Medical Receptionists play a crucial role in ensuring accuracy in patient information and overall office experience despite the reliance on technology. Their responsibilities include verifying demographic data, managing patient flow, facilitating communication, and addressing billing inquiries. Though technology aids efficiency, human oversight and interaction remain essential for effective healthcare delivery.
As Healthcare evolves patient retention is always a major part of how healthcare organizations will remain successful. In any industry the relationships with your repeat client/customers is what the company’s success stands on. Loyal patients are where trust relationships develop, that is where future referrals come from, that is also where you see results in treatment and recommendations. How would a provider truly measure outcomes if patients never come back to follow up or continue care? They would not be able to gauge their own impact on their practice. Having these clients also allows for providers to continue to grow as they learn in real time the effectiveness of prescribed and recommended treatments on their patient population, they can see what works in their current environments and what is affecting the community of those environments the most. This helps improve individualized care over time and provides patient satisfaction, not only through patient care but also the knowledge of the provider.
Good experiences allow for your patients to feel understood and cared for by your facility. Even if we step outside of the medical office and hop over to a radiology facility, the patient retention is just as important. Although the patient may only come in once a year, the facility would want that patient to return year after year. If the techs performing the service are not professional, or not attentive to the patients needs at that time, the patient may try a different facility the next year. You could potentially lose a patient and never know why. A client that does not require much care in a years’ time is much more likely to take time and find a new physician or group to join before the next visit needs to be scheduled.
How are Medical Receptionist assisting with patient retention this year? Have things changed drastically? Should we be considering some other approaches? These are all good questions, I believe that the ability to retain patients is a group effort, everyone the patient meets is a part of their experience coming to your medical practice. We have seen new obstacles with patients being hesitant to obtain routine care or waiting as long as they can to address problems. Not only due to the cost of healthcare but also the pandemic. Some people have even delayed or avoided emergency room visits due to fear of COVID-19. Once these patients reach your office, they have a more urgent need than you may normally expect as they are hoping they can receive the care they need with their primary or specialist without a hospital visit. Medical Receptionists are also faced with appropriately booking these patients and making sure they are directing certain patients to a clinical staff member for a proper triage of the situation.
We have seen how much can be done, even when strict restrictions were put in place. Every industry had to find creative and some not so creative ways to keep things moving. From a front desk perspective, several different processes have taken place to protect patients and staff. Including registering patients from the car, over the phone. While patients may not be communicating with you as much face to face, the phone interactions are still just as important.
Assisting someone with online forms and directing them where they need to go without them being in front of you requires patience. Some patients are not as accustomed to some of the new processes and may require a little additional assistance. With so much phone and online communication happening it is important that the front desk staff obtain as much accurate information as possible the first time a patient calls in. I can imagine that nurses and physicians are sometimes overwhelmed with call backs for results and imaging. Having a front desk that understands how to best route calls and take messages is extremely important and beneficial to patients, clinical staff and the overall flow of the practice.
If you are allowing multiple patients to wait in your waiting room, what have you done to make them feel safe? These are the questions we must ask when things change. Something as simple as disinfecting chairs or shared tables along with a little distance between seats could be the answer. We are now coming to a time where restrictions are reducing, however every office will not be as quick as others to fill up the waiting room. The risk level of the patients you treat will be a factor. Your location is also a factor. No matter how fast or slow things return to a level of normalcy I am sure we have all learned some ways to better manage areas of the check-in/checkout process, as well as prioritizing tasks, appointments, and the needs of the patient population.
I do not believe the core values that retained patients before has changed much, it just may need to be demonstrated more strongly in other areas as we move forward. Also, experiencing the same level of professional service and follow up every time a patient visits or contacts your office is particularly important to their overall view and experience.
As Medical Receptionists you will never control your patients’ clinical needs or treatment, but you can control the experience upon entry and exit. You are the first and last impression on the phone and within the office. Your impact is important to how families and visitors view your practice and whether they will return in the future. The best advice is to treat people the same way you would expect yourself or family members to be treated in a healthcare setting.
Lastly, your interactions with your co-workers at the front desk is also impactful to how a patient will feel about the office and the way the office functions. If you are rude or communicate badly with your fellow staff members it will reflect negatively on the practice. You should not only respect and communicate well with your patients you must demonstrate that same level of professionalism with your colleagues.
For more from Medical Receptionist Network visit www.medicalreceptionistnetwork.com
Interested in Medical Receptionist Success Training Course for your office? Visit our website or email info@medicalreceptionistnetwork.com
Medical Receptionist Handbook to Success now available on our website or Amazon
Medical communities all over the country are adjusting to the Coronavirus pandemic. Administrators and physician owners have had to change the way care is provided in offices and facilities almost overnight. Employers at large have had to make excruciating decisions regarding employees, finances, and closing business altogether. During this unprecedented time, people are filled with uncertainty, anxiety, stress, and hope regarding everything that is happening now and what is to come. As a part of the healthcare community, Medical Receptionists are very much a part of the frontline in many places. The responsibilities and risks associated with being a front desk or front office employee have expanded.
Medical Receptionists are the first people to set patients up for an appointment whether it be over the phone or in person. Phone triage has been more important in decision making regarding who may enter a medical office and under what conditions. Receptionists are also adjusting to the increase or adoption of telemedicine practices. Receptionists are now asking more specific questions so they can make the right decision on what happens next for the patient. Before the specifics and severity of the Coronavirus became well-known, receptionists were checking in people as normal and that doesn’t always allow for a 6ft distance between them or them taking more protective measures. Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other sources have provided specific guidelines and resources, offices and healthcare facilities have been able to make better accommodations and adjustments in the offices to protect staff and patients.
Management of healthcare services and access is the priority right now to focus on the many people that have become ill due to COVID-19 exposure. Lack of PPE and other necessary equipment and staff has posed a great hardship on the people working to save lives daily.
Those of you who have been fortunate enough to retain employment at this time are most likely dealing with another set of concerns. Childcare, being exposed and potentially exposing family members to the virus, uncertainty about finances due to a spouse or family unable to work, lack of support from management in some cases, and job security. You may be worried about family and friends who are alone or far away. You may have parents/grandparents in long term care who you are unable to visit. The list could go on and on. Remember you are only one person and you can only focus on so many things at one time. Take moments for yourself, even just a few minutes to decompress and breathe. Do what you can, when you can. Make the decisions that are best for you and your family. Follow the hygiene guidelines when returning home from work. It is hard to stay positive when it feels like things are falling apart. It’s okay to feel how you feel but try to keep as much normalcy and faith as you can.
If you have lost your job or been furloughed due to the reduction of staff or your facility closing temporarily, make sure you know the specifics of the changes. Your management or HR should be able to provide specifics regarding your health insurance, retirement plans, and PTO and other accrued time. If you need to apply for unemployment benefits don’t wait until the last minute. The systems are overwhelmed with millions out of work. It may be frustrating but review the requirements for your state and take the steps needed. There will come a time where you will return to your employer or have to seek new employment. You may want to dust off and update your resume to be prepared.
Medical Receptionist, Medical Secretaries, and Unit Secretaries have been providing support to their clinical teams not only with phones and registration of patients but also with keeping the office sanitized. Some places are working with skeleton crews and require all hands on deck to keep up with demand and standards. Waiting rooms have been cleared of items that could pose more of a risk to patients and families who touch them. Hand sanitizer and masks are more widely required and being used to help reduce the chance of spread. Your actions and dedication are needed to keep healthcare facilities functioning in an organized manner, you help facilitate the communication between patients and providers and providers and other specialists in a timely fashion.
We are all in this together. Support one another at work and at home. Follow the guidelines to keep you and your family safe.
Resources
Unemployment:
https://www.usa.gov/unemployment
http://www.statelocalgov.net/50states-unemployment.cfm
Coronavirus Updates:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/index.html
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Stress:
https://www.headspace.com/covid-19
For more from Medical Receptionist Network visit www.medicalreceptionistnetwork.com
Medical Receptionist Handbook to Success now available on our website or Amazon
Once you hear the words “your hired” the excitement sets in. You are ready to learn and get started with training. At most, you learn about your employer through their website, information from the interview, or someone you know who may work there. But how much information are you actually getting? Is it enough?
Once you have trained and learned the requirements of your position you are able to provide support to your patients and coworkers. That is the goal, knowing what to do and how to do it. Great, but how can you further connect with your patient population? There are many ways that people connect with others through their healthcare journey.
Let’s discuss what you should know about your practice to better serve your patients. You must understand the span of services that are offered to understand the population you will encounter daily. Understading the services and what they require of the patient will aide in areas including scheduling, addressing call volume, and at check out. Understanding the age groups you serve will also help determine some of your most common challenges and best solutions. It is also important to understand if there is a high volume of outside referrals coming in or if your patients are often referred out. You will then be able to address requests confidently because it is an expected need of your patients. Depending on the area you are in you can also determine how people most travel to appointments at your location, major highways, public transportation, or walk. All these things just improve how you interact with people as a member of the front desk. Can you give general directions or the closest bus stop? Do you know the top insurances your office accepts? You should eventually know the majority payors for your facility without looking them up. The more knowledgeable and comfortable you are in the space of your practice the better you will be able to support your patient population and build a trusting relationship between them and your office.
You also need to know the information that will help you better communicate with your providers on a daily basis. Understanding what they have to accomplish between each patient is a start. This way you can gauge the best times to ask questions or have provider requests addressed. You need to know when an interuption is warranted and what can wait. Do they have office hours for consults or returning patient calls that differ from there general schedule? This will also help you better guide your patients who have physician specific questions. You want to have as much knowledge of the inner workings of your office so you can work within them to produce the best outcomes and be efficient. Depending on the type of medical office you are a part of you may also apply this to your nursing and management team. Know the best time to communicate and which issue are a priority and what can be addressed later or at the end of the day.
Lastly, you want your process to be respected as well. If you are working directly with a patient in the office or on the phone and recieve constatnt interuptions that are not a high priority. Make sure you share the best way for other members of the office to communicate with you when you are with a patient or working on a project. Perhaps you create a front desk resource for the other people in your practice to allow more cohesive interactions. There are several ways to communicate in an office setting. Dont be afraid to use them.
For more from Medical Receptionist Network visit www.medicalreceptionistnetwork.com
Interested in Medical Receptionist Success Training Course for your office? Visit our website or email info@medicalreceptionistnetwork.com
Medical Receptionist Handbook to Success now available on our website or Amazon
Medical Receptionists often wear many hats. You may be really great at one or two things in your office. You may be known for very specific strengths that set you apart from your colleagues. It is important to always understand the strengths of the people you work with. Having similar training and past work history does not guarantee that you all will excel in the same area. Having a diverse set of skills is helpful to the practice and to each other. You may handle busy phones lines very well. This task alone may fluster some of your coworkers. However,they may be great at managing an abundance of patients checking in at once. You may have people on your team who communicate more efficiently with your clinical staff than you do. It is important to understand each others strengths and appreciate when someone else’s expertise or contribution makes a positive difference in how your office runs on a daily basis. Teamwork works well you know why it matters. It is also just fine to compliment and thank your coworker and accept gratitude when it comes your way.
Are you your own brand?
Today we hear so much about branding and marketing and it usually relates to business not Medical Receptionists. If you think of yourself as your own brand you may be more easily able to stand out during the more difficult times at work. You will be more forth coming with solutions and suggestions. What do you think? What do you think of your work performance? Are you living up to the standards that you set for yourself. Have you been meeting your own expectations in regards to your conduct, organization, and communication with patients? Would you hire YOU? There really is no competition in healthcare, it is about how a collective team of people work together to create an environment that is professional, accepting, patient friendly, and offers a great level of quality to patients and clients. Focusing on your efforts doesn’t mean you are doing a disservice to anyone else, it just means that you recognize the importance of your role and are truly aware of the value of your contribution.
If you were a brand, think about the qualities you would want your brand to have. Would you want your brand to be late to events, disorganized and rude? I doubt it. You would want your brand to be consistent and demonstrate passion for the industry. You would want for your brand to eventually be a leader in the industry. How do you create that? Your brand has to solve problems to be successful, your brand has to understand the needs of the customer. Thinking in these terms allows you to easily understand how you, as a brand, can positively or negatively effect your medical office. Use your strengths to encourage cohesiveness and learn from others who have a different dominant skill. You may always be the king or queen of fixing paper jams but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve your other clerical and customer service skill set over time.
So tell us, what’s your superpower?
For more from Medical Receptionist Network visit www.medicalreceptionistnetwork.com.
Interested in Medical Receptionist Success Training Course for your office? Visit our website or email info@medicalreceptionistnetwork.com.
Medical Receptionist Handbook to Success now available on Amazon
Medical Receptionists often have this natural ability to remain calm, professional, and supportive of their patients’ needs. What if you find those abilities to be more challenging. Basically, you struggle when patients become upset or dissatisfied, or perhaps you become very defensive or taut during interactions with your clientele. There is no perfect way to handle certain situations that arise within your office and at the front desk but you can make a difference with your response, reaction, body language and overall demeanor. One of the most important pieces of advice is to not take it personally. it is often hard to separate yourself and your feelings from your job responsibilities. When you have a passion for what you do, you may find it very unnerving when people are not happy with the service and address you directly about it. On the other hand, if you are not passionate about what you do but work very hard to complete your responsibilities you may be more likely to find yourself on the defense.
How can you keep calm during challenging situations?
Listen-Before you make any assumptions. Giving your undivided attention during a patient interaction can be very indicative of the potential outcome.
Take Notes-This generally applies if the patient has a complaint or an issue that you must share with another colleague such as a manager or physician. You want to make sure they have enough information to take corrective actions. It also improves the communication and reduces the chance of the patient having to repeat the entire situation again. Lastly, it allows your management or provider the ability to resolve any concerns and be prepared in the event they have to speak directly with the patient.
Express Understanding-Always let your clients know that you understand. You may not “know how they feel” but you can understand their point, their concern, or their grievance. Ask how you may help them have a better experience. Let them know that you will have the situation reviewed by management if needed.
Get Assistance-If you have been working in an office long enough you learn when to recognize a patient who is being abusive or rude. You know what acceptable behavior looks like for your practice setting. If you feel threatened or unable to positively respond to a patient it is your responsibility to request help or a witness. Have management step in when needed. Do not provoke an unhappy patient. Remain professional and calm. You will have more success when you are thinking clearly.
Focus on Solutions-Whenever you encounter a problem in the office you should immediately consider ways to solve it. Instead of being engulfed with the negative aspects of the issue or the attitude of parties involved, do your best to offer ways to mitigate, resolve, or be supportive in the situation. This works well with patients and coworkers. When a fire starts you try to put it out, not spread it. It only takes one person to be the change. If you can deal with adverse situations without taking things personal you will have a much more fulfilling career.
Most interactions within the medical office are quite cordial, professional, and without many complications. It is when something does take a turn for the worst or becomes an unusual occurrence that you must be prepared to handle what comes in your direction. “You are the Bridge” and you have the opportunity and deserve to make the best of every day.
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