Patient Advocacy: Healthcare on your side
by Martine G. Brousse,
Healthcare
Specialist, Patient Advocate, Certified Mediator
ADVIMEDPRO
5 Tips to get the Medical Office
Staff on your side
The medical office staff member: they can be uncooperative, unfriendly
and even seemingly uncaring. How can you reconcile your needs and rights with
their schedule, training, orders...and attitude? Cooperation and a little
give-and-take are key!
As the healthcare system is transforming under ACA
("Obamacare") implementations, medical providers have had to adapt to
a dizzying number of new requirements, technological upgrades, legislative
mandates and compliance deadlines. Sweeping changes are apparent: clinical
staff spend much face-to-face time typing away on tablets, automated phone systems are the norm, phone calls rarely lead to a live
person.
Cost-cutting measures brought on by the economic turndown, the ongoing
drive toward leaner financial operations, finding additional resources to cover
the price tags for new technology and lower insurance reimbursements have prompted
offices to employ fewer staff, while workloads have increased in complexity and
size.
Healthcare workers are too often overworked, understaffed and overwhelmed.
As a billing manager and primary patient contact for 20+ years, I understand
their frustrations but this is the career they chose. Here are some
tips to turn these employees into allies.
1. Politeness goes a long way
The old standard way of being demanding, using abusive language,
"showing who you are" may get you a result in the short term. But a
bit of caution: you will be tagged as "difficult". Perceived mistreatment
of one staff member gets around, and passive collective resistance applies.
2. Required: a little
patience
Understand that the receptionist has no power over the doctor falling
behind on his schedule, or that your labs can't be drawn without a MD
signature. Pushing staff around will not get the doctor out of another exam room
faster. Electronic Health Records orders take more time to generate than a
scribble on a piece of paper.
Do reschedule if the wait is too long. As this is not your fault, the office should be
receptive.
3. Mistakes happen
Reporting a clinical error to the physician immediately is crucial. Bring
ongoing or un-rectified administrative errors to the attention of the office
manager. An occasional blunder should be corrected, blamed on a temporary
but uncommon lapse in efficiency and forgotten.
4. Do your share
At your first visit, bring your ID and insurance card (legally required to
be copied into your chart). Give an up-to-date medication list and the name of
other treating physicians. Indicate the contact info of your preferred pharmacy.
Bring a translator if necessary, and one support person to take notes and help
you remember your questions. More is a crowd, and too disruptive.
Consider booking the first appointment of the day or after lunch for
follow-up visits. Fridays are usually lighter days; your wait time will be
shorter. Report any changes to your medication list, insurance coverage or
health history. Follow up on authorization requests, labs results or
prescription orders; waiting for a call may cause unnecessary delays. Confirm any
new physician you might be referred to, contracts with your insurance
network.
Collaboration is one of the Cs in Success (or is it cooperation??). Helping
the staff, with a minimum of effort on your part, will pay off, especially when
you ask for a favor or expedited action. But don't forget your rights and stand
by them!
My objective is
to offer you, the patient, concrete and beneficial information, useful tips,
proven and efficient tools as well as trustworthy supportive advice as you
deal with a system in the midst of sweeping adjustments, widespread
misunderstandings and complex requirements.
©
[2016] Advimedpro.
©
[2016] Martine G. Brousse.
All rights reserved.
AdvimedPro (424) 999
4705 or (877) 658 9446 fax (424) 226 1330
