One of the major duties of a medical assistant is to act as an administrative assistant of the medical professionals. Their duties are to link between the patients and the medical professionals, to update and maintain medical records, and to answer and make telephone calls on their behalf. Being courteous, maintaining a respectful and pleasant voice when delivering messages are important in performing these tasks.
Addressing a patient or a medical staff in his or her proper name is a must especially when making a telephone call. It is a sign of respect and professionalism. Here are some techniques and etiquette to be observed when making a telephone call.
Firstly, when making a phone call you have to introduce yourself, the company you work for and the purpose of your call. At the beginning of the call, convey your intention. Make the call sound professional.
Secondly, use your normal voice. This way you will feel more relax and sound more sincere.
Third, avoid shouting. It will only give a negative impression to the receiver.
Fourth, state your message shortly but clearly. Avoid long and eloquent sentences and words that are too complicated to decipher. Remember that you are talking to a person and not to a dictionary. Also, be considerate. You are dealing with a busy medical person and a sick person who has no time for complicated calls. Try answering any questions from the person clearly and without agitation. Use of slang words is not the language of the professionals.
Fifth, eating and drinking while making telephone calls is a bad habit. Your voice will change and your words will not sound clear. There is a right time and a proper place for drinking and eating.
Six, make a habit to have a pen and paper with you when making and receiving telephone calls.
Receiving a call from a patient or medical person is another duty of a medical assistant that calls for a serious attention. Stating your name and greeting the caller is a sign of courtesy.
Stating your name at first makes the caller realize if he or she makes a mistake or right in dialing. Listening patiently to what the person is saying is a must. Repeat the message of the caller in order that you get his or her message right. If you receive a call while still talking to a person, ask her or him politely if she or he could hold. Try to get back to the person on hold within one minute.
When receiving a call from an angry or person that has a complain listen to what he or she has to say. Answer that person with courtesy and respect and without any trace of irritation in your voice. Say some comforting words that would calm her or him down. Make sure you don’t raise your voice in any time. Remember that you are dealing with a tired medical person or a sick person that could lose their temper any time so be patient and be nice. Don’t be distracted by anything. Avoid talking to a friend, eating and drinking while making and taking a call.
Make a record of all the telephone calls that you made and the reason why you made them. The same way of all the telephone calls that you received and the messages that goes with it, that way you won’t forget what you should do in respond to those messages. In this manner you protect the patient, the medical person and yourself and most of all you give value to the messages that you received and the person that give them.
