Chapter 22: Telephone Communications

On average, it takes a person about ___ to pick up on your attitude from listening to the tone of your voice.

10 seconds

When you are finished with a telephone conversation, how should you end it? a. Thank the patient for calling and hang up first. b. Keep the call brief, to the point, and then move on to the next caller as quickly as possible. c. Let the caller hang up first. d. Add a reminder greeting at the end of the call.

c. let the caller hang up first

If you need to transfer a patient's call to another department or office, first give the caller the phone number, the extension, and the person's name to whom you are transferring him or her in case a disconnection occurs. You should then: a. use the intercom and announce that Mrs. Bloomberg is calling about her pregnancy test. b. use the intercom and ask for a person in the lab to pick up about Mrs. Bloomberg's test result. c. signal (or page) the person and, when the person answers, explain who is waiting to speak to him or her and give a brief summary of the issue. d. Any of the above

c. signal (or page) the person and, when the person answers, explain who is waiting to speak to him or her and give a brief summary of the issue.

Senior services, child protective services, emergency medical services, home health services, and lab services and locations are examples of ___ that should be maintained for reference and referrals.

community resources

Data regarding patients may not be given out over the telephone to anyone unless the patient has given written permission for the release of specific information. This authorization is often given with a signature on the ___ form.

confidential communication preference (CCP)

In addition to privacy (HIPAA) and distraction issues, cell phones and similar devices present ___ that must be considered.

contamination, infections, and hygiene risks

Which of the following is an excellent example of how to answer a call with a smile on your face? a. "Napa Valley Clinic." b. "This is Kathy." c. "Good morning, please hold." d. "Good morning, Central Medical Center, Ellen speaking, how may I help you?"

d. "Good morning, Central Medical Center, Ellen speaking, how may I help you?"

Sometimes all lines ring continually. Basic guidelines for handling several ringing lines include: a. excuse yourself and ask the patient you are speaking with if you may place him or her on hold. b. answer the second call, determine the nature of the call (be sure it is not an emergency), and ask if he or she can hold c. return to the first call and thank him or her for holding d. All of the above

d. all of the above

When scheduling appointments, you should positively identify the patient and: a. confirm the date of the last visit. b. obtain at least two identifiers of the patient, including date of birth as well as last and first names. c. confirm the provider is contracted with the patient's insurance. d. All of the above

d. all of the above

When the phone rings in the office, someone should answer each line as soon as possible, at least: a. three times during the hour. b. every time it rings by the same person. c. before the manager answers it. d. by the third ring.

d. by the third ring.

As a medical assistant, there are times you encounter difficult callers. When you receive a difficult caller, the best approach is to: a. hang up as quickly as possible. b. transfer the call to the call center. c. place the caller on hold. d. hold off any negative judgments and try your best to accommodate the requests.

d. hold off any negative judgments and try your best to accommodate the requests.

If there is a serious telephone emergency that cannot be handled in the facility, it is best to: a. notify the practice insurance company. b. notify the patient's insurance company. c. notify the provider's staff. d. refer the patient to an emergency medical service.

d. refer the patient to an emergency medical service.

You should learn how to proceed logically through a set of questions that will reveal the caller's condition and help determine, if necessary, how soon the patient should be seen by a provider. This process is called: a. diagnosis screening. b. obtaining a chief complaint. c. patient interviewing. d. telephone screening.

d. telephone screening

Which of the following describes the types of community resources for patients' health care needs? a. Senior services b. Lab services and locations c. Occupational Health and Safety Administration d. Police department e. a and b only

e. a and b only

Identify methods of screening and routing incoming calls. a. Determine nature of call. b. Accurately describe patient symptoms. c. Determine level of urgency. d. Use standard questions and respond in a template form preauthorized by the provider. e. All of the above

e. all of the above

Which types of telephone calls will a medical assistant have to answer in the medical office? a. Appointments b. Prescription refills c. Follow-up calls d. Difficult calls e. All of the above

e. all of the above

Which of the following is NOT considered a guideline (protocol) for answering the telephone in the medical office? a. Answer the telephone as promptly as possible, with a smile. b. Put the caller on hold as quickly as possible. c. Handle as many telephone calls as you possibly can without disturbing the provider. Provide message and documentation, including attaching the callback number and chart when needed by the provider for review. d. Document only the important calls. e. b and d

e. b and d

Because the phone call is often the first contact a patient has with the office, your manner of speaking and the ___ you convey are part of establishing an appropriate image of the practice.

empathy

Each office has its own rules for prescription refills. The general rule is that a medical assistant does not give out information or call in a prescription without the ___ of the provider.

express direction

It is a good idea to keep an up-to-date index of your most ___ by the telephone, as well as ____ for patients and emergency preparedness

frequently called numbers; resources

The CDC, Medicare, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the current directory for the local clinics and hospitals, are examples of ___ that should be maintained for reference and referrals.

frequently called telephone numbers

In addition to patients whose native language is other than English, ___ patients may require interpreter services?

hearing- impaired

When a patient makes demands by asking for something that is unreasonable and difficult to provide, your first reaction can be annoyance. The best approach is to___ and try your best to accommodate the request.

hold off any negative judgments

If the person on the phone needs additional information or if the call is going to take a while, excuse yourself from the phone call by saying, "May I put you on hold for a moment?" However, if it will be more than ___ , the caller should not be put on hold; in this case, say, "May I call you back with that information?"

one minute

The ___ system is designed to be more efficient, route to the proper person or department, prevent the caller from being disconnected, or from being kept on hold too long.

phone menu

If you are speaking to a patient face-to-face at the office and you need to answer the phone, ______ , and then continue with what you were doing with the patient in front of you.

say to the patient, "Excuse me for a moment, please," answer the phone call, place the caller on hold

A telephone screening manual is also referred to as a ___ manual.

triage

A method of informing the patient of how to reach the provider must be available 365 days a year, which is why a(n) ___ is often used.

answering service

On average it takes a person about how long to pick up on your attitude from listening to the tone of your voice? a. Three seconds b. 10 seconds c. By the second phone call d. Three minutes

b. 10 seconds

The use of mobile devices in the health care setting has both upsides and downsides. Which of the following is not an upside? a. Easy to use b. Can be a source of distraction or interruption c. Provides a wealth of information at your fingertips d. Can access a patient's chart and other information with the touch of the screen

b. can be a source of distraction or interruption

The acronym "HEAT" stands for: a. hear them out, be expressive, annotate, and tell the patient what to do. b. hear them out, be empathetic, apologize, and take action. c. have information ready, express interest, act now, and take charge. d. have information ready, be empathetic, take action, and take charge.

b. hear them out, be empathetic, apologize, and take action.

"H" in the "THINK" acronym stands for: a. Is it hopeful? b. Is it helpful? c. Is it harassment? d. Is it honest?

b. is it helpful?

With electronic health records, there is a digital footprint of each and every access to a patient's records. If a provider or manager wants to know who has accessed a patient's record, they would do which of the following? a. Review paper charts and document last employee to enter a progress note. b. Run an administrative access report. c. Run an Operator Audit Log. d. All of the above

c. Run an Operator Audit Log

When you finish the telephone call, you should: a. Wait 10 seconds to see if there are additional questions b. Hang up and move on quickly to the next caller on hold c. Allow the caller to hang up first d. Put the caller on hold to see if there are any further instructions from the provider

c. allow the caller to hang up first

There are unique challenges for providers and health care facilities across the nation in meeting the cultural and language needs of their patient populations. Many health care facilities have systems to address patients' language needs, often referred to as: a. interpreter services. b. special needs services. c. language assistance services. d. cultural services.

a. interpreter services

Which of the following is incorrect when documenting a telephone message? a. Record nature of call only if urgent message b. M/F (sex) c. Date and time of call d. Date of birth e. Caller's full name

a. record nature of call only if urgent message

All messages must be signed off (both paper and electronic) to confirm that final action has been taken. This usually entails that the last person to contact the patient: a. shall sign off and file or save to chart and notify patient of action. b. file the chart away when finished. c. shall forward the message to the office manager for verification. d. shall forward the file to the medical records department.

a. shall sign off and file or save to chart and notify patient of action

What should you say to a patient who calls on the telephone and asks to speak directly with the provider? a. "The doctor is with a patient right now, may I take a message." b. "The doctor is busy right now." c. "I am unable to interrupt him right now?" d. "Can you call back in about 15 minutes?"

a. "The doctor is with a patient right now, may I take a message."

Which of the following describes concerns/challenges for using a mobile device in the health care setting? a. Camera and recording capabilities pose a threat to patient privacy. b. No instant access to patient portals. c. Keener awareness by user. d. All of the above

a. Camera and recording capabilities pose a threat to patient privacy.