Deck 8: Telephone Techniques

Question 1

Which of the following is not correct with regard to ending a call?

A) Closing the conversation with some form of "goodbye"
B) Hanging up before the caller
C) Discouraging inappropriate chatting
D) Thanking the person for calling

Answer 1

Hanging up before the caller

Question 2

Enunciation is

A) the choice of words.
B) the highness or lowness of sound.
C) articulation of clear sounds.
D) a change in pitch.

Answer 2

articulation of clear sounds.

Question 3

A pleasing telephone voice is developed by using

A) customer service.
B) a monotone.
C) clarity.
D) professional jargon.

Answer 3

clarity.

Question 4

The technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a particular group is called

A) salutation.
B) monotone.
C) jargon.
D) enunciation.

Question 5

The medical assistant may help an angry caller to calm down by

A) speaking in a lower tone of voice.
B) getting angry in return.
C) passing the situation off to the office manager immediately.
D) calling the physician into the situation.

Question 6

Which of the following would be considered professional jargon?

A) Encephalalgia
B) Backache
C) Earache
D) Headache

Question 7

Which of the following are common sources of incoming calls to the physician's office?

A) Other physicians
B) New patients
C) Laboratories
D) All of the above

Question 8

If your office is in California and it is noon, what time is it on the East Coast?

A) 8 AM
B) 9 AM
C) 3 PM
D) 4 PM

Question 9

Which of the following greetings is recommended as appropriate for handling incoming calls in an extremely busy medical office?

A) "Good morning. This is Dr. Bewell's office. Ms. Blakely speaking."
B) "Dr. Bewell's office. Ms. Blakely speaking."
C) "Thank you for calling Dr. Bewell's office. This is Tina."
D) "Dr. Bewell's office."

Question 10

Which of the following types of communication tools is best for two-way communication?

A) Voice mail
B) Fax
C) Pager
D) Cell phone

Question 11

Pitch is

A) the choice of words.
B) the highness or lowness of sound.
C) the quality of being clear.
D) a change in pitch.

Question 12

When a patient calls with a complaint

A) use an approach similar to that for angry callers.
B) find the source of the problem.
C) present options of solutions to the patient.
D) All of the above

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the primary goal of "screening" telephone calls?

A) Preventing calls from reaching the physician
B) Handling calls at the lowest level possible
C) Selecting which calls should be forwarded to which staff members through an understanding of the purpose of the call
D) Determining whether the calls are emergencies

Question 14

Which of the following types of calls should be limited in the professional setting?

A) Local
B) Long distance
C) Toll free
D) Personal

Question 15

If your office is on the West Coast, what time is the latest time to call the East Coast?

A) 11 AM
B) 1 PM
C) 2 PM
D) 4 PM

Question 16

Active listening involves

A) giving the same attention to a person on the phone as would be given to a person face to face.
B) concentrating on the conversation at hand.
C) discovering vital information.
D) All of the above

Question 17

Which of the following is not required when a telephone message is taken?

A) The caller's name and phone number
B) The time and date
C) The name of the person to whom the call is directed
D) The caller's account number

Question 18

If your office is in New York and you need to contact a supplier in Seattle, which New York time would be the earliest that you should call to place an order, assuming that the supplier opens at 8 AM?

A) 8 AM
B) 9 AM
C) 10 AM
D) 11 AM

Question 19

Which of the following types of communication tools can be used to record verbal messages?

A) Voice mail
B) Fax
C) E-mail
D) Call waiting

Question 20

The medical assistant should be extremely careful when using a speakerphone because

A) the service is expensive.
B) it is distracting.
C) the call can be traced.
D) confidentiality can be violated.

Question 21

Having a keen sense of what to do or say to maintain good relations with others is called __________.

Question 22

Answering services usually provide a(n) __________ to answer the phone rather than a recording device.

Question 23

Which of the following calls is considered urgent, but not an emergency?

A) Symptoms of chest pain
B) Severe allergic reactions
C) Animal bite
D) Broken bones

Question 24

Which of the following is essential to active listening?

A) Listen to what the speaker is saying
B) Listen to nonverbal clues
C) Interpret what the message is
D) Restate the message
E) All of the above

Question 25

Answering services can be used for which of the following?

A) Cover the telephone if all staff members need to be away at the same time
B) Buffer and screen after-hours calls
C) Act as the first point of contact with the practice
D) Take messages
E) Both A and B

Question 26

When a patient calls in complaining about the care he or she received or the fee charged, which of the following should be avoided?

A) Placing blame for the error
B) Responding with "Let me help you"
C) Finding the source of the problem and then presenting options for resolution
D) Providing good customer service

Question 27

The office should have a clear set of ____________ to the facility available so that they can be easily given to patients who request them.

Question 28

An alternative to using directory assistance is using the __________ to find phone numbers.

Question 29

Most providers allow medical assistants to give test results in which of the following circumstances?

A) Only normal test results
B) Abnormal test results if authorized by the provider
C) A caller asking for information on a spouse or child
D) Both A and B

Question 30

Some managed care organizations require a physician __________ before a patient may see a specialist.

Question 31

When using speakerphone, which of the following should occur to comply with HIPAA?

A) Inform the caller that you will be using speakerphone
B) Let the person know who else will be listening in
C) Door or reception window should be closed
D) Should not be used in areas where conversation can be overheard

Question 32

When answering incoming calls, what is the first thing the caller should hear?

A) The name of the facility
B) Your name
C) Your offer to help or assist
D) All of the above

Question 33

Patients often call the office to find out whether the physician is a(n) __________ for their insurance program.

Question 34

How long are records of telephone messages retained?

A) The same period that the statute of limitations runs for medical professional liability cases
B) 5 years
C) 7 years
D) 1 week

Question 35

Callers who refuse to __________ themselves should not be put through to the physician.

Question 36

Many __________ calls require the good judgment of the medical assistant answering the phone.

Question 37

The continental United States is divided into __________ standard time zones.

Question 38

When placing callers on hold, how often should you check back to make sure the caller still wants to remain on hold?

A) No longer than 1 minute
B) Every 2 minutes
C) Until time is available to talk
D) It is not necessary to check back; patients will hold until you return to the call

Question 39

A minimum of __________ items of information is needed to take a phone message correctly.

Question 40

When answering a telephone for a healthcare practice, which of the following practices helps create a positive impression on the caller?

A) Speak in monotone
B) Smile
C) Use medical jargon
D) All of the above

Question 41

The medical assistant who answers the telephone in the physician's office performs _____________ to determine whether a call needs to be put through to the physician immediately or a message should be taken.

Question 42

A computerized appointment system often is able to __________ a message to highlight its importance.

Question 43

Office policy must dictate that medical assistants can give __________ results to patients before they perform this task (unless this is prohibited in their state).

Question 44

Placing and receiving personal calls should be avoided during business hours.

Question 45

All sales calls are an interruption to the physician's day.

Question 46

A provider can only be a company that provides medical equipment or services to patients.

Question 47

The medical assistant should always ask permission before placing a caller on hold.

Question 48

The guidelines for medical confidentiality apply equally to telephone conversations; therefore take care that no one overhears sensitive information.

Question 49

STAT laboratory results are often __________ to the physician's office to provide a written copy of the information.

Question 50

If a question arises as to how a task should be handled in the office, the medical assistant should consult the ___________________________.

Question 51

When dealing with an emergency call, the medical assistant should never __________ until help has reached the patient.

Question 52

Call __________ allows the user to send calls to another designated number, such as a cell phone.

Question 53

Message books should be kept in the medical office at least until the __________________ runs out.

Question 54

If English is not the caller's primary language, the medical assistant must use listening skills to ensure understanding.

Question 55

STAT means "as soon as possible."

Question 56

Most physicians do not expect the medical assistant to screen calls.

Question 57

Legible and complete phone messages are vital, because they can be brought into __________ and offered as evidence.

Question 58

An insurance claim may be __________ if the physician is not a provider for that particular insurance company.

Question 59

The best policy for dealing with serious abnormal test results is to schedule a(n) _______________ for the patient.

Question 60

Referrals to other physicians should always be __________ in the patient's medical record.

Question 61

Complaints about fees must always be directed to the office manager.

Question 62

If a patient calls the office and states that his or her condition has not improved since the office visit earlier in the week, the medical assistant can suggest over-the-counter medications that the patient could try.

Question 63

The medical assistant should use medical jargon with patients and lay terms with physicians and other medical personnel.

Question 64

The medical assistant should never give patients an estimate of what the cost of their visit will be, even on the initial visit.

Question 65

Patients should always be given an exact time that the physician will return a call.

Question 66

Managed care organizations usually require a referral to a specialist.

Question 67

The medical assistant can refer patients to an Internet map if they call for directions to the physician's office.

Question 68

If a caller refuses to identify himself or herself, the medical assistant can put the call through to the physician right then.

Question 69

The medical assistant should speak at a moderate pace when talking with patients on the telephone.

Question 70

Transferring a call to a staff member without announcing the caller's name is considered unprofessional.

Question 71

If a patient wants to hold to speak to a certain staff member, the medical assistant does not have to return to the phone at all during the wait time.

Question 72

The medical assistant should never argue with a patient on the telephone or attempt to place blame on the patient's actions when a disagreement arises.