General scheduling
What is the grace period for patient lateness?
Patients are allowed a maximum delay of 15 minutes upon arrival.
How long is a standard PA Follow-up Visit?
15 minutes.
What type of insurance do all providers accept?
ALL PPOs are accepted. (1 HMO)
What greeting should you use when answering a call?
“Hoag Cardiac Surgery, this is [Name]. How may I help you today?”
What should you do if a patient calls with chest pain?
Warm transfer to Back Office immediately.
What should patients bring to their appointments?
bring insurance card along with a valid ID to the appointment.
When is a 30-day Post Op visit scheduled?
30+ days after discharge.
When are co-pays collected at Hoag?
After the visit; not collected at time of service.
What are two identifiers used for HIPAA verification?
Full name + Date of birth.
What should be done if a patient is late?
Contact front desk and notify TL if possible.
What is the policy on cancellations and no-shows?
If a patient has three no-shows, please document it in a note so that the nursing staff is informed and can make an appropriate decision regarding the case.
Who handles Valve Clinic follow-ups?
Barbara Eklund-Horn, RN.
Who do you transfer billing inquiries to?
Transfer to Medical Billing (see directory).
When should you transfer a call to Lucy?
When they are a new patient or referral.
How should warm transfers be handled?
Explain situation → Transfer → Leave note in chart.
Which visit requires a CT scan 3 days before the appointment?
Aneurysm Follow Up
What is the correct visit name in Epic for Convergent follow-up?
Follow Up – Convergent.
What extra step is needed for patients 60+ before CT?
BMP lab work 3 days before CT scan if 60+ or on BP meds.
Name two signs requiring warm transfer to Back Office.
Chest pain, infection, loss of consciousness, etc.
What are the three warning steps for abusive callers?
See “Call Handling” — 3-step warnings.
What details must be confirmed when booking a “7-day post-op” visit?
Must include procedure name, date of procedure, discharge date, and symptoms/recovery notes.
When should Valve Repair follow-ups be scheduled?
Schedule at 4 months and 1 year post-procedure.
How do you handle a cash pay estimate request?
Use Epic to generate estimate or transfer to Lucy.
What are the steps a PCR must take when documenting a patient call using a Telephone Encounter note in Epic?
Open Telephone Encounter note type.
Assign "Physician Assistant" as the provider.
Write the reason for the call (e.g., "Patient called to cancel 4-month follow-up").
Use code “375” to tag it as appointment-related.
If routing, select the correct staff person (e.g., “Crystal, Scheduler”).
Add a note: “Routed to Crystal to follow up on rescheduling.”
The recipient will document the outcome and close the loop.
How do you respond if a patient insists on knowing your location?
“I’m part of Hoag’s virtual front office, based in Latin America.”