What action should the medical assistant take if a caller requesting to speak to the doctor refuses to give identification?

A medical office receives many calls during the course of a single day. Each deserves the medical assistant’s complete and competent attention, no matter how busy the office. The following section can assist the medical assistant with managing and following up on common incoming calls.

Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

Screening Incoming Calls
Effective Listening Etiquette Techniques
Telephone Voice Etiquette Techniques
Answering the Telephone Professionally
Automated Voice Response Units
Voicemail, Answering Machines, and Answering Services Etiquette
Types of Incoming Calls
Emergency Call Telephone Triage Techniques
HIPAA Patient Privacy
How should the medical assistant handle a call if the caller refuses to give any information and insists on speaking to the physician group of answer choices?
What should the administrative medical assistant do if the person on the call refuses to give their name?
How should the medical assistant handle a problem from an angry caller?
How should the medical assistant communicate with the telephone caller?

Screening Incoming Calls

Most physicians expect the medical assistant to screen all telephone calls. The physician and office manager provide guidance on the type of calls to be routed to the physician and those that he or she will return at a later time. The medical assistant should become familiar with their preferences and also use good judgment, much of which comes with experience, in deciding whether to put through a call to the physician.

If it is office policy, put calls from other physicians through at once. If the physician is busy and cannot possibly come to the telephone, explain this briefly and politely, then say that the physician will return the call as soon as possible.

Many callers ask, “Is the doctor in?” or “May I speak to the doctor?” Avoid answering with a simple “Yes” or “No” or by responding with the question, “Who is calling, please?” If the physician is not in, say so before asking the identity of the caller. Otherwise, the impression may be created that the physician is just not willing to talk with this person.

If the physician is away from the office, the rule of offering assistance still holds. The medical assistant may say, “No, I am sorry, Dr. Frank is not in. May I take a message?” or “No, I am sorry, but Dr. Frank will be at the hospital most of the morning. May I ask her to return your call after 1 o’clock?”

If the physician is in and is available for telephone calls, a typical response would be, “Yes, Dr. Frank is in; may I say who is calling, please?”

When physicians prefer to keep telephone calls to a minimum, say, “Yes, Dr. Frank is in the office, but she is not free to come to the phone. May I take a message, please?” By responding in this way, the physician is not committed to taking the call.

During the time a physician is examining a patient, he or she will not wish to be interrupted with a routine call. In such cases you might say, “Yes, Dr. Frank is in, but she is with a patient right now. May I help you?” or “Yes, Dr. Frank is in, but she is with a patient right now. Is there anything you would like me to ask her?”

Try to guard against being overprotective. A patient should be able to talk with the physician when absolutely necessary, but unless it is an emergency, the patient probably is willing to do so at the physician’s convenience. The medical assistant who answers the telephone acts as a screen, not a roadblock.

Although no one wants to sit next to a telephone waiting on a physician to call, this is the reality in most cases. In fact, physicians almost always rely on their staff to give them messages from patients and then follow up on the instructions the physician gives for each patient. Staff members should provide an approximate time frame within which the patient’s call will be returned, but they must always stress that the time is an estimate. Emergencies cannot be predicted, and it may be impossible to abide by that time frame. Always ask for the patient’s cell phone number, if available, then ask him or her to keep the phone handy for the rest of the day. Make every effort to return calls by noon for morning messages and by the time the office closes for afternoon messages. By cross-training all employees to take accurate messages and document calls, any employee can return calls, even if he or she did not take the original message.

Find out exactly how calls are to be handled when the physician is out of the office and under what circumstances he or she can be interrupted when on the premises. Cultivate a reputation for being helpful and reliable. A medical assistant can save the physician many interruptions if patients develop confidence in the medical assistant’s ability to help them and have faith in his or her promises to take messages and deliver them properly. (For more tips on handling telephone calls, visit the Evolve site at evolve.elsevier.com/kinn.)

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Critical Thinking Application

Ashlynn answers the phone; the caller is a male pharmaceutical representative who has been visiting the clinic for several months. She cheerfully greets him and asks if he is calling to make an appointment. He states that he wants to make an appointment with Ashlynn—for a date. How should she handle this call? What problems could arise if this were a patient and Ashlynn were to accept the date?

The telephone is one of the most important pieces of communication equipment and is often the first interaction a patient will have with a physician’s office. When patients call the physician’s office, they expect a certain etiquette and for the medical office administrative assistant’s undivided attention.

Since the medical office administrative assistant doesn’t know who is on the other end of the call, he/she must keep an appropriate telephone voice using proper etiquette techniques including diction, pitch, tone, enunciation, volume, speed, and pronunciation. The administrative assistant must also be a good listener and answer the phone in a professional manner.

Proper telephone etiquette is about making a good impression when speaking on the phone. Medical office administrative assistants will want to be courteous and helpful. They should give the caller their undivided attention and never try to do another task at the same time as talking on the telephone.

Some patients will not want to remain on hold, so proper etiquette dictates that the medical office administrative assistant should ask if they want to receive a call back. This return call should be placed in a reasonable amount of time. Proper telephone etiquette recommends that the medical office administrative assistant should use the patient’s name, which will give the patient a positive feeling about the physician’s office.

When medical office administrative assistants deal with someone who is nervous or upset, proper etiquette recommends that they communicate with empathy to show the caller they understand the patient’s feelings. When concluding the call, the medical office administrative assistant should take a few seconds to summarize the important points of the call and thank the caller. Proper etiquette suggests that medical office administration assistants always allow the caller to hang up first.

Triage telephone techniques (prioritizing the urgency of medical problems) will be used by the medical office administrative assistant so that emergencies are handled correctly. Being HIPAA compliant (keeping confidentiality) is also important when talking with patients or a physician on the phone. Many physicians’ offices will have multiple lines, and the medical office administrative assistant will need strong multitasking techniques to transfer calls, leave voicemails, and put calls on hold.

Effective Listening Etiquette Techniques

Effective listening etiquette techniques by medical office administrative assistants will allow them to understand whether a call is an emergency. They should permit patients or physicians to complete their thoughts rather than anticipating what they are going to say. They should also repeat back the caller’s request or thoughts so the caller knows that the medical office administrative assistant listened.

Telephone Voice Etiquette Techniques

Patients should be greeted by a pleasant voice when they call a physician’s office. The medical office administrative assistant should use proper etiquette through pronunciation of words, keep the pitch pleasant, speak with a positive and respectful tone, sound intelligible, not be too loud or soft, and speak at such a speed that the caller can understand the full message.

Diction – Diction relates to the proper pronunciation of words that allows others to understand clearly.
Pitch – Pitch refers to the sound of the medical office administrative assistant’s voice. It may be low and deep or high and squeaky. It is always important to create a pleasing tone for the patient to be comfortable.
Tone – The medical office administrative assistant should always speak with a positive and respectful tone.
Enunciation – The medical office administrative assistant should speak clearly and precisely.
Loudness – A voice that is too loud or hard to hear can make a negative impression on the patient.
Speed – If the medical office administrative assistant speaks too fast, the patient may miss a portion of the message.
Pronunciation – By pronouncing a name properly, the medical office administrative assistant can demonstrate respect for the patient.

Answering the Telephone Professionally

Answering the telephone in a professional manner involves answering within two to three rings, so the caller is not left waiting. If taking multiple calls, proper etiquette suggests that you give the first caller priority unless the second caller has an emergency. Always ask permission to place a caller on hold before doing so.

Proper etiquette suggests that medical office administrative assistants should identify the facility and then their own name when answering a call. Next, the medical office administrative assistant should identify the caller’s name in order to refer back to it if needed.

Ask the caller’s permission to be placed on hold before transferring the call to a colleague or physician. The medical office administrative assistant should also let callers know if the person they are looking for is unavailable and, if so, that the call will be transferred to voicemail.

If taking a message, it should include the name of the caller, who the message is for, the telephone number of the caller, the time and date of the call, and any message that needs to be conveyed.

Once the call has ended, the medical office administrative assistant should thank the caller and close the conversation. The phone line should be left clear for other calls or emergencies that arise.

Automated Voice Response Units

Many companies are turning to automated voice response units for all incoming telephone calls. The recorded voice allows the caller to pick from different options for routing a call. The use of automated voice response units offers greater flexibility for the medical office administrative assistant, however many callers can get lost in the system.

If an automated voice response unit is used, the first option should always be a way to contact someone in an emergency. An option to dial zero should be given so the caller can be connected to an operator, especially important for an elderly patient.

Although automated voice response units may increase productivity, having someone to answer the phone provides a personal touch and shows that the physician’s office cares about the patients.

Voicemail, Answering Machines, and Answering Services Etiquette

In conjunction with automated voice response units, the physician’s office may use voicemail or an answering machine if the office is closed or the medical office administrative assistant is away from the telephone. The caller can leave a message and have the medical office administrative assistant call back when available.

An additional offering that a physician’s office may use is an answering service. This allows a live person to answer the phone after hours, especially if the patient is having an emergency.

Types of Incoming Calls

The medical office administrative assistant will encounter a wide variety of questions and requests when answering the telephone. Most incoming calls are from patients, but the physician’s office will also get calls from other physicians, insurance claims agents, medical sales representatives, and laboratory personnel. Proper phone etiquette must be adhered to at all times.

Telephone calls from patients may have to do with appointment scheduling, billing inquires, requests for medical or laboratory reports, questions about medications, prescription renewals, progress reports on treatment success, requests for advice, or complaints.

Although friends and family members will call from time to time, telephone etiquette states that the use of the physician’s office telephone is never appropriate for personal calls.

Emergency Call Telephone Triage Techniques

When receiving an emergency call from a patient, the medical office administrative assistant should ask about the patient’s symptoms and condition.

When an emergency, the patient should contact 911 immediately. These include unconsciousness; inability to breath; severe bleeding; pain in the abdomen that will not go away; severe vomiting; bloody stools; poisoning; head, neck, and back injuries; choking; drowning; electrical shock; snake bite; allergic reaction; injuries from a severe motor vehicle collision; a chemical or foreign object in the eye; severe burns; deep animal bites; heart attack; stroke; broken bones; shock; heatstroke; and hypothermia.

HIPAA Patient Privacy

According to the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), a medical office administrative assistant is not to discuss a patient’s personal health information with anyone other than the patient. HIPAA requires appropriate safeguards to protect the privacy of “protected health information.”

The medical office administrative assistant should comply with patients’ requests for their own information.

Proper phone etiquette discourages putting patients and medical professionals on speakerphone. If the medical office administrative assistant is going to talk with the patient or authorized provider, all information should be kept confidential.

Occasionally, a patient’s family member or friend will call. The medical office administrative assistant should keep the patient’s information confidential and obtain authorization from the patient before disclosing any information to family and friends.

Want to learn more about the telephone etiquette of a medical office administrative assistant? Ready for an exciting new career in the health care field?

The Medical Office Administration program prepares students with the skills and training necessary to provide excellent administrative support while working and playing a key role in running an efficient, productive office in a variety of medical and business environments.

Through a blend of classroom instruction and practical hands-on training, Medical Office Administration students receive an in-depth education in computer data entry of patient information; patient files; filing systems and records; insurance claim filing; and billing and coding.

How should the medical assistant handle a call if the caller refuses to give any information and insists on speaking to the physician group of answer choices?

MEDA 100 REVIEWER.

What should the administrative medical assistant do if the person on the call refuses to give their name?

Transferring a Call Any person who refuses to give a name should not be put through unless the medical assistant has been specifically instructed to do so. If the person is not immediately available, ask the caller whether he or she would prefer to be put through to voice mail.

How should the medical assistant handle a problem from an angry caller?

How should the medical assistant handle a problem from an angry caller? Listen calmly to the upset person. What is the proper callback verification procedure? It should always be documented.

How should the medical assistant communicate with the telephone caller?

The medical assistant should communicate with the patient in a friendly tone and should be courteous and tactful while communicating. The medical assistant should know what to say to maintain good relations with the patient.