The telephone is typically the first point of access by the patient to the practice. It is important that all staff, employees, and temporary personnel are aware of how telephone calls are handled during and after office hours. This includes the following steps:
1. The office telephone answering machine is turned on whenever staff does not directly answer calls. Routine times for using the answering machine may include midday lunch hour, after office hours, and weekends.
2. The answering machine message informs callers to immediately dial 555-555-5555, the number for the office on-call group. The answering service has immediate access to the office on-call group/physician.
3. The message/answering service provides information regarding normal office hours for access to staff and patient appointments.
4. The message invites callers to leave a message after the tone. The answering service records all caller messages.
5. Physicians and clinical staff who see patients are available by pager when on duty but away from the office. Staff pages the physician and leaves a text message when appropriate.
6. Telephone calls with medical emergencies, such as chest pain, anaphylactic shock, heavy bleeding, or fainting, are routed to the physician immediately. If no physician is available, the next qualified staff member instructs the patient to go the emergency room.
7. Physicians may choose to discuss clinical care with a patient by telephone in situations where a face to face consultation is considered unnecessary and it is safe to do so. Physicians should make time available (at their convenience) to take or return patient calls. Physicians should advise reception staff accordingly. Reception staff should advise patients of the times physicians are available to take calls and take messages where appropriate.