm to the voice by using natural voice inflections.  To create a smile in the voice, place a mirror in front of the telephone. This ensures that there is a smile on the face before answering the telephone.  Do not chew gum, eat, bite on a pencil, or cover the mouth with a hand; these all create mumbled conversation and do not present a good image for the dental office.  Avoid slang; it is neither businesslike nor in good taste. CREATING A GOOD IMAGE  In general, to promote better understanding, use short, simple, descriptive words that are appropriate to the situation.  A variety of words and phrases in the dental office can convey an unfavorable image to the patient.  See things from the patient’s point of view and his or her culture to decide whether connotations that should be avoided are being communicated. Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence