CHAPTER © 201 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Telephone Techniques.

CHAPTER

© 201 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

1Telephone Techniques


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1.1 Explain the importance of communication skills.

1.2 Explain how to manage incoming telephone calls.

1.3 Describe how the Health Insurance Portability andAccountability Act (HIPAA) applies to telephonecommunications.

1.4 Describe the procedure for calling a new prescription or prescription renewal into a pharmacy.

Learning Outcomes


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Learning Outcomes (cont.)

1.5 Compare the types of calls the medical assistant handles with those the physician or other staffmembers handle.

1.6 Describe how to handle various types of incoming calls from patients and from others.

1.7 Discuss the importance of proper telephone etiquette.

1.8 Describe the procedures for taking telephone messages.


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1.9 Explain how to retrieve calls from an answering service.

1.10 Describe the procedures for placing outgoing calls.

1.11 Explain the function of telephone triage in the medical office.

1.12 Explain the uses of a facsimile machine in a medical office.

Learning Outcomes (cont.)


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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


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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

Poor telephone management results in

• Caring• Attentive• Helpful

• Bad feelings• Misunderstanding• Unfavorable

impressions


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Communication Skills

• Using tact and sensitivity

• Showing empathy

• Giving respect

• Being genuine


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Communication Skills (cont.)

• Displaying openness and friendliness

• Refraining from passing judgment or stereotyping

• Being supportive

• Asking for clarification and feedback


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• 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


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The 5 Cs of

Communication


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Apply Your Knowledge

1. What two things does proper telephone management do?

ANSWER: Proper telephone management keeps patients informed and ensures patient satisfaction.


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2. 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!


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Guidelines for Managing Incoming Calls

• 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


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Guidelines for Managing Incoming Calls (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


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Screening Calls

• Tips– Find out who is calling

– Ask what the call is in reference to• Helps to determine who can handle

the call

– Decide whether to put the call through• Do not put through callers who refuse to identify

themselves

– Determine what to do if the call is personal


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Routing Calls

• Follow the office policy to determine calls that should be

– Put through immediately

– Returned later

– Handled by another staff member other than the physician

Generally, three types of calls are received in the office:

1) Administrative Issues

2) Emergency Calls

3) Clinical Issues


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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


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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.


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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.


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Calls from Patients

Medical Assistant Role

Appointments • Make or change appointments

Billing Inquiries • Clarify bill or charges• Help set up payment

arrangements if possible

Diagnostic Reports • Document what information is given to the patient

Questions about Medications

• Get approval for renewals• Answer questions about

medications

Types of Incoming Calls


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Types of Incoming Calls (cont.)

Calls from Patients

Medical Assistant Role

Reports of Symptoms • Listen carefully and document• Schedule appointment as needed

Progress Reports • Route follow-up calls to the physician

• Document call in patient record

Requests for Advice • Do not give any medical advice

Complaints • Remain calm and listen carefully• Apologize for any inconveniences• Follow through to resolve issue


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Emergency 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


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• 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


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• 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

• Conference calls


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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!


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Using Proper Telephone Etiquette

• Customer service is critical• Use your telephone voice

Speak directly into the receiverBe friendly; convey interest and

respect Use non-technical language, but

never use slangUse a normal tone, but attempt

to vary your pitchPitch is the high and low level of

your speech

Make the caller feel important!


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Using Proper Telephone Etiquette (cont.)

Saying words correctly If the name is difficult to

pronounce, ask the patient how it is pronounced

Pronunciation

Saying words in a clear and understandable manner

Eating, chewing gum, and incorrect placement of the phone interfere with enunciation

Enunciation

Tone

Positive Respectful


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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

• 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

Putting a call on hold

• 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


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Making a Good Impression (cont.)

• Handling difficult situations– If the call is not an emergency, and you are in

the middle of an urgent situation, offer to return the call

• Remembering patient names– 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


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• 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

Making a Good Impression (cont.)


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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.


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Taking Messages

• Documenting calls– Protects the

physician against legal action

– Document in the patient record

• Clinical issues • Referrals

– Messages must be accurate and legible


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Always keep a pen and paper near the telephone so you are prepared to record the message.

Taking Messages (cont.)

TO:____________________________________________Date_________________ Time______________

MessageFROM:_________________________________________Telephone ( )__________________extension________Message Details:

Your name or initials

Contents of a Telephone Message Pad


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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


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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


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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


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Answer True or False to the following:

___ Documenting calls can protect against legal actions.

___ Confidentiality is just as important when making telephone calls as in written communication.

___ You should ask for the patient’s SSN if you have to pull his/her record.

___ You should repeat key points to verify information.

Date of birth

Right!

T

F

T

T


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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


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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


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ANSWER: To retrieve messages from an answering service you should

1. Set a regular schedule and call at scheduled times2. Identify yourself and the practice name3. Write down all pertinent information on telephone log4. Repeat the information to verify5. Route messages per office policy

What steps should you take to retrieve messages from an answering service?

CORRECT!


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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


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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


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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


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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.

rPERFECT!


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Telephone Triage

Telephone triage is used as a process of deciding what action to take

Learning the Triage Process

Telephone staff are given guidelines to handle common conditions

Telephone staff must determine whether caller requires additional care

Telephone staff cannot diagnose or treat

Specific information must be obtained, such as name, age, symptoms, and anxiety


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Telephone Triage (cont.)

• Automated telephone triage

Remind patients of upcoming appointments

Conduct patient surveys

Give patients test results

Managing referrals

Assist with preventive care


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Categorizing the Problem

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 worsenDocument critical elements of the conversation



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Taking Action

Clinical triage – based

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.


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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!


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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


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Telephone Slamming and Cramming

• Slamming– Unauthorized changes

• Report to carrier immediately

• State and federal crime

• Cramming – Unauthorized charges


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Pagers and Cell Phones

• Pager– Personal

telecommunications device for short messages

– Types • Only receive messages• Send and receive e-

mail and numeric messages

• Cell phone– Mobile voice or data

communication

• Remember to maintain patient confidentiality


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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!


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In Summary

1.1 Effective communication skills are important because they employ a positive image and assist with satisfying the expectations of the patient.

1.2 Answer incoming telephone calls promptly. Be courteous and pleasant at all times on the telephone.

1.3 In compliance with HIPAA, information communicated by telephone should be confidential and private so that information cannot be overheard.


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In Summary (cont.)

1.4 When calling in prescription renewals, pull the patients charts. Make sure you are in a private location in the office before releasing information to the pharmacy. Document the conversation.

1.5 Calls handled by the medical assistant and other staff members may vary. The medical assistant handles less complex telephone calls than does the physician or nurse. Calls should always be routed to the appropriate staff member.


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In Summary (cont.)

1.6 Always refer to your policy and procedure manual regarding how to handle incoming calls appropriately. Remember to always be courteous.

1.7 Customer service is critical when using the phone, and provides your office with a tone of professionalism.

1.8 When taking telephone messages, always have a pen and pencil near the phone. Proper documentation protects the physician.


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In Summary (cont.)

1.9 Retrieve messages from an answering service at a set scheduled time, identify yourself, write down pertinent information, and repeat information—confirming that you understand.

1.10 When placing outgoing calls, check the time zone, obtain information from the physician that needs to be provided, and arrange for consultations if needed.


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In Summary (cont.)

1.11 Telephone triage is used as a process of deciding what actions need to be taken by the physician or other staff members after the telephone call.

1.12 Fax machines may be used for various electronic transmissions such as lab reports, insurance reports, and other approvals. Make sure that the fax machine is in a secure and private area.


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When people talk, listen

completely. Most people never listen.

~ Ernest Hemmingway

End of Chapter 1

CHAPTER © 201 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Telephone Techniques.

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Transcript of CHAPTER © 201 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Telephone Techniques.