1. Scheduling Appointments and Receiving Patients
Chapter 12
Scheduling Appointments and Receiving Patients

2. Preparing the Appointment Schedule
Appointment books versus computerized scheduling
Establishing a matrix
Mark off unavailable time
Allow for flex time

3. Copyright ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning.
Methods of Scheduling
Clustering
Double-booking
Walk in/open hours
Single-booking
Streaming
Wave
Modified wave
Copyright  ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning.
All rights reserved.

4. Appointment Documentation
Schedules are legal documents
Important to enter information correctly
Follow office procedure for cancelling appointments
Can be useful to document a history of no-show or cancellation

5. Creating New Appointments

6. Creating New Appointments
Required information
Correctly spelled name
Next available appointment or time requested
Date and time understood by patient
Amount of time to be reserved
Preference for time of day
Alternate time

7. Creating New Appointments
Telephone appointments
Obtain all necessary information before patient hangs up
Read back information to verify
Copyright  ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning.
All rights reserved.

8. Creating New Appointments
Follow-up appointments
Appointment cards
Copyright  ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning.
All rights reserved.

9. Creating New Appointments
Referral appointments
Often referred for diagnostic testing, or to see a specialist
Inpatient admissions
Be prepared to provide necessary information

10. Maintaining the Schedule
Walk-in or chronically patients
Emergency appointments
Work-in patients
Missed appointments
Business appointments

11. Greeting Patients
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
Smile
Use active listening skills
Make eye contact
Provide clear and complete explanations
Maintain confidentiality

12. Greeting Patients Patient sign-in Obtain new patient information
Helps maintain the schedule
Always protect confidential patient information
Obtain new patient information
Verify insurance eligibility

13. New Patient Information
Complete, correctly spelled name
Date of birth
Social security number
Marital status
Current address
Telephone numbers
Health insurance information
Guarantor
Employer information
Driver’s license
Referral information
Copyright  ©2012 Delmar, Cengage Learning.
All rights reserved.

14. Explaining Office Policies
Use good communication techniques
Patients may be unsure about new and unfamiliar experiences
Helps ease fears
Maintains good rapport with patients
Clarifies office policies
Encourages patient compliance