Week 1 Modules- Chapter 22 telephone communications

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?" - 30 seconds - one minute - three minutes - 10 minutes

- one minute

A method of informing the patient of how to reach the provider must be available 365 days a year, ________ is often used. -Patient portal -Fax machine -PBX -Answering services

-Answering services

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. -Frequently called telephone numbers -The national public service campaign -Community resources -Office extensions

-Community resources

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. -Compassion -Empathy -Personality -Anticipation

-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. -Written authorization -Express direction -Implied direction -Under no circumstances should a medical assistant give out information or call in a prescription

-Express direction

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 -The national public service campaign -Community resources -Office extensions

-Frequently called telephone numbers

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. -Conference call -Phone menu -Video conferencing -Interactive

-Phone menu

In addition to privacy (HIPAA) and distraction issues, cell phones and similar devices present _________ that must be considered. -very few risks -opportunities to engage with patients -contamination, infection, and hygiene risks -nothing

-contamination, infection, and hygiene risks

In addition to patients whose native language is other than English, _________ patients may require interpreter services? -vision-impaired -pediatric -geriatric -hearing-impaired

-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. -threaten to hang up -ask for your co-worker's assistance -hold off any negative judgments -give the caller at least three warnings

-hold off any negative judgments

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, finish with the patient on the phone -say to the patient, "Excuse me for a moment, please," answer the phone call, place the caller on hold -let the call go to voicemail -ask your co-worker to answer the call

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

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 -emergency services -resources -triage information

1. -frequently called numbers 2. -resources

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

10 seconds

Teleconferencing

A means of exchanging information on a phone call where everyone can see and hear each other at the same time

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. -Privacy Practices (NPP) -Assignments of benefits -Confidential Communication Preference (CCP) -HIPAA demographics

Confidential Communication Preference (CCP)

Emergency services

If a patient is experiencing life-threatening conditions, they should be advised to hang up and call 911

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

Triage

Conference call

Used simultaneously to conduct conversations with several people in various locations at the same time

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.

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.

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.

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

"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?

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.

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

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.

***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.

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.

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

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

d. Record nature of call only if urgent message

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

***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 pre-authorized 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 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

***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