Scheduling Methods
This scheduling method allows patients to arrive without an appointment.
What is open hours scheduling?
The first thing a medical assistant should do when answering the office phone.
What is identify the office and yourself?
The first step when a patient arrives at the office.
What is greeting the patient and checking them in?
The medical record system used in most modern medical offices.
What is an Electronic Health Record (EHR)?
This scheduling strategy helps reduce physician downtime while managing patient flow.
What is modified wave scheduling?
This scheduling method books several patients at the beginning of each hour.
What is wave scheduling?
Information that must be verified when scheduling a patient appointment.
What is patient demographic information?
This payment is usually collected at the time of the visit.
What is a copayment (copay)?
Patients who do not show up for their appointments are called this.
What are no-shows?
This appointment scheduling method allows multiple patients to be scheduled at the same time block to maximize provider efficiency and accommodate shorter visits.
What is cluster scheduling?
This scheduling method schedules similar procedures together.
What is cluster scheduling?
This type of appointment is scheduled for a patient who has never been seen in the office.
What is a new patient appointment?
These must be verified at every visit.
What are insurance and demographic information?
This document lists scheduled appointments for the day.
What is the appointment schedule or appointment book?
This system ensures patient information remains confidential.
What is HIPAA compliance?
This scheduling method allows two patients to be scheduled at the same time.
What is double booking?
If a patient describes severe chest pain on the phone, the MA should do this.
What is instruct the patient to seek emergency care or call 911?
This document protects patient privacy and must be acknowledged by patients.
What is the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP)?
A patient arriving late may require this to maintain office workflow.
What is rescheduling the appointment?
This guideline requires leaving unscheduled time slots during the day so that patients with urgent conditions can be seen without severely disrupting the schedule.
What is buffer time (or open time) in the appointment schedule?
This scheduling method spreads patients throughout the hour but leaves time for charting and unexpected delays.
What is modified wave scheduling?
The system used to prioritize patients based on urgency of their condition.
What is triage?
The system used to confirm that a patient’s insurance is active and covers the visit.
What is insurance verification?
This type of appointment is scheduled for immediate medical attention.
What is an emergency appointment?
This scheduling factor must be considered when booking procedures requiring extra equipment or time.
What is appointment time allocation based on procedure complexity?