Medical assisting Administrative and clinical procedures (5e) Chapter 7 Patient reception

After completing this chapter, students will be able to: List the design items to be considered when setting up an office reception area, describe the housekeeping tasks required to keep the reception area neat and clean, describe the Americans with Disabilities and Older American Acts and how these acts have helped to make physical access to the medical office easier for all patients,...

Patient Reception

7.1 List the design items to be considered when

setting up an office reception area

7.2 Describe the housekeeping tasks required

to keep the reception area neat and clean

7.3 Describe the Americans with Disabilities

and Older American Acts and how these acts have helped to make physical access

to the medical office easier for all patients

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes (cont.)

7.4 Articulate the cause of most injuries to medical

office workers and the four body areas where they occur

7.5 Explain the Red Flags Rule, giving the four

red flags that the reception staff should be alert to

7.6 Implement policies and procedures for

opening and closing the office

Design of the Reception Area

Design of the Reception Area (cont.)

• Utilization of Space

– Type of practice

– Avoid overcrowding

– HIPAA compliant

Design of the Reception Area (cont.)

• Décor

– Colors

– Fabric

– Carpet

Other Considerations

• Lighting – bright but not glaring

• Room temperature

• Music

Educational/Entertainment Materials (cont.)

• Patient information packets

• Medical Information –

brochures and pamphlets

Patient Information Packet

Patient Information Packet

Educational/Entertainment Materials (cont.)

– Entertainment stations – Videos

– Informative healthcare videos

Accommodating Children

Apply your Knowledge

The medical assistant is responsible for putting reading

material, including medical information such as brochures

and pamphlets, in the reception area How should the

medical assistant do this?

ANSWER: The medical assistant should review all materials

with medical information for validity before placing the items

in the reception area Magazines should be checked for

medical articles so the office staff is aware of the

information.

The Importance of Cleanliness

• Maintain a high standard of cleanliness

• Tasks

– Check throughout the day

– Spot-clean and straighten items

• Equipment

– Vacuums, mops, brooms

– Trash bags, cleaning solutions,

rags, buckets– Gloves

Importance of Cleanliness (cont.)

• Cleaning stains – spot-clean spills

• Removing odors

‒ Good ventilation system

‒ Disinfectant or deodorizing sprays

• Proper cleaning and

disposal are required

A patient is coming to see the physician because of

bleeding at the surgical site (right upper thigh) While the

patient is waiting in the reception area, the blood gets into

the chair cushion of the patient’s seat What should the

medical assistant do in this situation?

Apply Your Knowledge

ANSWER: Put on gloves and remove the chair from the

reception area immediately Special cleaning

procedures based on OSHA guidelines must be followed when handling blood and body fluids

Office Access for All

• Parking arrangements

– On-street vs off-street – Free parking lots improve access

• Entrances

– Clearly marked– Wide enough for wheelchairs and walkers

Safety and Security

• Building exits – Clearly labeled

“Exit” signs

• Smoke detectors – must sound an alarm by law

• Security systems – valuable

protection for medical records

• Special needs patients

• Require reasonable

accommodations

Needs

Americans with Disabilities Act – 1990

• Federal civil rights act

– Forbids discrimination on the basis of physical

or mental handicap

– Provides equal access and reasonable

accommodation in several important areas, including employment, facilities, sports, and education

Americans with Disabilities Act (cont.)

Older Americans Act of 1965

Special Situations

• Patients from diverse cultural backgrounds

– Provide reading material in languages of

cultures served

– Decorate the office for culturally diverse

holidays– Post signs that are in languages of cultures

served

Special Situations (cont.)

• Patients who are highly

contagious

– Protect other patients

– Separate from other

patients in reception area

Apply Your Knowledge

It is not adequate simply to have smoke detectors in a

medical office What responsibility does the office staff have related to smoke detectors?

ANSWER: Office staff must routinely check the smoke

detectors to be sure they are functioning properly and must know what to do in the event the smoke detector alarm

sounds, i.e., how to evacuate patients safely from the

building.

Preventing Injury in the Front Office

• Physical tasks

• Repetitive movement

injuries

Apply Your Knowledge

As a medical assistant working in the front office, you

are responsible for making appointments and data

entry into the EHR You begin to experience tingling

and numbness in your hands What might this be and

what is it caused by?

ANSWER: It is probably carpal tunnel syndrome

and it is a repetitive motion injury probably from

using the keyboard for long periods at a time.

Functions of the Reception Staff

Patient Registration and HIPAA

• Patient registration –may not include

reason for visit

• Forms

– New vs established patient

– Scan or copy insurance card and picture

identifier

• Notify clinical side

Patient Registration and HIPAA (cont.)

Observation and Updates

• Observe waiting patients

• Address spills, trash, and any potential

hazards

• Traffic control

• Keep patients updated about wait time

The Red Flags Rule

• Medical identity theft

• Programs to detect the warning signs, or

red flags, of identity theft

• Compliance if they fall into one or both

categories

– Creditors

– Covered account

The Red Flags Rule (cont.)

Identity Theft Prevention Program

1 Prevention—implementing sound electronic and

other security systems

2 Detection—staff training and electronic “red

flagging”

3 Mitigation—ensuring medical records are not

co-mingled

Apply Your Knowledge

ANSWER: To prevent medical identify theft.

Why is it important to verify a patient’s

identification using a photo id?

Opening and Closing the Office

• Beginning the day

– Arrive early

– Ensure safety

– Check that

specimens were picked up

– Check answering service or voice mail

– Turn on fax – Make coffee

Opening and Closing the Office (cont.)

• Ending the day

– Turn off equipment

– Secure all patient information

– Check supplies in exam rooms

– Ensure reception area is neat

Opening and Closing the Office (cont.)

• Ending the day

– Notify answering service

– Be sure specimens are in container for

pick-up– Be alert when leaving office

Apply Your Knowledge

What safety precautions should you take if you

are responsible for opening and closing a

medical office?

ANSWER: Be alert for

unusual activity when entering

or exiting the building Do not

completely turn your back

when locking or unlocking the

door If you feel

uncomfortable, notify security

or have another staff member

open and close with you.

In Summary

7.1 The size of the space and the schedule of the

physicians must be considered first

The décor should suit the practice type

Furnishings should be comfortable and easy to clean

Lighting should be appropriately bright.

Accessories should complement the décor, but not

make the room feel cluttered

Current magazines and other reading materials of

multiple topics should be available to entertain and inform the patient

TV and/or informational DVDs may also be played

In Summary (cont.)

7.2 Housekeeping tasks for the reception area

include:

– overseeing the professional cleaning staff

– keeping everything in its place;

– disposing of trash;

– preventing visible dust and dirt on surfaces;

– spot cleaning areas that become soiled;

– disinfecting areas exposed to body fluids;

– handling items with care.

Follow OSHA guidelines and post standards

In Summary (cont.)

7.3 The American with Disabilities Act, and the

Older Americans Act, both prevent

discrimination based solely on a person’s

physical or mental disability or age

Both of these acts mandate accessibility

In Summary (cont.)

7.4 Most office-related injuries are those

associated with repetitive motions, like typing, lifting, bending, stooping, and sitting

Common injuries or conditions involve the

forearm, wrist, hand, and back

In Summary (cont.)

7.5 The Red Flags Rule was enacted to detect

medical identity theft

The four red flags that all medical staff,

particularly reception staff, should be alert to are

In Summary (cont.)

7.6 Maintaining specific policies and procedures

for opening and closing the office ensures the necessary tasks are completed daily in a

uniform manner

This results in an efficient and prepared

medical office each day

End of Chapter 7

Creativity and courage help us know how to reach out and help those with particularly unique needs.

~ Mary H Allen

(From A Daybook for Nurses: Making a

Difference Each Day)