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WorksheetsCCMA - Telephone Etiquette
Total questions: 35
Worksheet time: 21mins
Why must the assistant always be aware of who is nearby when on the telephone?
To keep track of which patients have been in the waiting room the longest
To keep the call as short as possible to attend to others' needs
To keep from interrupting other staff members
To keep unauthorized parties from overhearing confidential information
Which technology allows a patient to speak with a human?
Responses
Automatic Routing Unit (ARU)
Answering Machine
Answering Service
Voicemail
Which technology leaves the hands free and is built into the phone?
Automatic Routing Unit (ARU
Headset
Voicemail
Speakerphone
Which of these items may be found on a standard message form?
Date and time of the call
Caller's name and patient's name, correctly spelled
Caller's telephone number
Reason for the call
All of the above
Why should an assistant smile when talking on the telephone?
It will make sure that the mouthpiece is in the correct position.
It will increase the volume of the sound.
It will help to tolerate co-workers better.
It It will be heard in the voice just as it would be seen in person.
A patient calls with a serious condition that is not an emergency but requires an urgent appointment. What is the most appropriate response for the assistant?
Contact the physician immediately and ask what to do.
Take a message to be returned when convenient.
Schedule the appointment as early as possible.
Transfer the call to a nurse.
What is the use of language and words to send and receive information called?
Verbal Communication
Feedback
Body Language
All of the above
Which term refers to word choice?
Tone of voice
Enunciation
Inflection
Diction
Which technology allows telephone calls to be sent to another appointed number?
Cellular Phones
Voicemail
Call Forwarding
Paging Systems
What is determining who is the best person in the facility to handle each telephone call?
Triage
Railroad
Screen
Roadblock
When are calls from other medical personnel usually transferred directly to the office physician?
Always
When the physician receiving the call will not be returning calls the same day.
When the physician receiving the call will not be returning calls the same day
Never
What does it mean to enunciate words?
Responses
Speak them loudly
Speak them quickly
Pronounce them with a drawl
Pronounce them distinctly
What is the process of evaluating a situation and prioritizing treatment called?
Screen
Roadblock
Railroad
Triage
What is the key response for an assistant who is dealing with an angry telephone caller?
Calmly reassuring the caller of concern and intention to help.
Putting the caller through to the physician immediately.
Not speaking at all in hopes the caller will give up.
Speaking louder than the caller to maintain control.
For which of these types of telephone calls is it acceptable for the office assistant to take a message much of the time?
Patient Calls
Calls from Other Medical Personnel
Non-Medical Business Calls
Personal Calls
All of the above
What is an appropriate response for assistants who feel they may lose their temper with a difficult caller?
Ask for another staff member's help
End the call immediately
Continue with the call on their own
Why might an assistant avoid using the term "doctor" when leaving a telephone message for a patient?
To save time
To use better courtesy
To protect the patient's privacy
An assistant is near the waiting room of a medical office, and she is speaking with a patient by telephone. Which of these statements is she permitted to say?
"Mr. Dawson, our records show that your insurance has not paid for the most recent tests related to your heart condition."
"Mr. Dawson, is your first name spelled M-O-R-G-A-N? And you have a heart condition, correct?"
"Mr. Dawson, we can mail the results of the tests for your heart condition to your home address at 145 Blossom Avenue in Springfield."
"Mr. Dawson, our records show that your insurance has not paid for the tests you underwent last month."
Which technology uses a recorded message with a series of directions for callers to press buttons to reach the correct party?
Call Forwarding
Automatic Routing Unit (ARU)
Answering Service
Paging System
Which message is the most acceptable for an assistant to leave when returning a patient's call?
"Mrs. Brian, this is Trudy at SureCare. We've received your questions for Dr. Andrew. If you call us 555-6543, so we can arrange a time for you to get an answer."
"Mrs. Brian, this is Trudy at SureCare. Call us at 555-6543, so we can arrange a time for you to get an answer to your blood pressure medication questions."
"Mrs. Brian, this is Trudy at SureCare. Please call our office at 555-6543, at your earliest convenience so I can schedule a time for your questions to be answered."
"Mrs. Brian, this is Trudy at SureCare. I understand you have some questions about your blood pressure medication. If you call out office at 555-6543, I can schedule a time for you to speak with Dr. Andrew."
Why is it important for the assistant to evaluate the situation before prioritizing treatment?
The answers to all questions the assistant asks must be written down for proper documentation.
The assistant may be violating HIPAA if not speaking directly to the patient.
Sometimes a patient may be upset, but there is no medical emergency.
If an ambulance is on its way, the assistant should end the call as quickly as possible.
Why is planning ahead for outgoing calls helpful?
It saves time for the person answering the call.
It saves the assistant time.
It helps to free the telephone lines sooner.
All of the above
What is it called when a speaker's feelings are expressed through speech?
Tone of Voice
Pitch
Enunciation
Clarity
Who handles most routine patient telephone calls?
Physician
Nurse
Answering Service
Assistant or other medical office staff
Which of the following telephone greetings is acceptable for a medical office?
"Hello, how may I help you?"
"Good morning, Dr. Grabin's office."
"Dr. Grabin' office, Samantha speaking, how may I help you?"
All of the above
The main purpose of the telephone greeting is to address callers with courtesy and help them know that they have reached the correct party.
True
False
Another physician calls with an important question and asks to be put through to the office physician immediately. But the office physician is in the middle of a patient exam. What is the most appropriate response for the assistant?
Try to answer the caller's question on own.
Take a message to be returned as soon as possible.
Take a message to be returned when convenient.
Contact the office physician immediately and ask what to do.
Why should an office assistant keep the physician from being interrupted without need?
To provide better care to patients.
To improve the job security of office staff.
To avoid disclosing unauthorized information according to HIPAA.
To protect the physician's private life.
What is the maximum amount of time a caller should be left on hold before the assistant checks back with the caller?
10-20 seconds
30-40 seconds
1-2 minutes
3-5 minutes
What is the main purpose of using inflection?
To make the sound of the voice clearer
To emphasize important points in a conversation
To communicate only with special populations, such as those with diminished hearing
All of the above
Susan is speaking to a patient. She should use a speaker phone so that her hands are free to take notes in the patient's chart.
True
False
A patient calls to get more instructions for the prescribed treatment. What is the most appropriate response for the assistant?
Take a message to for the physician to return as soon as possible.
Try to answer the caller's question on own.
Transfer the call to a nurse.
Contact the physician immediately.
Contact the physician immediately.
Which of these types of telephone calls warrants immediately notifying the physician?
Emergency Calls
Routine Patient Calls
Non-Medical Business Calls
Personal Calls
All of the above
Which technology is used for three or more people in different geographical areas to "meet" by phone?
Answering Service
Automatic Routing Unit (ARU)
Conference Call
Call Forwarding
Why might office policy require the assistant to also get a patient's date of birth when identifying a caller?
It is required by HIPAA.
The physician will want to know the age of the patient.
It is less embarrassing for the patient to give this information over the phone.
Several patients may have the same name.
