From: Louise Anastasio
Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2015 12:14 PM
To: FrontDesk&ClericalUsers

Scheduling in time order is the protocol to be followed for ALL of our physicians.  Not following this protocol creates a need to have to move the patient to another time. 

Applies to: Front Office Leads, Cllinic Leads
 
When our physicians are called in to do an emergency surgery before their clinic starts, it is very important that we notify patients that the doctor had an emergency surgery to perform.
 
The other point is that the front desk coordinator should occasionally call the OR, speak directly to the Director of Nursing, and obtain estimates – subject to change – as to the anticipated time of completion of the surgery – and to communicate this information to assist the clinical supervisors, the desk staff, CEO and others to manage patient expectations and to plan.

Applies to: Front Desk; Front Office Leads; Clinic Leads, Billing Leads, ASC Receptionists, Marketing

From time to time, referring doctors and their office staff call the CEO directly, or Marketing directly to set up consultations with our physicians.

When they do so,the CEO will commonly take all the demographic information that we generally require - and that the office staff member or the doctor has - and he will email this to the scheduling person for a particular physician and will usually copy the Scheduling Supervisor on these emails as back up.

Additionally, the CEO will note any special instructions that is to be listed on the appointment line, such as DO NOT DILATE, etc.   

If the CEO notes our doctor's name, and a date and time, it is because he has already provided this information to the referring doctor, their staff member, and/or the patient directly. As such, he is asking that you enter this information into the system and to not contact the patient unless he has asked you to do so.   Another special instruction is that I Candi, as per Dr. Thomas, is to personally telephone a patient and give a reminder call a day in advance of their appointment.  Upon doing so, she emailed this back to me indicating that it was done, copying the Scheduling Supervisor.  This is very helpful, and as per the request of the referring doctor, the Scheduling Supervisor texted this information to him.  

If there are special payment arrangements or if the patient is self-pay, the CEO will also often provide instructions as to what amount of money needs to be collected. Please follow these instructions, though you can always feel free to ask him any questions you may have regarding them.

Please note that the prices that the CEO is giving are our discounted prices rather than our standard care credit prices which are slightly more expensive.

If for whatever reason a patient inquires about care credit, please speak with the CEO regarding those prices prior to reviewing them with the patient.

Applies to: Front Office Receptionists, Schedulers, Phone Operators
 
If a patient’s appointment is changed just 10-15 minutes, this can cause the patient to be rescheduled due to the patient being too late to be seen relative to the new appointment time.  We cannot presume the patient has received a message of the appointment change.
 
All patients must be spoken to directly before appointments are moved.
 
If we need to leave a message for the patient we must note that we did so in the appointment description as follows:
LM for pt to change appt.  time to 10:15 6/27 AS.
 
It is imperative that we continue to follow up until the patient can be spoken to directly. 

FROM:  Front Office Lead
SENT:   2/19/2014
 
Do not expire any alerts in the system that have been created by Medical Records. Doing so will create a problem for Medical Records.  If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask the Medical Records Lead.

Applies to:  All Employees
 
All employees will use the following phone etiquette when answering or placing calls.  ALWAYS identify yourself to the person answering the call or that you are calling.  For example, “Good Morning, this is “Mary”, may I speak with XXXXX?  Thank you.” OR, “ This is “Mary”, how may I help you?”
 
Though some staff have their own phone, many do not and there may be multiple people who use an extension.  If you do have your own extension, you may not always be the person answering your extension. Please make certain the person on the other end of the phone knows who you are.  Also, please share your smile, it’s amazing that it does come across to the caller!

Applies to: Front Office Leads, Clinic Leads, Phone Operators, Schedulers, Optometrist Assistants
 
Unless personally approved by Dr. Mandese or the CEO, when a family seeks to schedule multiple vision plan visits back to back, no more than two family members may schedule on the same day.  This applies to Dr. Straut's schedule, as well. 

Applies to:  Front Office Leads, Schedulers, Billing, Assistants, Clinic
 
It is imperative that all patients scheduled for Low Vision Refractions with Dr. Straut be informed of the $90 charge at the time that the appointment is made for them by our check out or scheduling personnel (and that this refraction is not covered by insurance, and that payment is due on the day of service).
 
The Low Vision Refraction fee for Dr. Straut must be collected at the time of check in (at the front desk) before the patient's Superbill & outguide are placed to be taken up (no patients are to be sent back to or with Dr. Straut without this fee being collected. If the patient has additional questions that our front desk staff cannot answer to the patient's satisfaction, a member of our billing staff may be called to assist them).
 
Patients should also sign an ABN at the front desk for this service. 

Applies to: Phone Operators, Front Office Leads, Clinic Leads, Clinic, HR
 
When one of our physicians is on call for HRMC, our operators are to take calls using the designated pink forms. Obtain the patient's name, date of birth, room number, floor, The name of the physician requesting the consultation, and the stated diagnosis. If the patient has insurance take this information, but be aware that if one of our physician's is on call, we have a medical legal duty to see the patient at least once regardless of a patient's inability to make payment for their visit.

As soon as this information is obtained forward it directly to the on call physician's assistant so that he or she can provide this information to the physician who will determine what actions he or she will take. Please also provide a copy of the pink consult sheet to our Medical Records Supervisor, so that she can ensure - as a fail safe - that the matter has been addressed.