Chapter 14
Telephone Techniques
Multiple Choice Questions
1. | The first thing you should do when answering the telephone is ____.
A. | schedule an appointment for the caller |
B. | put the caller on hold |
C. | identify the medical office and yourself |
D. | notify the physician that a patient is calling |
E. | ask the caller why he is calling |
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2. | Which of the following types of telephone calls can a medical assistant resolve?
A. | Report from a patient concerning unsatisfactory progress |
B. | Patient requesting X-ray results |
C. | Call to change an appointment |
D. | Call from another physician |
E. | Personal calls to the physician |
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3. | The appropriate way to deal with a caller who refuses to identify himself is to ____.
A. | put the call through to the physician immediately |
B. | suggest that he write a letter to the physician and mark it "Personal" |
C. | tell him that you cannot help him if he does not identify himself |
D. | ask him to explain the problem to you |
E. | forward the call to the office manager |
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4. | Telephone calls that require the practitioner’s personal attention include which of the following?
A. | Administrative questions |
B. | Requests for referrals to other doctors |
D. | Reports from hospitals regarding a patient's satisfactory progress |
E. | Patient requests to discuss abnormal test results |
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5. | What document indicates who is responsible for the various types of calls coming into the medical office and how the calls are to be handled?
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6. | If uncertain about whether to give particular information to a patient on the telephone, a general principle is to ____.
A. | have the nurse relay the information |
B. | document the details of the call, including what you said, in the chart |
C. | realize it is appropriate and honest to give information to the patient |
D. | have the provider return the patient’s call |
E. | tell the patient you can't find the requested information |
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7. | The recommended procedure for handling billing inquiries is to ____.
A. | pull the patient's chart and billing information |
B. | insist that the patient pay the current charges |
C. | tell the patient to pay the charges, but the charges will be reviewed at a later date |
D. | notify the patient that the physician will not see him until the bill is paid |
E. | forward the patient's call to the physician |
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8. | If a patient was overcharged for services, the appropriate procedure is to ____.
A. | tell the patient to pay the current bill and a refund will be mailed |
B. | give the patient a credit toward future services |
C. | ask the patient to wait for a corrected statement before sending payment |
D. | apologize, but tell the patient nothing can be done |
E. | refund the difference out of the office's petty cash fund |
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9. | A patient calls with a billing problem stating the fee was too high. When the medical assistant checks, the account she finds the proper fee was charged. What would be the best approach is to use in this situation?
A. | Tell the patient that the bill is correct |
B. | Speak to the provider before responding to the patient |
C. | Explain each individual charge to the patient but tell him the payment is due |
D. | Tell the patient that healthcare is expensive |
E. | Adjust the amount anyway because the customer is always right |
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10. | If a patient remains dissatisfied after discussing a bill, ____.
A. | document all comments and relay the information to the physician |
B. | tell the patient that you are sorry he is dissatisfied, but the bill stands |
C. | turn the patient's bill over to a collection agency |
D. | terminate the patient's care until the bill is paid |
E. | ask the patient if he is willing to negotiate the charges |
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11. | Mrs. Worth is calling for the result of the CEA (cancer marker) test she had. Georgia, a new administrative medical assistant, looked up the record and discovered that the result is abnormal. Georgia asks you what she should tell Mrs. Worth. What should you tell Georgia?
A. | "Tell Mrs. Worth that the physician will call back with the results." |
B. | "Tell Mrs. Worth you are sorry, but she has cancer." |
C. | "Ask Mrs. Worth how she is feeling today; if she is feeling well, give her the results." |
D. | "Ask to speak to her husband and give him the results instead." |
E. | "Tell Mrs. Worth her test results are okay, but she needs to schedule another appointment." |
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12. | Under what circumstances will a pharmacist call to check before dispensing refills?
A. | Every time the prescription is refilled |
B. | If it has been two months since the last refill |
C. | If the pharmacist thinks the medication is not appropriate |
D. | If more than one year has passed since the original prescription was written |
E. | If the patient cannot remember the name of the medication to be refilled |
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13. | When is it acceptable for a medical assistant to authorize a pharmacy to refill a prescription?
B. | If it is a regular medication for the patient |
C. | If the licensed practitioner has authorized in the patient’s chart that refills are approved |
D. | Only if the medical assistant has knowledge of the medication |
E. | If the patient states that this is an emergency |
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14. | What is the best response to a patient who calls to ask if he or she can use a medication that was prescribed for a previous condition?
A. | "You may use the medication if it has not expired." |
B. | "You should not use the medication because it may not be helpful." |
C. | "You may use the medication until you come in to see the provider." |
D. | "You may use the medication after I review it with you." |
E. | "You may use the medication, but it will probably cause side effects." |
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15. | The best way to handle a patient who calls the office in real, distressing pain is to ____.
A. | schedule an appointment immediately or tell the patient to go to the emergency room. |
B. | listen to the patient. |
C. | document the patient's symptoms. |
D. | advise the patient on methods for pain relief. |
E. | schedule an appointment when available. |
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16. | Chris answers the telephone, and the caller, a patient named Mr. Patterson, tells Chris that the physician asked him to call the office and let her know how the prescribed medication was working. Mr. Patterson begins to explain in detail how much better he feels and what effect he thinks the medication is having. What should Chris do?
A. | Interrupt the patient and route the call to the physician |
B. | Wait until the patient pauses, then tell him you will route the call to the physician |
C. | Document the patient's description and relay the information to the physician |
D. | Record the conversation and play it back for the physician later |
E. | Listen to Mr. Patterson and thank him for calling; no documentation is necessary |
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17. | When you answer the phone, you know immediately that the caller is angry. Without identifying herself, the caller begins shouting at you that she had been told that an office visit would cost $79, but her bill was for $135. She says the office is discriminating against her by charging her more than the normal amount. How should you handle this call?
A. | Interrupt the patient and ask for her name |
B. | Promise the patient that everything will work out |
C. | Listen carefully and acknowledge the patient's anger |
D. | Talk down to the patient if she will not listen |
E. | Shout that you cannot fix anything until she tells you who she is |
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18. | Which type of call must be immediately routed to the provider?
D. | Requests for test results |
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19. | Which of the following conditions requires immediate medical help?
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20. | Which of the following symptoms indicates a heart attack?
B. | Chest pain radiating to the arm, shoulder, and jaw |
C. | Diarrhea and abdominal cramps |
E. | Confusion and a strong, rapid pulse |
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21. | Vinnie receives a call from Mr. Everson, who says his wife is confused. He says she is pale and is feeling faint and sweaty. Mr. Everson also says his wife has a weak, rapid pulse, and her skin is cool and moist. Vinnie should recognize these symptoms as ____.
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22. | A drop in body temperature during prolonged exposure to cold is called ____.
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23. | Which of the following office procedures should be followed if the practitioner is not in the office when an emergency phone call comes in?
A. | Make an appointment as soon as possible |
B. | Instruct the patient to call another practitioner |
C. | Instruct the caller to dial 911 for an ambulance |
D. | Take a detailed history of the patient's symptoms |
E. | Tell the patient the practitioner will call back as soon as possible |
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24. | A guideline to follow when an attorney calls the office is to ____.
A. | answer the attorney's questions |
B. | refuse to talk to the attorney |
C. | release information only when the physician has authorized you to do so |
D. | ask someone else to speak to the attorney if you are too anxious |
E. | put the call through to the physician immediately |
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25. | Guidelines for dealing with a salesperson on the phone include ____.
A. | asking the salesperson to send you information |
B. | notifying the physician that a salesperson is on the phone |
C. | inviting the salesperson to visit the physician at the salesperson's convenience |
D. | telling the salesperson the office is too busy to see salespeople |
E. | asking the salesperson to call back after hours |
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26. | One of the most important telephone skills is saying words correctly, which is called ____.
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27. | Speaking clearly and distinctly to help the person you are speaking to understand you is called ____.
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28. | The appropriate way to address a patient with a last name that is difficult to pronounce is to ____.
A. | call the patient by his or her first name |
B. | attempt to pronounce it the best you can |
C. | ask the patient how to pronounce his or her name |
D. | ask someone else to talk to the patient |
E. | avoid calling the patient by name |
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29. | A medical assistant should answer all telephone calls using ____.
A. | proper telephone etiquette |
B. | the patient's first name only |
D. | a standard telephone answering dialog |
E. | a flat, disinterested tone of voice |
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30. | When talking to a patient on the phone use ____.
D. | a flat, disinterested tone of voice |
E. | a normal conversational tone |
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31. | If you do not recognize the name of the patient calling, the most appropriate response is
A. | "Could you please tell me your name?" |
B. | "Has it been some time since you've seen the doctor?" |
C. | "Have you been to this practice before?" |
D. | "I don't recognize your voice. Who are you?" |
E. | "Are you one of our patients?" |
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32. | The result of answering the phone while carrying out another task is ____.
A. | possible errors in message taking |
B. | preventing other office personnel from feeling they have to do your job |
C. | communicating to the patient that you are busy |
D. | efficiency in completing two tasks simultaneously |
E. | completing your work ahead of schedule so you can leave early |
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33. | Before putting a caller on hold, ____.
A. | ask someone else in the office to take the call |
B. | tell the caller that you have no choice |
C. | ask the caller to state the purpose of the call |
D. | tell the caller that you do not know how long the wait will be |
E. | give the name of the practice and say, "Hold, please." |
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34. | If you put a caller on hold and determine it will be a long wait, ____.
B. | tell the patient to call back |
C. | suggest that calling on another day would be better |
D. | explain how busy you are and say that you cannot talk |
E. | wait five minutes and then hang up the phone |
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35. | If you receive another call while talking to a patient, the procedure to follow is to ____.
A. | put the first caller on hold |
B. | answer the second call by saying "Hold, please" and return to the first call |
C. | make sure the second call is not an emergency before putting that call on hold |
D. | tell the second caller to call back when the office is not so busy |
E. | place both calls on hold until one of the callers gets tired of waiting and hangs up |
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36. | If you cannot give your undivided attention to a caller because of an emergency in the office, ____.
A. | ask someone else in the office to take the call |
B. | explain the emergency situation to the caller |
C. | explain that you are handling an urgent matter and offer to call back |
D. | tell the caller you cannot talk and hang up |
E. | tell the caller to call back tomorrow when you are not so busy |
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37. | A disadvantage of communicating by telephone is that ____.
A. | the patient's feelings are communicated easily over the telephone |
B. | you have to talk with difficult patients |
C. | you have to relay messages to the physician |
D. | the patient may not want to end the phone call |
E. | you cannot see the caller's visual signals such as body language or facial expression |
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38. | When a call with a patient is long or complicated, ____.
A. | interrupt the patient and tell her that the call is going nowhere |
B. | summarize the details of the call to ensure understanding by both you and the patient |
C. | ask the physician to take the call |
D. | tell the patient that you do not have any more time to talk |
E. | follow up the phone call by sending a written summary to the patient |
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39. | When dealing with a patient who is nervous, upset, or angry, ____.
A. | tell the patient that you will not continue the conversation until the patient settles down. |
B. | show empathy and an understanding of the caller's feelings. |
C. | tell the caller that you will not be talked to like that and hang up. |
D. | insist that the physician take the call. |
E. | demand that the patient stop shouting immediately. |
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40. | The appropriate way to maintain patient confidentiality is to ____.
A. | repeat the information over the phone to make sure that you understood it correctly |
B. | leave a confidential message on the physician's desk for his attention |
C. | tell the physician the information in the hallway between patients |
D. | put the message in a file folder marked "Confidential" and place the folder on the physician's desk |
E. | tell the patient you cannot take confidential information over the telephone |
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41. | How much time should you allow for a patient to answer when you place a phone call?
A. | One minute or about eight rings |
B. | 30 seconds or about four rings |
C. | 20 seconds or about three rings |
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42. | Which of the following guidelines should you follow when placing an outgoing telephone call?
A. | Allow the phone to ring four times before hanging up |
B. | Ask if it is a convenient time and if the person has time to talk |
C. | Pull the patient's record after he answers |
D. | Begin with dates, times, or instructions while the person finds something to write with |
E. | Provide all the relevant information and hang up quickly to avoid annoying the patient |
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43. | Learning the telephone triage process includes ____.
A. | permitting the office staff to diagnose a patient's problem |
B. | eliminating the need to ask the patient his age and symptoms |
C. | using the office's written guidelines for commonly asked questions |
D. | training the office staff to prescribe a treatment plan for patients |
E. | using medical references as necessary to answer the patient's questions |
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44. | Which of the following is an example of a common triage question that a medical assistant might answer?
A. | "How do I make my child with chickenpox more comfortable?" |
B. | "How do I stop the bleeding from my incision line? |
C. | "My broken arm is really hurting, and I need you tell me what medication to take." |
D. | "Tell me what to do because I just dumped hot grease on my arm." |
E. | "My child just fell down the stairs and his head is bleeding. Can I put a topical antibiotic on it?" |
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45. | When dealing with a telephone triage problem, remember ____.
A. | that you have permission to prescribe a medication |
B. | to tell the caller it is his responsibility to get better |
C. | to avoid wasting time by having the caller repeat any instructions you give |
D. | to advise the caller that recommendations are based on the symptoms and are not a diagnosis |
E. | that almost any problem can be diagnosed over the telephone by an experienced medical assistant |
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46. | The appropriate response to a triage patient who is experiencing chest pain is ____.
A. | "It is just indigestion, so you need not worry about it." |
B. | "Lie down and rest and it will go away." |
C. | "I will tell the physician that you are having chest pain." |
D. | "You should make an appointment for a complete physical within the next six months." |
E. | "Go to the nearest emergency room immediately, preferably by ambulance." |
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47. | When handling an incoming telephone call regarding a patient progress report, you should ____.
A. | route the call to the physician immediately |
B. | take a message for the physician |
C. | handle the situation yourself |
D. | ask the nurse to handle the situation |
E. | tell the patient the physician will call him back shortly |
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48. | The appropriate way to handle an incoming call for a practitioner from another practitioner is to ____.
A. | route the call to the practitioner immediately, if possible |
B. | take a message for the practitioner |
C. | provide the calling practitioner with whatever information is requested |
D. | handle the call yourself without bothering the practitioner |
E. | tell the calling practitioner that the practitioner returns phone calls after hours |
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49. | Which of the following medical conditions requires immediate medical help?
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50. | A mother calls and informs you that her son has a deep dog bite. Your response should be ____.
A. | "Your son needs immediate medical help." |
B. | "I will leave a message for the physician." |
C. | "As long as it is not bleeding, it is fine." |
D. | "Call back if he is not feeling better tomorrow." |
E. | "Put ice on the bite and apply a topical antibiotic." |
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51. | Before placing an outgoing telephone call to a patient, you should ____.
A. | notify the physician that you are making the call |
B. | wait and place the call after the office closes |
C. | verify the correct phone number |
D. | write down exactly what you will tell the patient |
E. | read the patient's entire medical record so you will be prepared to answer questions |
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52. | After speaking with a patient on the telephone about a clinical issue, a medical assistant must always ____.
A. | meet with the physician to discuss the call |
B. | schedule an appointment for the patient |
C. | bill the patient for the telephone time |
D. | document the conversation in the patient's record |
E. | work a little later to make up for lost time |
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53. | When a patient calls the office for the result of a laboratory test that happens to be normal, you should ____.
A. | never give the results to the patient |
B. | give the patient the results if the physician has authorized that normal results may be given out |
C. | take the message and give it to the physician, who will return the patient's call |
D. | mail the results to the patient |
E. | tell the patient to make an appointment to come in and review the results with the physician |
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54. | Your first priority when responding to a complaint of an angry patient is to ____.
B. | stay calm and try to pacify the caller |
C. | promise the patient that the issue will be resolved |
D. | follow up promptly on the problem |
E. | let the physician know there is a problem |
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55. | When you receive or place a phone call, your message should be logical and free from ambiguity. Which of the following Cs of effective communication does this demonstrate?
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56. | When you are respectful of a caller, which of the five Cs of communication do you exhibit?
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57. | A communication that contains all of the necessary information demonstrates which of the following?
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58. | What can you do to make a message concise?
A. | Make sure it contains all the necessary information |
B. | Be sure it is organized and logical |
C. | Make the message brief and direct |
D. | Be sure it is free from ambiguity |
E. | Be respectful and considerate |
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59. | A telephone message that is organized and logical demonstrates ____.
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60. | Two options that should always be included in the menu for an automated voice response unit are instructions for the caller if the call is an emergency and an option to ____.
A. | address billing questions |
B. | report progress after treatment |
C. | dial zero to speak to an operator |
E. | ask a medical question |
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61. | Which of the following is not a way to help ensure accurate telephone messages?
A. | Always have a pen and paper on hand |
B. | Verify the callback number |
C. | Tell the caller the physician will call him or her back |
D. | Jot down notes as the information is given |
E. | Verify the spelling of the caller's name |
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Fill in the Blank Questions
62. | Good communication skills help project a positive image and ________ the needs and expectations of the patient.
________________________________________ |
63. | If you must walk around the office while you are on the phone with a patient, always keep HIPAA and patient ________ in mind.
________________________________________ |
64. | One responsibility of many medical assistants when they answer the telephone involves ________ calls before routing them to other staff members.
________________________________________ |
65. | The medical assistant cannot handle calls from patients requesting ________ renewals, unless the physician has indicated approval in the patient's record.
________________________________________ |
66. | Emergency calls and calls concerning unsatisfactory patient ________ reports require the physician's personal attention.
________________________________________ |
67. | The ________ list specifies who is responsible for various types of calls in a medical office.
________________________________________ |
68. | When handling calls from patients, employees should always remember that the licensed practitioner is legally ________ for the information given by an employee over the telephone.
________________________________________ |
69. | When taking information from a patient, you should repeat it to ________ the information before ending the call.
________________________________________ |
70. | If an angry patient calls in with a complaint, you should remain calm and speak gently, but you should not become angry or ________.
________________________________________ |
71. | Telephone ________ means handling calls politely and professionally and with good manners.
________________________________________ |
72. | Saying words correctly is called proper ________.
________________________________________ |
73. | Speaking with good ________ enables the person to whom you are speaking to understand you.
________________________________________ |
74. | When talking on the telephone, you should use a normal conversational tone and vary your ________, which enables you to emphasize words.
________________________________________ |
75. | Prior to completing a phone call, you should summarize key points and make sure the caller ________ the information you provided.
________________________________________ |
76. | Proper ________ of telephone calls, including taking messages, helps protect the licensed practitioner from legal action.
________________________________________ |
77. | Establishing a regular ________ for retrieving messages from an answering service ensures that you do not miss any messages.
________________________________________ |
78. | When placing an outgoing telephone call, ask the person you are calling if you have called at a(n) ________ time.
________________________________________ |
79. | A medical assistant may be asked to use telephone ________ to determine what action to take when a patient calls with a clinical problem.
________________________________________ |
80. | An automated ________ response unit can be used to provide greater flexibility for the medical staff, as well as offer enhanced service to the patient.
________________________________________ |
81. | There are two main types of ________. One type simply receives a phone number, and the other type can both send and receive messages.
________________________________________ |
82. | Many licensed practitioners free up staff time by using ________ phone systems to remind patients of appointments, call patients about no-shows, and leave other types of messages.
________________________________________ |
83. | Licensed practitioners often use personal ________ phones to respond quickly to a message from staff or a hospital.
________________________________________ |
84. | A(n) ________ pager is one that is designed for two-way communication.
________________________________________ |
85. | A specially designed telephone that looks like a laptop and allows the user to type a message instead of speaking is known as a(n) ________ device for the deaf, or TDD.
________________________________________ |
Multiple Choice Questions
86. | What is an advantage to having a voicemail system in the medical office?
A. | Gives staff time to think about the message |
B. | Calls are answered faster |
C. | Makes the caller less anxious |
D. | There are no advantages to a voicemail system |
E. | Callers never get a busy signal |
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87. | When a message is organized and logical, it is which of the five Cs of communication?
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Fill in the Blank Questions
88. | Proper telephone __________ means handling all calls politely and professionally using good manners.
________________________________________ |
89. | Prioritizing emergency phone calls is known as __________.
________________________________________ |