Medical Office Environment Unit -Reception

What is the purpose of displaying a mission statement at the front desk or in a brochure?

• To express the purpose and beliefs behind the practice

• To inform patients about the office hours

• To provide information about insurance policies

• To advertise new medical equipment

Answer explanation

A mission statement is a brief statement that expresses the purpose and beliefs behind the practice. All employees should be familiar with and committed to the statement.

How should medical office assistants handle problem situations with patients in the reception area?

• Ignore the patient's concerns

• Immediately call security to remove the patient

• Stay calm and work to find a solution

• Respond in anger to match the patient's emotions

Answer explanation

Medical office assistants may face problem situations with patients in the reception area. In these situations, assistants must stay calm. They must keep in mind that patient comfort and safety are top priorities.

What should assistants do if patients have been waiting for 10 to 15 minutes?

• Tell them to come back another day

• Ask them to leave the office

• Give them an idea of when they will be seen and offer an explanation for the delay

• Ignore their concerns

Answer explanation

If patients have been waiting for 10 to 15 minutes, the assistant should give them an idea of when they will be seen. It is important always to be truthful when giving an estimated time. The assistant should also offer an explanation for the delay.

How should medical office assistants handle talkative patients?

• Use techniques to move the physician on to the next patient

• Schedule them at the beginning of the day

• Encourage them to talk more

• Ignore their talking

Answer explanation

Talkative patients take more of the physician’s time than is warranted. When possible, patients who talk a lot should be scheduled at the end of the day so they do not disrupt the flow of other patients. Alerts can be made in their patient history, and the assistant can use techniques, such as using the intercom, to move the physician on to the   next patient.

What should assistants do if children are disruptive in the reception area?

• Ask the parents to leave the office

• Suggest quieter toys or other distractions for the children

• Yell at the children to be quiet

• Ignore the children's behavior

What should medical office assistants do if patients' friends and family ask for private information?

• Provide them with the information without the patient's consent

• Show concern and politely decline to provide private information without the patient's consent

• Tell them to ask the patient directly

• Ignore their request

What should assistants do in case of emergency situations in the medical office?

• Leave the office and go home

• Give medical advice to the patient

• Ignore the situation and continue with regular duties

• Treat the patient in the office if it is possible, or call for outside help

Answer explanation

In some cases, the patient can be treated in the office. In others, the assistant must call for outside help. For this reason, emergency numbers should be easily accessible in the office.

What is the role of medical office assistants during the check-out process?

• Ignore the patients as they leave the office

• Write instructions or appointments in large lettering for some patients

• Collect payment without providing any assistance

• Refuse to repeat the physician's instructions

How should assistants strive to leave patients with a favorable image of the facility during the check-out process?

• Ask the patients for feedback on the facility

• Ignore the patients as they leave

• Provide patients with a warm smile and a sincere farewell

• Give patients a cold farewell as they exit the office

What is the purpose of explaining office policies and procedures to patients while registering them?

• To make the patients wait longer

• To alert them to the practice's policies and procedures

• To discourage them from visiting the office

• To provide them with unnecessary information