As a medical assistant, you need to know all aspects of how to create and utilize an appointment book. In this chapter you will learn to identify the different types of scheduling systems, how each is used, and which type of practice each system would work best in. You will also learn how to handle many types of scheduling situations within the office, including patient appointments, emergencies, pharmaceutical representatives, and the scheduling of outside appointments with other medical facilities. Legal aspects of the appointment book are discussed, and proper documentation is stressed. Additional topics include appointment cards, reminder mailings, reminder calls, and recall notices for patients.

Outline

• The Appointment Book
• Appointment Scheduling Systems
• Arranging Appointments
• Special Scheduling Situations
• Scheduling Outside Appointments
• Maintaining the Physician's Schedule

Learning Outcomes

After completing Chapter 12, you will be able to:

 12.1 Explain the importance of the appointment book in maintaining the schedule in the medical office.
 12.2 Identify common scheduling abbreviations.
 12.3 Identify different types of appointment scheduling systems.
 12.4 Discuss ways to arrange appointments for patients.
 12.5 Explain how to handle special scheduling situations.
 12.6 Explain how to properly document no-shows and late patients.
 12.7 Describe how to schedule appointments that are outside the medical office.
 12.8 Discuss ways to keep an accurate and efficient physician schedule.

Summary

Properly scheduling appointments in the medical office ensures a steady, efficient flow of patients. Setting up a matrix in the appointment book is the first step in scheduling appointments.

There are various appointment scheduling systems, including open-hours scheduling, wave scheduling, and cluster scheduling. Arranging appointments involves scheduling new and return patients and includes appointment reminder techniques. Special scheduling situations may occur, such as emergencies, referrals, and missed appointments. These situations may involve either patients or physicians. You may also be responsible for scheduling outside appointments for patients, as for testing or surgery.

Maintaining the physician's schedule includes such responsibilities as making travel arrangements and planning meetings. Meeting regularly with the physician helps ensure the smooth running of the office.