C H A P T E R 6 6 Oral and Written Communications

C H A P T E RC H A P T E R

66 Oral and Written Communications

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Delmar Learning, a division of Thomson Learning Inc. All rights reserved.

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Telephone Communications11

U N I TU N I T


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Answering the Phone in the Medical Office

Automated answering systems Often include a menu that answers the call

by the third ring Direct the call to the proper person or

department At the beginning of the message the

caller should be reminded to hang up and call 911 if it is an emergency.

(continued)


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Training and a phone call screening manual should be available for reference.

A set of questions should be asked as quickly as possible to determine the condition of the patient.

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Any medical situation for which the assistant has not been trained should be directed to another assistant or to the physician.

Emergency instructions and numbers must be available when a call is referred to 911.


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Type of Call Routed to

Critical lab results Physician (immediately)

Progress report from patient

Record message for physician

Billing or insurance calls Administrative MA

Referrals Clinical MAPatient requesting medical advice

Physician

Examples of Routing Calls


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Handling Nonemergency Calls

Get as much information from the caller as quickly as possible regarding the condition of the patient.

If you must place the caller on hold, ask if the caller can hold, and wait for a response.

Find out a good time to call the patient back.


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The Telephone Message

A message pad and a pen or pencil should be kept at each phone station.

Another message pad and pen should be kept by each answering machine.

Messages must be complete and accurate.

Deliver the message as soon as possible.

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Caller’s full name (use correct spelling) Nature of the call Action required Date and time of the call Initials of person receiving the call Phone number (including the area code)

that the call should be returned to

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Before hanging up, read the complete message back to the caller.

Ask the caller if there are any further questions.

Always allow the caller to hang up first.


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Leaving a Phone Message

HIPAA guidelines include: Maintaining the confidentiality of the patient Calling only phone numbers given by the

patient Identifying yourself and the office when

calling

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Leaving a Phone Message

No medical information or test results can be left on a recording device or with another individual.

Take special care to make sure that no information can be overheard by a third party.


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Handling Callers Who Refuse to Identify Themselves

Suggest that the patient write a letter to the physician.

The letter should be marked personal so that the physician will receive the letter unopened.


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Unit Summary

What is the purpose of screening phone calls?

What information must be included in all telephone messages?


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Schedule Appointments22

U N I TU N I T


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Establishing Methods of Scheduling

The schedule should flow at a pace that promotes a good professional working relationship.

Considerations for scheduling The number of rooms available The schedule of the physicians Unexpected interruptions


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Goals of Appointment Scheduling

Physician’s goals Cost-effective use

of time Spend needed time

with patient Uninterrupted time Time for referrals,

emergencies, etc.

Patient’s goals Minimum wait for

an appointment Minimum wait in

the office Maximum time

with the physician

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Goals of Appointment Scheduling

Medical assistant’s goals A smooth-running office Close the office on time A lunch hour and breaks Meet patient’s and physician’s goals


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Establishing a Matrix

Determine the proper type of appointment book for the office.

Mark off all time during which patients cannot be seen.

Example: Block off the time between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m. for lunch.


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Scheduling Appointmentsover the Phone

Find out the name of the patient and the last time he or she was seen at your office.

Verify the patient’s insurance status. Find out the reason for the visit. If the patient asks to speak to the

physician, offer to take a message and have the physician call back.

(continued)


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Scheduling Appointmentsover the Phone

Find out if mornings or afternoons are better for the patient.

Offer two appointment times. Verify the completed appointment by

asking the patient to repeat it back to you.


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Scheduling a Patient Who Is Always Late

Avoid interruptions to the office by scheduling patients who are always late right when the office returns from lunch or at the end of the day.


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Handling Cancelled Appointments

Note cancellations or no shows in the patient’s chart.

The appointment time may be given to another patient.

The record of appointments that have been cancelled or times the patient has not shown up provide legal protection for the practice.


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Abbreviations Used in Scheduling Appointments

NP New patient

CPE Complete physical exam

FU Follow-up exam

NS No show

RS Reschedule

C Canceled

Ref Referral

Cons Consultation

Inj Injection

Surg Surgery

CP Chest pain

P&P Pap and pelvic


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Unit Summary

What is the proper method for handling cancellations or no shows?

How would you describe the methods of scheduling identified in this unit?


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Written Communications33

U N I TU N I T


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Correspondence Medical Assistants May Need to Prepare

Notes Interoffice communications Form letters Information sheets Business letters Professional letters Personal letters


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Occasions for Form Letters

Return to work or school approvals Annual diagnostic examination reminders Delinquent account reminders (usually in

three increasing levels of request intensity)

Office visit verifications Athletic participation approvals Providing information to referred patients


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HIPAA and Correspondence

Most physicians have developed specific Release of Information (ROI) forms that follow HIPAA guidelines to prevent disclosure of information to those not directly involved with providing health care to the patient.


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Examples of ROI Form Use

Patients are requested to sign authorization release forms to:

Request a consultation from a specialist Have a specialist provide results to the

referring physician Provide information to a hospital or nursing

care facility Ensure third-party approval of a procedure


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HIPAA Regulations Regarding Access and Correspondence

Access may be limited within the office to only those employees who have a need to see the file.

Preparing written communications may be limited to only approved individuals.

Others would be prohibited from access to patient information as directed by HIPAA regulations.


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More HIPAA Regulations

Other employees would be prohibited from access to patient information as directed by HIPAA regulations.


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The Purpose of Information Sheets

Help to reinforce what you have explained verbally

Serve as a reminder to the patient and include:

Preparation guidelines Date and time of the appointment Location and contact information for an

appointment


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Six Criteria for Written Communications

1. To officially inform the staff of a policy or decision

2. To contact professional colleagues3. To correspond with professional

associations

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Six Criteria for Written Communications

4. To request or respond to medical consultation

5. To engage in business communications with suppliers, consultants, attorneys, and insurance companies

6. To send personal messages


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The Eight Parts of Speech

Noun assistant, office, laboratory, computer

Pronoun he, she, I, it, they

Verb assist, perform, write, compose, take, measure, is, are, being

Adjective efficient, tall, thin, happy

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The Eight Parts of Speech

Adverb well, frequently, usually, quickly, quietly

Preposition of, with, over, under, above, by, near

Conjunction and, but, or, if, for, because

Interjection wow, hurray, ouch


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Nine Standards for Producing a Mailable Business Letter

1. Appropriate letter placement on page2. Right margin is fairly even3. Generous top and bottom margins4. Punctuation follows acceptable

business practices5. Spacing follows acceptable business

practices

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Nine Standards for Producing a Mailable Business Letter

6. Words at the end of a line are divided correctly

7. Letter content is accurate as dictated8. All enclosures indicated in the letter are

included9. No spelling errors are present


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Letterhead Preprinted name, complete address, phone number (optional)

Date line Date letter is dictated or composed, if not dictated

Inside address Address of person to whom the letter is being sent

Salutation The greeting to the recipient

Reference To identify what or about whom the letter is concerning

Body The content of the letter

Twelve Components of a Business Letter

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Complimentary closing

Expressing the closing of the letter

Sender’s signature

Signature of the writer

Title Writer’s title, if appropriate

Reference initials

Initials of the person who typed the letter

Enclosures Any identified materials to be sent with the letter

Copies Identifies another person or persons to whom a copy of the letter is sent

Twelve Components of a Business Letter


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Standard Proofreading Marks


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Eleven Common Errors in Written Communications

1. Words ending in “s”

2. Combinations of punctuation

3. Capital letters4. Numbers5. Apostrophes6. Hyphens

7. Periods8. Commas9. Two-letter words

10. Dashes11. Double letters in

words


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Unit Summary

What type of form letters would you find in the medical office?

How does HIPAA affect correspondence?


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Receiving and Sending Office Communications44

U N I TU N I T


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Sort by type Personal mail is placed on the physician’s

desk unopened Special deliveries are opened immediately

Sort by category Mail from patients Mail from physicians Mail from insurance companies

Sorting Incoming Mail

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Sorting Incoming Mail

Miscellaneous sources Journals, newspapers, and magazines Drug samples Advertisements Generally done by the office manager,

the receptionist, or the administrative medical assistant


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Opening Incoming Mail

Have a letter opener, paper clips, a stapler, and a date stamp ready.

Open letters along the flap edge. Remove all contents of the envelope. If requested, attach the envelope to the

correspondence. Date stamp the correspondence and

attach any enclosures.


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Annotating Incoming Mail

Identify the important points of the correspondence.

If necessary, pull the patient’s file and attach correspondence to the chart.

Drugs samples are placed in a designated area.

Notifications of meetings, miscellaneous correspondence, and professional journals are placed under the stack of mail.


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How to Handle Vacation Mail

Discuss what to do with the mail before the physician goes on vacation.

The physician may want you to call to discuss the mail, or copy and forward the mail.

Never send the originals to the physician. Keep track of what you send to the

physician.


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Postal Services the Office May Require

If the office will be closed temporarily or permanently, go to the post office and complete the necessary form to have the mail held or forwarded.

Purchase stamps and additional postage for meter machines.


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Processing Metered Mail

Change the date on the meter daily. Apply the correct amount of postage by

weighing the mail before affixing postage.

Check the imprint to be sure it is clear and readable.

Use fluorescent ink in the meter.


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Six Classification of Mail

1. Express Fastest and guaranteed delivery 365 days a year

2. Priority Preferential handling and expedited delivery for

materials up to 70 lb. and 108 in. in combined length and width

If the item is over 11 oz. it is handled as priority mail.

3. First-class mail Letters, postcards, stamped cards, greeting cards,

checks, money orders

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Six Classification of Mail

4. Periodicals Applies only to printed materials from publishers

and registered news agents approved for periodical privileges

5. Standard mail (A) Used by retailers, catalogers, and other

advertisers to promote products and services

6. Standard mail (B) Used for parcels weighing 1 lb. or more


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Reasons to Use a Certificate of Mailing

To show evidence that something was mailed

To show evidence that a deadline was met


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Reasons to Use Certified Mail

Certified mail provides proof of mailing and proof of delivery.

This service is available only for first-class or priority mail.

It is appropriate to use when the physician is terminating the care of a patient.

Signed return receipts provide evidence to be placed in the patient’s chart.


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Reasons to Use Registered Mail

Registered mail provides protection for valuables and important mail.

Registered articles are under tight security from point of mailing to point of delivery.

First-class or priority mail is required. Return receipt and restricted delivery is

available.


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Restricted Delivery

Restricted delivery means that the mail can only be delivered to a specific addressee or someone authorized to receive mail for that addressee.


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The Purpose of a Return Receipt

A return receipt is the sender’s proof of delivery.

The receipt shows who signed for the item and the date of delivery.

Can be purchased for: Mail sent cash on delivery (COD) Express mail insured for over $50.00 Registered, certified, or restricted mail


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Six Means of Communication Other Than by Mail

1. Fax machines2. Pagers3. Voice mail4. Cellular phones5. Conference calls6. Teleconferencing


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Six Uses for a Fax Machine

Send and receive1. Information regarding patients2. Letters3. Medical and lab reports4. Orders for office or medical supplies5. Insurance claims6. Prescription orders


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Characteristics of an Electronic Address

The address begins with the person’s name, an abbreviated form of it, or any other words or numbers the individual desires.

The business or company name may appear.

This is followed by the @ symbol, which is followed by the Internet service provider’s information.

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Characteristics of anElectronic Address

The Internet service provider’s information is followed by a “dot” and an abbreviation such as “com,” “org,” “gov,” or “net” to designate commerce, organization, government, or the Internet.


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Computer Viruses

Computer viruses are information that is sent electronically to interfere with or destroy electronic files.


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Guidelines to Avoid Acquiring a Virus through E-Mail

Before opening any e-mail, look at the subject line and who sent it.

Never open files with the suffixes “exe” or “vbs” unless you are expecting an executable or script file.

Use antivirus software to scan e-mails. Be aware of the latest patches and

software upgrades that address security.


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Unit Summary

What are the six classifications of mail? In addition to mail, what forms of

communication can be used by a medical office?


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Office Management Equipment55

U N I TU N I T


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Why You Use a Calculator When Supplies Are Received

Calculators are used to verify the accuracy of invoices for ordered items.


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Seven Types of Materials That Are Often Photocopied

1. Prepared literature2. Correspondence3. Insurance forms4. Patient records5. Laboratory reports6. Account information7. Information sheets


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Why Records Are Microfilmed

Microfilm is used to preserve materials by reducing them to minute film images.

Microfilm provides record security and uses minimal storage space.


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Four Items Known as Computer Hardware

1. The hard disk drive2. The central processing unit (CPU)3. The monitor4. The keyboard


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Why Backing Up Computer Data Is Necessary

Electrical surges and power outages can destroy information.

Computer hard drives can crash and all programs and stored data can be lost.


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Unit Summary

What is computer hardware? What is computer software? Why do you back up computer data?


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Keys to Career Success

Communication is the key to career success.

Successful medical assistants not only communicate verbally with staff and patients, but also understand the importance of written communication and nonverbal communication.


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Hot Links to Career Success

www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/ceg/info.html Confidentiality Education Group (CEG)

www.usps.com United States Postal Service

http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/ceg/info.html

http://www.usps.com/

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C H A P T E R 6 6 Oral and Written Communications