Transcript Chapter 11 Telephone Techniques

11-1
Telephone Techniques
PowerPoint® presentation to accompany:
Medical Assisting
Third Edition
Booth, Whicker, Wyman, Pugh, Thompson
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-2
Learning Outcomes
11.1 Explain the importance of communication skills.
11.2 Explain how to manage incoming telephone calls.
11.3 Describe how the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) applies to telephone
communications.
11.4 Describe the procedure for calling a new
prescription or prescription renewal into a
pharmacy.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-3
Learning Outcomes (cont.)
11.5 Compare the types of calls the medical assistant
handles with those the physician or other staff
members handle.
11.6 Describe how to handle various types of incoming
calls from patients and from others.
11.7 Discuss the importance of proper telephone
etiquette.
11.8 Describe the procedures for taking telephone
messages.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-4
Learning Outcomes (cont.)
11.9 Explain how to retrieve calls from an answering
service.
11.10 Describe the procedures for placing outgoing calls.
11.11 Explain the function of telephone triage in the
medical office.
11.12 Explain the uses of a facsimile machine in a
medical office.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-5
Introduction

Telephone calls must be professionally
and effectively handled

Telephone etiquette


Common courtesy
Proper pronunciation, tone, and enunciation

How to handle difficult situations and complaints

How to document messages
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-6
Using the Telephone Effectively

The medical assistant may be the first contact
a patient has




Ensure that you leave a positive impression
Show concern
Sound professional and knowledgeable
Proper telephone management


Keeps patients informed
Ensures patient satisfaction
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-7
Using the Telephone Effectively (cont.)
Good telephone techniques leave the patient with a
positive impression of
• You
• The physician
• The practice

Good telephone management
shows that the staff is
• Caring
• Attentive
• Helpful
Poor telephone management
results in
• Bad feelings
• Misunderstanding
• Unfavorable impressions
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-8
Apply Your Knowledge
What two things does proper telephone
management do?
ANSWER: Proper telephone management keeps
patients informed and ensures patient satisfaction.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-9
Communication Skills

Using tact and sensitivity

Showing empathy

Giving respect

Being genuine
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-10
Communication Skills (cont.)

Displaying openness and friendliness

Refraining from passing judgment or
stereotyping

Being supportive

Asking for clarification and feedback
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-11
Communication Skills (cont.)

Paraphrasing to ensure understanding

Being receptive to the patient’s needs

Knowing when to speak and when
to listen

Being willing to consider other
viewpoints
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-12
Communication Skills (cont.)
The 5 Cs
of
Communication
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-13
Apply Your Knowledge
What are the 5 Cs of communication and what does each
mean?
ANSWER: The 5 Cs of communication are:
• Completeness – the message must contain all needed
information
• Clarity – it should be legible and free from ambiguity
• Conciseness – it should be brief and direct
• Courtesy – it should be respectful and considerate
• Cohesiveness – it should be organized and logical
Certainly!
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-14
Managing Incoming Calls:
Guidelines

Answer calls promptly

Be able to take a message

Greet the caller with the medical office name and your
name

Identify the caller and demonstrate a willingness to
assist him or her

If the caller does not give his or her name, ask for it
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-15
Managing Incoming Calls:
Guidelines (cont.)

Be courteous, calm, and pleasant

Identify the nature of the call

Use the caller’s name when saying goodbye at the
end of the call

Comply with HIPAA guidelines for confidentiality
of patient information
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-16
Managing Incoming Calls:
Screening Calls

Tips


Find out who is calling
Ask what the call is in reference to


Decide whether to put the call through


Helps to determine who can handle
the call
Do not put through callers who refuse to identify
themselves
Determine what to do if the call is personal
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-17
Managing Incoming Calls:
Routing Calls
Generally, three types of calls are received in the office:
1) Administrative Issues
3) Clinical Issues
2) Emergency Calls

Follow the office policy to determine calls that
should be

Put through immediately

Returned returned later

Handled by another staff member other than the physician
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-18
Managing Incoming Calls:
Routing Calls (cont.)

Calls handled by the medical assistant

Appointments

Billing inquiries

Insurance questions

Diagnostic reports
(lab and x-ray)

General administrative
questions

Reports from hospitals
and patients

Referral requests

Prescription renewals (if
previously approved by
the physician)

Patient complaints
regarding administrative
issues
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-19
Managing Incoming Calls:
Routing Calls (cont.)

Calls requiring the doctor’s attention

Emergency calls

Calls from other physicians

Patient requests regarding test results

Patient requests to discuss their symptoms

Requests for prescription renewals

Personal calls
A routing list specifies who is responsible for
handling certain types of calls.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-20
Apply Your Knowledge
The medical assistant is just returning from lunch, and the office
telephone is ringing. When the medical assistant answers, the caller
interrupts her greeting and says, “No, do not put me on hold again,
I have been on hold for 10 minutes!” How should the medical
assistant respond to this caller?
ANSWER: The medical assistant should remain calm, allow the
caller to express his or her concerns, apologize for any
inconvenience, and inform the caller that you would like to help.
The MA should not attempt to shift the blame by telling the caller
that he or she was just returning from lunch and instead should put
effort into assisting the caller.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-21
Types of Incoming Calls
Calls from Patients
Medical Assistant Role
Appointments

Billing Inquiries

Diagnostic Reports
Questions about
Medications
Make or change appointments
Clarify bill or charges
 Help set up payment
arrangements if possible
 Document what information is given
to the patient
Get approval for renewals
 Answer questions about medications

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-22
Types of Incoming Calls (cont.)
Calls from Patients
Medical Assistant Role
Reports of Symptoms

Progress Reports

Listen carefully and document
 Schedule appointment as needed
Requests for Advice
Route follow-up calls to the
physician
 Document call in patient record
 Do not give any medical advice
Complaints

Remain calm and listen carefully
 Apologize for any inconveniences
 Follow through to resolve issue
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-23
Types of Incoming Calls:

Must be routed to
the physician immediately

Includes serious or life-threatening
conditions such as
• Severe bleeding
• Drug reaction
• Injuries
• Poisoning
• Suicide attempts
• Severe burns
• Loss of consciousness
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-24
Types of Incoming Calls (cont.)

Never use office phone for personal calls

Limit cell phone use to essential calls only

HIPAA and confidentiality apply to telephone calls

Attorneys


Follow office guidelines carefully
Never release any patient information unless the physician
authorizes you to do so
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-25
Types of Incoming Calls (cont.)

Other physicians



Route calls to the physician
Do not disclose any patient
information
Salespeople


Request that information be
mailed to you about new products
Pharmaceutical representatives may be seen by the
physician
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-26
Apply Your Knowledge
A medical assistant working in a large medical/surgical
practice answers the telephone. The caller states “Hi, I’m
Dr. X., did Dr. C. perform Mrs. A. W.’s surgery
yesterday?” How should the medical assistant respond?
ANSWER: The medical assistant should request that Dr. X hold
to speak with the physician. You may not disclose any
information concerning a patient, including whether or not patient
A.W had surgery, even to a physician. In addition, this may not
really be Dr. X.
Excellent!
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-27
Using Proper Telephone Etiquette


Customer service is critical
Use your telephone voice




Speak directly into the receiver
Be friendly; convey interest and
respect
Use non-technical language, but
never use slang
Use a normal tone, but attempt to vary your pitch


Pitch is the high and low level of your speech
Make the caller feel important!
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-28
Using Proper Telephone Etiquette (cont.)
Tone
Pronunciation

Saying words correctly

Positive

If the name is difficult to
pronounce, ask the patient
how it is pronounced

Respectful
Enunciation


Saying words in a clear and understandable manner
Eating, chewing gum, and incorrect placement of the
phone interfere with enunciation
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-29
Telephone Etiquette:
Making a Good Impression
Exhibiting
courtesy
• Project an attitude of helpfulness
• Always refer to the caller by name
• Thank the caller before hanging up
Giving undivided
attention
Putting a
call on hold
• Give the caller the same level of attention
as if he or she were right in front of you
• Listen attentively to get accurate
information
• Always allow the caller to state the purpose of the
call prior to placing the caller on hold
• If the wait will be lengthy, offer to call back instead
of placing the caller on hold
• Return to the caller at 2-minute intervals
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-30
Telephone Etiquette:
Making a Good Impression

Handling difficult situations


Remembering patient names


If the call is not an emergency, and you are in the middle of
an urgent situation, offer to return the call
Using the caller’s name during a conversation makes the
caller feel important
Checking for understanding

Ask questions to ensure that the caller understands what you
have discussed and that you understood the caller.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-31
Telephone Etiquette:
Making a Good Impression

Communicating feelings



Try to communicate an understanding of the caller’s
feelings (empathy)
Callers tend to have a better perception of the office if
empathy is communicated
Ending the conversation



Summarize important points
Thank the caller for calling (use the caller’s name)
Allow the caller to hang up first
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-32
Apply Your Knowledge
What should you do when you have to place a caller
on hold?
ANSWER: When a caller has to be placed on hold, first ask
the purpose of the call. Then tell the caller why you need to
place him or her on hold and how long the wait will be.
Check with the caller at frequent (2-minute) intervals. Offer
to call back if the wait will be lengthy.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-33
Taking Messages

Documenting calls


Protects the physician
against legal action
Document in the patient
record



Clinical issues
Referrals
Messages must be
accurate and legible
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-34
Taking Messages (cont.)
Always keep a pen and paper near the telephone so you are
prepared to record the message.
Contents of a Telephone Message Pad
TO:____________________________________________
Date_________________
Time______________
Message
FROM:_________________________________________
Telephone ( )__________________extension________
Message Details:
Your name or initials
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-35
Taking Messages: Telephone Logs

Manual



Spiral-bound, perforated message
book
Top copy or original is given to the
message recipient and a copy is kept
in the book
Electronic


Message is keyed in as it is received
Copy can be saved, printed out, or
e-mailed
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-36
Taking Messages: Tips

Keep pen/pencil on hand

Take notes as information is
given

Verify spelling

Verify callback number

Do not make a commitment on behalf of
someone else
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-37
Taking Messages (cont.)


Ensuring correct information

Get the correct spelling of the caller’s
name

If you have to pull the patient record,
ask for date of birth

Repeat key points for verification
Maintaining patient confidentiality

Do not repeat any confidential information over the telephone

Maintain confidentiality with written messages
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-38
Right!
Apply Your Knowledge
Answer True or False to the following:
ANSWER:
T Documenting calls can protect against legal actions.
___
T Confidentiality is just as important when making
___
telephone calls as in written communication.
F You should ask for the patient’s SSN if you have to
___
pull his/her record. Date of birth
T You should repeat key points to verify information.
___
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-39
Telephone Answering Systems

Single telephone or complex
multiline systems

Common equipment and services
used in the medical office



Automated voice mail
Answering machine
Answering service
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-40
Telephone Answering Systems (cont.)

Retrieving messages from answering
service

Set a regular schedule and call at
scheduled times

Identify yourself and the practice name

Write down all pertinent information on
telephone log

Repeat the information to verify

Route messages per office policy
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-41
Apply Your Knowledge
What steps should you take to retrieve messages from
an answering service?
ANSWER: To retrieve messages from an answering
service you should
1. Set a regular schedule and call at scheduled times
2. Identify yourself and the practice name
3. Write down all pertinent information on telephone log
4. Repeat the information to verify
5. Route messages per office policy
CORRECT!
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-42
Placing Outgoing Calls

Locating telephone numbers



Patient record
Office file of commonly used
numbers
Telephone directory, directory
assistance, or the Internet

A fee is charged for directory
assistance
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-43
Placing Outgoing Calls (cont.)

Applying your telephone skills

Plan before you call

Double-check the phone number

Allow time for the person to answer

Identify yourself

Ask if the time is convenient

Be ready to speak when the person answers

Be sure the person has paper and pencil if you are giving
information
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-44
Placing Outgoing Calls (cont.)

Arranging conference
calls



Calls between several
people at different
locations
Remember the different
time zones
Suggest several time
slots as options
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-45
Apply Your Knowledge
The medical assistant has been informed that the office physician
and the consulting physician must speak with the daughter of an
unresponsive patient recently diagnosed with a terminal condition.
The daughter resides out of town. What would you do in this
situation?
ANSWER: This situation requires that three parties be able to
communicate at the same time to each other. Setting up a
conference call would be most plausible.
PERFECT!
r
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-46
Telephone Triage
Telephone triage is used as a process of deciding what action
to take
Learning the Triage Process
 Telephone staff cannot
diagnose or treat
 Specific information must be
obtained, such as name, age,
symptoms, and anxiety
 Telephone staff are given
guidelines to handle
common conditions
 Telephone staff must
determine whether caller
requires additional care
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-47
Telephone Triage (cont.)
Level of Severity



Manage by telephone
Manage in office
Send patient to emergency
care facility
 Advise the caller that the recommendations are based on the
symptoms and are not a diagnosis
 Have the caller repeat instructions you give
 Instruct the patient to call back if symptoms worsen
Document critical elements of the conversation
Categorizing the Problem
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-48
Telephone Triage (cont.)
 Clinical triage – based
Taking Action
on office guidelines
 Determine extent of
problem (Is this an
emergency?)
 Decide on
appropriate action
 Telephone situations must be handled correctly to
protect the health and safety of the patient.
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-49
Apply Your Knowledge
What is telephone triage and what does it entail?
ANSWER: Telephone triage is a process used to decide what
action to take when a patient calls the office with a clinical
problem. Telephone staff use office guidelines to determine a
course of action based on the of the level of severity of the
problem.
Great!
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-50
Telecommunications and Faxes

Automated telephone system



Recorded voice identifies
department or services
Numbered choices
Facsimile (fax) machines


HIPAA guidelines must
be followed for patient confidentiality
Fax machine should be located in secure location
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-51
Apply Your Knowledge
As you escort Mr. James to the exam room, you notice
that a repairman is looking at a document on the fax
machine. What should you do?
ANSWER: You should ask Mr. James to wait where he is and
excuse yourself to deal with the repairman. Tactfully tell the
repairman that he should not be reading the information on
the fax machine. You should also suggest to the office manager
that the fax machine be moved to a less accessible location.
Impressive!
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-52
In Summary
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
11-53
When people
talk, listen
completely.
Most people
never listen.
~ Ernest Hemmingway
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved