Best Practice Communication with Doctors

* T EN TIPS to improve communication between Doctors and other health providers. * G OLDEN RULES for accompanying employees at medical appointments.

Background Payment Consent

Plan for Communication Who are you talking to? When are you going to talk to them? What are you going to talk about ? Capacity Certificate clarification Timing of return to work Psychosocial needs Return to work guidelines – Stay at work duties Community integration

Your role is just as much about information giving as information receiving. You are a team.

Top 10 Tips 1.Ring at the right time. 2.Call the right practice location. 3.Ensure the correct file is available. 4.Be succinct and clear. 5.Be precise. 6.One major question per call. 7.Check phone style. 8.Be aware of the Doctors tone. 9.Dealing with Psychiatrists. 10.Record all conversations.

1. Ring at the right time. Doctors are paid for face to face contact. Providers are paid for phone calls. Transport accident authorities, Workers compensation authorities, Comcare and Department of Veterans Affairs, all ring Doctors wanting information about patients - Unpaid time. Contact the Doctors Receptionist and establish the time of week or day which is least busy. The Doctor will be able to spend more time on the phone call. Avoid Monday mornings and Fridays, often the busiest days in General Practice.

2. Call the right practice location. Specialists rooms. General Practice locations. Easy access to file notes and results critical. Public hospital system – unique. Identify the Registrar of the Unit / make contact and then ring back for information.

3. Ensure the Doctor has the correct file General Practice - Medical Director, Specialist – often no Medical Director, correct file. Discussion with Receptionist. Name of client. Retrieve the file. Ensure the file is in front of the Doctor before going through.

4. Be succinct and clear Introduce yourself, your role and the reason for the call. Fax/ details before the phone call. Particularly valuable when discussing a range of alternate duties, recent Work Site assessment, discussion about a particular certificate and details.

5. Be Precise Clarify what you want to know – Capacity Certificate clarification Alternate duty upgrades Hour upgrades Timing of return to work Involvement with the local community Goal setting Psychosocial issues. If you are wanting specific information about the medical diagnosis or about the psychosocial setting. Consent, Consent, Consent !

6. One major question per phone call A shopping list of questions is never a good idea. One major question per phone call is valuable. Short phone call, concise communication – Doctor will be happy about return phone calls.

7. Check phone style Your role can be just as valuable, information giving, as well as information receiving. Clarify at the outset which format.

8. Be aware of the Doctors tone Curt Doctor = too busy, too many phone calls, behind, room full of people waiting. Arrange for an alternate time for the phone call. Keep the conversation brief.

9. Dealing with Psychiatrists Very sensitive about giving any information. Often the best way to communicate is in writing. No Psychiatrist will take a phone call without consent. Ideally, if the provider has an affiliation with an Occupational Physician /doctor leave these phone calls up to the Doctor.

10. Record ALL conversations Note the conversation. Relay the information back to the worker. Follow up s to the Doctor, briefly outlining the outcome of the conversation - can be valuable for both parties. It minimises confusion and misunderstanding and can go a long way to furthering the relationship.

Accompanying an employee to an appointment Ring the Doctors receptionist before, to plan the visit – quieter day is best Clarify purpose of visit – forward appropriate paperwork Book a long consultation. Ensure you have a signed consent form Suggest that the patient has an initial short period with the Doctor before you enter the room. Ensure you have a business card to ease communication and clarify your role and who you are. Be succinct and clear about the purpose of the visit. Be mindful of the time. *GOLDEN RULES*

Consent, Consent, Consent! Ring at the right time. Call the right practice location. Ensure the correct file. Be precise about information required. Be succinct. One major question per call. Check phone style. Be aware of the Doctors working day. Slightly different approach with Psychiatrists. Record all conversations. Consider clarification of the outcome of the phone contact.