Allied Health Assistant: Telephone Etiquette
why is planning ahead for outgoing calls helpful?
it saves time for the person answering the call it saves the assistant time it helps to free the telephone lines sooner.
triage
process of evaluating a situation and prioritizing treatment called
enunciate
pronounce words distinctly
diction
term that refers to word choice
verbal/oral communication
the use of language and words to send and receive information called
tone of voice
when a speaker's feelings are expressed through speech
which of the following telephone greetings is acceptable for a medical office?
"mountainview children's clinic, thomas speaking. how may I help you?"
an assistant is near the waiting room of a medical office, and she is speaking with a patient by telephone. which of these statements is she permitted to say?
"mr. dawson, our records show that your insurance has not paid for the tests you underwent last month."
which message is the most acceptable for an assistant to leave when returning a patient's call?
"mrs. brian, this is trudy at surecare. please call our office at 555-6543, at your earliest convenience so I can schedule a time for your questions to be answered."
why should an assistant smile when talking on the telephone?
it will be heard in the voice just as it would be seen in person
for which of these types of telephone calls is it acceptable for the office assistant to take a message much of the time?
patient calls calls from other medical personnel non-medical business calls personal calls
a patient calls with a serious condition that is not an emergency, but requires an urgent appointment. what is the most appropriate response for the assistant?
schedule the appointment as early as possible
why might office policy require the assistant to also get a patient's date of birth when identifying a caller?
several patients may have the same name
why is it important for the assistant to evaluate the situation before prioritizing treatment?
sometimes a patient may be upset, but there is no medical emergency
another physician calls with an important question and asks to be put through to the office physician immediately. But the office physician is in the middle of a patient exam. What is the most appropriate response for the assistant?
take a message to be returned as soon as possible
conference call
technology is used for three or more people in different geographical areas to "meet" by phone
answering service
technology that allows a patient to speak with a human
call forwarding
technology that allows telephone calls to be sent to another appointed number
speakerphone
technology that leaves the hands free and is built into the phone
automatic routing system (ARU)
technology uses a recorded message with a series of directions for callers to press buttons to reach the correct party
why must the assistant always be aware of who is nearby when on the telephone?
to keep unauthorized parties from overhearing confidential information
why might an assistant avoid using the term "doctor" when leaving a telephone message for a patient?
to protects the patient's privacy
why should an office assistant keep the physician from being interrupted without need?
to provide better care for patients
a patient calls to get more instructions for the prescribed treatment. what is the most appropriate response for the assistant?
transfer the call to a nurse
the main purpose of the telephone greeting is to address callers with courtesy and help them know that they have reached the correct party.
true
emergency call
type of telephone call that warrants immediately notifying the physician
when are calls from other medical personnel usually transferred directly to the office physician?
when the physician who is calling asks to be put through at once
what is the key response for an assistant who is dealing with an angry telephone caller?
calmly reassuring the caller of concern and intention to help
which of these items may be found on a standard message form?
date and time of the call caller's name and patient's name, correctly spelled caller's telephone number reason for the call
screen
determining who is the best person in the facility to handle each telephone call
inflection
emphasizes important point in a conversation
susan is speaking to a patient. she should use speaker phone so that her hands are free to take notes in the patient's chart.
false
what is the maximum amount of time a caller should be left on hold before the assistant checks back with the caller?
1-2 mins
what is an appropriate response for assistants who feel they may lose their temper with a difficult caller?
ask for another staff member's help
who handles most routine patient telephone calls?
assistant or other medical office staff