Front Office Management

Question 0

Telecommunication- Equipment and material

Answer 0

• 6 button key set: standard phone used in some offices.
  A. Up to four incoming lines.
  1. Slow flashing light: incoming call.
  2. Fast flashing light: calling hold.
  3. Steady light: call in progress.
  B. intercom button: allows for paging other offices or area in a clinic.
  C. Hold button: when pushed places the call on hold.

Question 1

Visitors

Answer 1

• The object of a practice is to diagnose and treat patients; therefore patients should take priority over most visitors.
• Other providers: The provider-visitor should be immediately announced, escorted to the healthcare provider’s office, and asked to wait with an estimated of the waiting time.
• Pharmaceutical representative: secure the representatives business card, and check with the provider to see if there’s time for visit.

Question 2

Telecommunication- Direct dial

Answer 2

Direct dial:

- 1 + area code + seven digit number.

Question 3

Telecommunication- Operated assisted

Answer 3

Operated assisted:

- 0 + area code + seven digit number.

Question 4

Telecommunication- Long distance directory assistance within the U.S

Answer 4

Long distance directory assistance with the U.S:

- 411 or 1 + area code + 555-1212

Question 5

Telecommunication- Time zones

Answer 5

Times zones:

 - Pacific time: 12:00-- WA, OR, & CA
 - Mountain time: 1:00-- MT, UT, ID, WY, CO, NM; parts of ND, SD, NE, & KS
 - Central time: 2:00-- MN, WI, IA, MO, AR, OK, TX, LA, MS, IL, AL; parts of TN, KY, ND, SD, NE, & KS
 - Eastern time: 3:00-- all others

Question 6

Telecommunication- WATS ( 800 Wide Area Telephone Service)

Answer 6

WATS:

 - Toll-free calls anywhere within the U.S 1-800-seven digit number. 
 - 800 directory assistance: 1-800-555-1212.

Question 7

Telecommunication- International calls

Answer 7

International calls:

- International access code (011) + country code + city code + local number + pound sign (#)

Question 8

Appointments- Socioeconomic

Answer 8

Socioeconomic:
- Status of patient population and the area being served, such as metropolitan, industrial, retirement, and rural communities.

Question 9

Appointments- Wave

Answer 9

Wave:

 - Four patients will be scheduled each hour and seen in the order of arrival. 
 - The average appointment is 15 minutes.

Question 10

Appointments- Open office hours (tidal wave)

Answer 10

Open office hours (tidal wave):
- The clinic is open for specified time period and, barring emergencies, patients are seen in the order of arrival; the least efficient method.

Question 11

Appointments- stream (fixed intervals)

Answer 11

Stream (fixed intervals):

- Each patient is given a specific appointment time, usually 15 minutes.

Question 12

Appointments- Modified wave

Answer 12

Modified wave:

 - Two patients may be scheduled on the hour and two on the half hour. 
 - Two patients may be scheduled on the hour, one on the half hour. 
 - Two may be scheduled on the hour, one 15 minutes later, and one on the half hour.

Question 13

Appointments- Double-booking

Answer 13

Double-booking:

- Scheduling two patients simultaneously to see the same provider.

Question 14

Appointments- Clustering (grouping)

Answer 14

Clustering (grouping):

 - Scheduling similar appointments or procedure together during a day or week.  - Example: all well-baby checks are scheduled Wednesday morning; complete physicals are done each day between 9am and noon.