Appointments

Diego is scheduled to see Dr. Wise at 10:30 AM for a medication check. The office assistant just scheduled Greg to see Dr. Wise at 10:30 AM for a backache. The 10:30 AM appointment time is now double-booked.

True

In addition to blocking out professional travel in the appointment book, assistants may arrange the flights and accommodations for physicians.

True

Medical office assistants are responsible for scheduling and canceling appointments.

True

Stream scheduling is the most commonly used scheduling system.

True

What factors should be considered when choosing a scheduling system?

all of the above

What is a referral?

formal request for a special service by another care provider

What should an assistant do when there is a concern about the current scheduling system?

share concern with office manager

What is a scheduling system?

A preplanned way of separating available time in the schedule

Mrs. Lopez calls to schedule an appointment for what she thinks is a sinus infection. This is an example of what kind of an appointment?

A routine appointment

How can a physician consultation be scheduled?

All of the above

Which of the following is a feature of practice-management software?

All of the above

Which of the following serves as a reminder for patient appointments?

All of the above

What should the assistant do when a patient stops at the front desk after an appointment?

Exercise proper customer service and collect the required payment Review the patient's chart to make sure it is complete Check if the patient needs a follow-up visit

How can assistants calm patients' fears about their hospital admission?

Answer their questions and provide them with information

Why do assistants include the abbreviation NP when entering a new patient's appointment in the appointment book?

As a reminder to have the patient complete registration forms

What is the best way to filter a salesperson's request to see the physician without disrupting the office schedule?

Ask for product information and a business card

Why are outpatient tests scheduled by an office assistant?

Assistants know the referral process and the medical language involved

A patient must be with a practice for more than a year to be considered an established patient.

False

As an assistant, TJ deals with many people who want to see the physician. How should he handle all of these people?

Filter their requests

What does it mean to schedule by exception?

Fitting emergencies into the schedule, even if the office is busy

What should the medical office assistant do after a patient has had surgery?

Follow up with the hospital and patient

Which of the following is true about emergency hospitalization?

Assistants should be prepared with patient's information

What is a benefit of having the assistant schedule a consultation referral?

Assistants understand the medical lingo involved

Dr. Brenner will be out of the office starting at 3:15 PM on August 10. How should the assistant record this in the appointment matrix?

Block out the time on August 10, and note the reason the physician is unavailable

What should guide the medical office assistant in making appointments?

Office policy

What is a disadvantage of the wave scheduling system?

Patient wait times may vary

Sam is speaking with a new patient who wants to schedule an appointment. What information does he need from the patient?

Patient's phone number Patient's address Patient's name Patient's date of birth

Why are outpatient instructions important?

Patients may need to prepare for the appointment

What are walk-ins?

Patients who want to see the physician without an appointment

Travis is confronted by a pharmaceutical rep wishing to see the physician. Dr. Smithfield has a full schedule. What should Travis do?

Tactfully request that he leave literature for the physician to review

Why may physicians refer patients for outpatient tests?

The medical office does not have the required equipment

Which of the following is a common reason for a delay in the schedule?

The physician is held up at the hospital

How does an open office hours scheduling system eliminate missed appointments?

There are no scheduled appointments

What is one of the disadvantages of grouping similar appointments?

There is less flexibility with appointment times

Why are emergencies scheduled by exception?

They are serious situations that require immediate attention

What does wave scheduling assume about patients?

They rarely arrive for their appointments on time

Why should a new patient arrive 15-20 minutes prior to an appointment?

To complete new patient registration

What is the purpose of appointment reminder systems?

To increase patient show rates

A medical office assistant should always consult the office guidelines for preferred methods of scheduling.

True

Which type of hospitalization is not planned in advance?

Emergency hospitalization

Which of these statements is the best way to respond to an unexpected visitor to the office?

"I'm sorry, but Dr. Torrez's schedule is full today. Would you like to schedule an appointment for another time?"

What is the maximum amount of time a patient should wait to be seen?

20 minutes

What is one of the disadvantages of stream scheduling?

A late patient can cause the entire schedule to become delayed

What should be considered when determining how much time is needed for a patient's appointment?

A patient's reason for scheduling A physician's preferences A physician's availability

Which of the following is an outpatient diagnostic test?

Blood test

Sam, a medical office assistant, is calling the Health East Hospital to schedule an appointment for a patient. He has been transferred to the correct department. How should he start the conversation with the receptionist?

By identifying himself and the office he's calling from

What steps can a medical office assistant take to fill a canceled appointment time?

Call patients who have appointments scheduled later that day or week

How should assistants respond to disruptions in the office schedule?

Calmly

What does the abbreviation "C" represent in practice-management software?

Cancellation

What does the abbreviation "c/o" represent?

Complains of

Samantha received a large cut that demands immediate attention. The physician cannot perform the procedure and immediately sends Samantha to the hospital. What type of hospitalization is this?

Emergency hospitalization

A patient, Trent, is scheduled for a 7:45 AM hospital admission. What does this mean?

He will be formally checked into the hospital at 7:45 AM

When scheduling an elective hospitalization, which gets scheduled first?

Hospitalization

Under what circumstance would a hospital admit a patient before surgery is scheduled?

In an emergency

When blocking out unavailable appointment times, why is it important to note where the physician will be?

In case there is a need to contact the physician

An unscheduled patient has stopped by Dr. Hopkins' office, hoping to see the physician. Suzanne, the assistant, determines that the patient's request is not an emergency. How should she handle the patient?

Inform the patient of the office's appointment policy and offer to schedule a future appointment

What is one of the advantages of the modified wave system?

It offers some flexibility in case a patient is late

How does an appointment card help a medical office's schedule?

It reminds patients of their scheduled appointments

Why does the initial information gathered from a new patient include the patient's date of birth?

Knowing the patient's date of birth distinguishes between patients with the same name and helps the physician better prepare for the appointment

What is the standard procedure for recording a patient's name for an appointment?

Last name, first name

Why are unexpected visitors to the medical office often problematic?

Many offices rely heavily on scheduled appointments Including another appointment could put pressure on the physician to hurry Adding the appointment could delay a patient's scheduled visit

Paul was last seen by Dr. Carson five years ago. When scheduling his next appointment, what kind of a patient will the assistant consider him?

New

What does the abbreviation "NP" represent?

New patient

How can an assistant determine if a person is a new patient?

New patients have never been seen, or they have not been seen in the past three years

What does the abbreviation "N/S" stand for in the practice-management software?

No-show

When a patient misses an appointment without calling the office, it is commonly referred to as what?

No-show

Dr. Velasquez has been delayed at the hospital for another hour. How should the assistant respond?

Notify all scheduled patients and give them the option to reschedule

Which of the following is a key step in scheduling an appointment?

Offer the patient choices of dates and times

What does the abbreviation "PT" represent?

Physical therapy

In what manner must medical office assistants present themselves when talking to patients?

Polite and courteous

What is one of the advantages of grouping similar appointments?

Reduces staff preparation between appointments

Which of the following statements about routine visits to the medical office is correct?

Routine appointments require basic equipment and little preparation