Copyright © 2007 by Saunders, Inc., an imprint of Elsevier Inc. UNIT 3 SEMINAR Hello Students. The...

Copyright © 2007 by Saunders, Inc., an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

UNIT 3 SEMINAR

Hello Students.

The seminar will begin shortly.


Questions

Do you have any questions about the course?

Only the students that have questions should be typing for the next few minutes.

Keep in mind that certain questions might require research; thus don’t be offended if I ask you to email the question to me.


The information in this Seminar was designed for Gerald Burke’s students. Contact your instructor for clarifications if you are not in Gerald Burke’s class. Your instructor might have different course expectations.


If your office is in New York and you need to contact a supplier in Seattle, which New York time would be the earliest that you should call to place an order, assuming that the supplier opens at 8:00 AM?

a. 8:00 AMb. 9:00 AMc. 10:00 AMd. 11:00 AM


D


Inflection is:

a. the choice of words

b. the highness or lowness of sound

c. the quality of being clear

d. a change in pitch


D


Enunciation is:

a. the choice of words

b. the highness or lowness of sound

c. articulation of clear sounds

d. a change in pitch


C


If your office is on the West Coast, what time is the latest time to call the East Coast?

a. 11:00 AM

b. 1:00 PM

c. 2:00 PM

d. 4:00 PM


C


The way to organize appointment scheduling so that it best supports the success of the practice is to:

a. schedule as many patients as possible throughout the entire day

b. allow frequent rest breaks

c. include a lot of time for the physician’s administrative activities

d. consider the preferences of the physician


D


The principal advantage of using the wave method when designing the scheduling process is that it:

a. allows flexibility to accommodate the unpredictable

b. gives priority to established patients

c. provides more breaks for staff

d. enables the physician to see more patients each day


A


An effective way to deal with patients who are always late for appointments is to:

a. refuse to schedule them after this happens several times

b. have them wait until it is convenient for the physician

c. advise them that they disrupt the office schedule

d. give them the last appointment of the day


D


A matrix in the schedule:

a. avoids overcrowding

b. keeps from booking during meetings and hospital rounds

c. is used only in large offices

d. is done at the end of the day


B


Which of the following words is spelled incorrectly?

a. Homeostasis

b. Pallietive

c. Pleura

d. Sagittal


B


Files for patients who have died, moved away, or otherwise terminated their relationship with the physician are called _____ files.

a. inactive

b. closed

c. active

d. dead


B


Career Tip #2 – Consider joining professional associations in your chosen profession(s).

Do you belong to any professional associations that pertain to your career?

What benefits do professional associations yield?


Pam Pohly’s Net Guide

Go to this website -

http://www.pohly.com/assoc2.html

This site contains many professional associations.


Pam Pohly’s Net Guide


Sample Professional Association

What does the acronym AHIMA stand for?


Sample Professional Association

American Health Information Management Association

Go to this website –

http://www.ahima.org/


Some of the Benefits

Professional Development and Continuing Education

Earn Certifications and Credentials

Online Training

Easy Networking

Mentoring and Career Guidance

Colleagues and References

Avoid Front Door Red Tape



Job Banks

Industry Information

Committee Work

Research

Lobbying



Membership Dues Strategy



Are you going to join a professional association today (or get on their email list)?


Introduction

Written communications are a reflection of the physician and his or her office staff.

All written communications should be professional, accurate, complete, and effective in getting across the intended message.

Do you agree with these 2 statements? Why or why not?


Importance of Written Communications

Promotes a good impression of the physician and the office staff

Enhances the art of effective communication

Promotes better healthcare by providing accurate information about and to the patient


Reflection on the Physician

Everything that happens in the office is a reflection on the physician and staff.

Written communications must be well written and grammatically correct.


Grammar Tools

Up-to-date standard dictionary

Medical dictionary

Thesaurus

Name a website where you can view one or more of these resources for free.


Scheduling

Scheduling keeps the office functioning smoothly throughout the business day.

If scheduling is not done efficiently, the entire office does not function efficiently.


Guidelines for Appointment Scheduling

Appointment scheduling systems must be individualized to each specific practice.

When scheduling, consider three things:

Patient need

Physician preference and habits

Available facilities


Why do medical practices have to consider the question below when they are trying to determine their office hours and appointment times?

Which age groups are most of our patients in?– Hint: Senior citizens, young students, working

adults, etc.



Is our practice located in an industrial or residential area?



Is our practice located in a busy metropolitan area or a rural area?


Late Patients

Be understanding when emergencies occur.

Make certain patients are aware of policies that affect late patients.

How should late patients be handled?


Special Circumstances

Failed Appointments or No-shows

Confirm appointments according to office policy.

Attempt to reschedule the appointment.

Make certain the patient understands the cancellation policy.


Some offices charge patients for failed appointments if they do not cancel within 24 to 48 hours before the scheduled time. Do you favor this policy? Why or why not?


Introduction

The telephone is the lifeline of the medical practice.

Telephone technique can either build or destroy a physician’s office.

The patient is never an interruption of the work day; instead, the patient is the reason the practice exists.


Telephone Tip

Why should you not eat, drink, or chew gum while on the phone?


Questions to Ask during an Emergency Call

What questions do you need to ask when you receive an emergency call from a patient?

Three


Questions to Ask during an Emergency Call

At what telephone number can you be reached?

Where are you located?

What are the chief symptoms?

When did they start?

Has this happened before?

Are you alone?

Do you have transportation?


Physician Preferences and Habits

Does the physician become restless if the reception room is not packed with waiting patients?

List some other physician preferences and habits that need to be considered regarding scheduling patients.



Is the physician habitually late?

Does the physician move easily from one patient to another?

Does the physician require a break time after a few patients?

Would the physician rather see fewer patients and spend more time with them or more patients throughout the day?



Does the physician worry if even one patient is kept waiting?

Is the physician methodic and careful about being in the facility when patient appointments are scheduled to begin?


Scheduling New Patients

Provide some guidance for preparing and scheduling new patients.



Gather as much information as possible when scheduling the first appointment.

Attempt to get all of the information needed to construct the patient’s medical record.

Determine the amount of time needed for the office visit.



Remember to offer choices when scheduling the appointment.

Explain parking issues.

Give accurate directions to the office.

Explain the approximate cost for the first visit, and make the patient aware of payment policies for new patients.


Preparing for New Patients

Mail patient information packets if there is time before the actual appointment date.

Send the information via email if possible.

Some practices permit patients to complete this information online.

Determine if the patient is a referral.

Send a thank-you note to the person who referred the patient.

Confirm the appointment the day before.


Scheduling Established Patients

Provide some guidance for scheduling established patients.



In Person

Usually done when the patient is leaving the office after an appointment.

Offer the patient choices in day, date, and time.

Always offer an appointment card.

Provide excellent customer service to the patient.



By Telephone

Offer the patient a choice of day, date, and times.

Ask the patient if there have been any significant changes in address, phone numbers, or insurance coverage if he or she has not been to the office in a while.


Q & A

Questions?

Copyright © 2007 by Saunders, Inc., an imprint of Elsevier Inc. UNIT 3 SEMINAR Hello Students. The...

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