Ch 42 scheduling appointmentsGuidelinesMaintain confidentiality of the patientSpeak clearly and do not appear to be rushedConcentrate on the person to whom you are speakingObtain all complete informationRepeat information for accuracySchedule the proper amount of time for the type of appointmentDocument all necessary informationDaily appointment scheduleUsed to pull medical records for patientsOfficial schedule is a legal documentAddition in black inkNo shows and cancellations marked in red inkPosted in area inaccessible to patients or covered with a sheet of paperTime specified schedulingMost common way to handle appointmentsSteady flow of patientsThe length of time schedule for the appointment depends on the patient’s needs30-45mins for new patient10-20 mins for established patient30-45 for physical examWave schedulingPatients arrive in waves so that there is always a patient waitingThree or four patients are scheduled every half hourPatients are seen in the order in which they arriveSometimes ill patients are taken before those with routine appointmentsModified wave schedulingPatients are given appointments at specific time during the first half of each hourSeveral appointments Show Presentation on theme: "Today's Medical Assistant"— Presentation transcript: 1 Today's Medical Assistant
2 Introduction to Appointment Scheduling 3 Guidelines for Appointment Scheduling 4 Guidelines for Appointment Scheduling
5 Appointment Book Scheduling 6 Appointment Book Scheduling
7 Computer Scheduling Appointment intervals can be adjusted 8 Daily Appointment Schedule
9 Time-Specified (Stream) Scheduling
10 Wave Scheduling Patients arrive in “waves” so that there is always a patient waiting
Three or four patients are scheduled every half-hour Patients are seen in the order in which they arrive Sometimes ill patients are taken before those with routine appointments How do patients react if they realize that one or more other patients may have been given the same appointment time? If three patients have the same appointment time, which patient is seen first? What are the advantages and disadvantages of patients
arriving in “waves” for appointments? 11 Modified Wave Scheduling
12 Double Booking Two patients are given the same appointment time 13 Types of Scheduling Which of these types scheduling is the most precise? Which of these types of scheduling is the least precise?. Which of these types of scheduling would you prefer and why if you are the medical assistant? If you are the patient?
14 Open Booking Patients told a range of hours for their visit 15 Clustering or Categorization
16 Multiple Offices Physicians may see patients in different offices 17 Setting Up the Appointment Schedule 18 Setting Up the Appointment Schedule 19
Appointment Intervals 20 Physician’s Preference and Needs
21 Facilities and Equipment Requirements 22 Established Patients Insurance billing defines an established patient as one seen in the medical
office within the past 3 years Has a current medical record Record patient name, physician, date of birth, and telephone number Written in appointment book for manual system Appear automatically when correct patient is chosen in computer appointment system Why do insurance companies differentiate between new patients and established patients when setting up reimbursement schedules? What are possible reasons that a
patient who has not been seen for more than 3 years is treated as a new patient for billing purposes? If a computer system is used, how does the medical assistant identify that he or she has located the correct patient before making the appointment?
23 Established Patients If a return appointment, the interval was usually indicated by the physician at the previous visit
Patient given the time interval preferred by the physician for return appointments (often called follow-up visits) Schedule as close as possible to date specified by the physician Ask patient for day of the week and time of day that is convenient, then offer open times If patient is in the office, write patient name, date, and time of appointment on an appointment reminder card for the patient What is the physician’s reason for asking the
patient to return for follow-up at a certain interval? If the patient has no active medical problems, when will the physician most likely recommend that he or she returns? What types of intervals do insurance companies set up to reimburse physical examinations? What happens if a patient is scheduled for a physical examination at a shorter interval than that allowed by his or her insurance? Why are patients given appointment reminder
cards? 24 Special Situations If patient must have
laboratory tests, be sure they are scheduled so that results have been received before the next appointment If patient must be fasting, schedule laboratory tests early in the morning Office may only be making appointments 6 months ahead, and patient may not need to return until after that time Ask patient to call later for appointment Place patient’s name on reminder list How should laboratory tests be scheduled related to
follow-up appointments? Why does the medical assistant attempt to schedule fasting laboratory tests in the morning? What are examples of laboratory tests or diagnostic tests that require the patient to be fasting? How can the medical office remind patients to make appointments for intervals that are longer than the appointment matrix has been created?
25 New Patients Obtain complete information about a new patient
26 New Patients Set aside appointment time for new patient, usually minutes Give patient directions to office Send information
according to office policy Health history form New patient brochure Make appointments for referrals as soon as possible What information may a new patient need in addition to the appointment time? Why are appointments for referrals made as soon as possible? What information might be mailed to a new patient?
27 Same-Day Appointments
28 Same-Day Appointments
29 Urgent Care and Emergencies
30 Urgent Care and Emergencies 31 Urgent Care and Emergencies 32 Urgent Care and Emergencies
33 Walk-In Patients Patients who come into the office, without an appointment, and ask to be seen If need is urgent, physician may work patient into the schedule
If need is routine, person may be offered an open appointment and told to return Why is it generally not recommended to see walk-in patients unless the physician intends to do so regularly? What factors should determine if a walk-in patient is seen or given an appointment for another day?
34 Individuals Who Are Not Patients
35 Changing Appointments 36 Changing Appointments
37 Changing Appointments
38 Late Patients Office usually has a policy regarding late patients 39 Appointment Reminders
40 Storing Appointment Books and Daily Schedules
41 Storing Appointment Books and Daily Schedules 42 Storing Appointment Books and Daily Schedules
43 Referrals Referral is an authorization to another physician or health professional, usually a specialist What is the difference between a verbal
referral and a written referral? 44 Referrals
Under managed care, a referral is made by the patient’s primary care physician It is an authorization for a specific number of visits Usually the primary care provider can initiate a referral to a physician who participates in the patient’s managed care plan without preauthorization Medicaid always preauthorizes all referrals When the term referral is used for managed care, does it refer to a verbal or written referral? What
are general guidelines about when managed care insurance requires preauthorization for a referral? When Medicaid requires preauthorization for a referral?
45 Referrals Preauthorization may be required for some treatments or providers
Therapy (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy) Certain diagnostic tests or procedures Consultations by a physician who does not participate in the insurance plan Surgery and hospitalization What kinds of treatments or providers usually require preauthorization? 46
Referrals If preauthorization is required, medical assistant (MA) usually calls the insurance company and sends a written referral request to follow up Three common types of referrals Specialist physician for consultation Provider of therapy Provider of community-based services (visiting nurse, Meals on Wheels) How does the medical assistant obtain preauthorization or determine if preauthorization is
required? When is a written referral often required? 47 Referrals MA obtains information from the physician,
patient, and medical record Completes the referral form Either makes the appointment or instructs the patient to make the appointment Referrals to community resources, such as Meals on Wheels or visiting nurse, may require additional specific information about the patient’s needs What is the role of the medical assistant in completing a referral form? When should the referral form be completed related to the appointment it
covers? 48 Scheduling a Diagnostic Procedure 49
Scheduling a Diagnostic Procedure
50 Scheduling an Inpatient Admission 51 Scheduling an Inpatient Admission
52 Scheduling Surgery Information necessary for scheduling surgery
53 Scheduling Surgery Preauthorization is necessary before scheduling
surgery Call the patient’s insurance company to obtain this prior approval Give preauthorization number when scheduling surgery How does the medical assistant obtain preauthorization to schedule surgery? 54
Scheduling Surgery Schedule preadmission testing (PAT) 55 Giving a Patient Instructions Before Surgery 56
Giving a Patient Instructions Before Surgery 57 Documenting an Appointment for Surgery What is the purpose of the daily appointment schedule quizlet?The daily appointment schedule identifies patients with appointments that day. If computerized, it can be used to track patients who have been checked in and their location in the office.
Why are daily appointment sheets necessary quizlet?Daily Appointment Sheets: Provide a permanent record for legal risk management and quality management. Analyzing Patient Flow: Can maximize a clinic's scheduling practice.
Why is it important to schedule appointments?In summary, appointment scheduling is important as it ensures that you make the best use of your time, it will also illustrate to others that you value your own time.
What are the different types of appointment scheduling?What Are the 8 Different Types of Appointment Scheduling?. Time-slot scheduling.. Wave scheduling.. Wave and walk-in appointment scheduling.. Open appointment scheduling.. Double scheduling.. Cluster scheduling.. Matrix scheduling.. 40/20 scheduling.. |