Chapter 5

Proper Telephone Etiquette

-Answer the telephone by no more than four rings. -Avoid long wait times. -Answer with a smile. -Use good manners. -Remain calm and professional. -Have a pen and paper ready. -Speak clearly and identify the office. -Refer to callers by name. -Never chew gum or eat while talking on the phone. -Avoid interrupting the caller. -Pronounce words and names correctly.

Arranging Translation Services

-At time of scheduling, determine the language spoken in order to arrange for an interpreter. -Refer to contact information for local interpretation services kept near receptionist desk station. -Receptionist typically arranges these services. -In areas with large concentration of immigrants, hiring a full time interpreter may be considered.

Documenting Calls from Patients

-Audio recording of calls may only be done if caller has been told of the recording. -Documentation should occur any time a patient calls regarding the patient's medical treatment. -Physician should be informed of the documentation.

How Telecommunication Relay Systems Function

-Caller types message into special telephone. -Message transmits to relay service. -Operator calls the medical office. -Receptionist answers; operator self identifies and identifies caller. -Operator mediates between receptionist and caller. -When call is complete, receptionist says goodbye to patient, then hangs up.

Placing Telephone Calls

-Calling patients: be prepared. -Leaving messages: HIPAA compliance. -Calling other healthcare facilities: necessary information only.

Examples of Life Threatening Emergencies

-Chest pain -Heavy bleeding after injury -Bleeding in a pregnant woman -High fever in an infant or a very young child -Severe asthma attack -Severe shortness of breath -Possible poisoning or allergic reaction -Obvious broken bone -Sudden confusion, loss of consciousness, or change in mental status -Mention of suicide or harm to themselves or others

Children's Area in the Reception Room

-Contains toys, books, and tv. -Toys must be safe for children of all ages. -Toys must be large enough so that small parts cannot be swallowed by very young children. -Toys must be easy to clean and must not contain any sharp edges. -Many states have legislation regarding mandatory cleaning of toys.

The Triage Notebook

-Electronic or printed form. -An algorithm for use in determining the severity of the call. -Allows staff to properly route the caller. -Triage form should be included.

Telecommunication Relay System

-May be used by patients who have hearing or speech impairments. -ADA requires telephone companies have these systems available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. -Some patients may use a TTY system. -No matter the system, calls should always be directed at the caller, NOT the operator.

Handling calls from Upset Patients

-May include those who are grieving or who have been in an accident. -May present a communication challenge. -May require additional time to determine purpose of the call and identify the caller. -Always begin by determining if the caller is experiencing a current medical emergency.

Information Required for a Medication Refill

-Name and phone number of patient. -Birth date of patient. -Name of medication. -Name and phone number of pharmacy.

Types of Incoming Calls

-Patients or potential patients. -Outside physicians. -Other medical facilities. -Vendors. -Suppliers.

Goals of the Reception Area

-Quiet -Peaceful -Clean -Free of hazards

Other Areas to Consider in the Reception Area

-Reading materials: *Reflect demographic of patient seen. *Include educational material for various conditions. -Seating: *Adequate amount. *Comfortable. *Easy to clean furniture.

Handling Difficult Callers

-Remain calm. -Speak politely. -Apologize. -End abusive calls. -Document the call. -Alert the physician.

Greeting Patients

-Should be done immediately upon arrival. -If busy, look up and smile, and hold up an index finger to indicate slight delay in service. -New Patients: *Offer information on the location of the rest room and coat rack, and where to find reading materials. -Established patients: *Confirm that all information on file remains the same as the last visit.

Visitors to the Medical Office

-Should be kept to a minimum. -Having visitors in the patient care areas could be considered a HIPAA violation. -If necessary, go to the waiting area or outside the building to converse with a visitor.

Telephone Directories

-Telephone book *White pages *Yellow pages -Online directories -Rolodex

Prioritizing Calls

-Typically more efficient to take care of short phone calls before long ones. -Calls from angry patients should typically be addressed prior to other nonurgent calls.

Handling an Emergency Call

-Using triage notebook to determine if caller needs emergency assistance. -If determination is made that caller needs emergency help, stay on the line with the patient while alerting a coworker. -Gather information from the patient. -Have coworker call emergency services. -Remain on the line with caller until emergency transport services arrive. -Document call in the patient's medical chart. -Alert physician about the call.

Taking Personal Phone Calls

-Very expensive for employers. -Need policy in place. -Policy should state guidelines. -Disciplinary actions if policy ignored.

Direct Telephone Line

A feature that allows callers to dial directly to the desk of a person in the office.

Speaker Telephone

A feature that allows multiple people in a room to participate in the phone conversation.

Hold Feature

A feature that allows the receptionist to place the caller in a queue in order to take another call.

Last Number Redail

A feature that allows the user to redial the last number by pressing one button, rather than redialing the entire phone number.

Established Patient

A patient who has established care in the medical facility.

Hands-free Headset

A phone answering system that allows the user to have his or her hands free while talking on the phone.

Teletypewriter System (TTY)

A phone system that allows for communication with a person who has a hearing impairment.

Automated System

A telephone answering system that automatically picks up a telephone call electronically.

Conference Call

A telephone feature that allows numerous people to be on the same phone call.

Call Forwarding

A telephone feature that allows users to automatically forward calls to a different number.

Automatic Dialer

A telephone feature that allows users to automatically redial a number until someone answers the line.

Automatic Routing Unit

A telephone system that electronically answers and routes calls after receiving a prompt from the caller.

Voice Messaging System

An automated system that allowed callers to leave a voice message for the intended recipient.

New Patient

Any patient who has never been seen or has not been seen within the past 3 years by a provider in the facility.

Long Distance Calls

For office calls, may have code

Toll-free Calls

Most suppliers/vendors have toll free phone numbers.

Answering Services

Specialize in medical office telephone services. -Must have current information on how to contact physicians. -Must have on-call information. -May take messages from patients after hours. -Offer information on the office hours or page the physician on call if urgent.