Deck 10: Scheduling Appointments

Question 1

Appointments for established patients usually take longer.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Everyone benefits from a full schedule of kept appointments.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

When an appointment is rescheduled, the first appointment date and time must be removed.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Patients should feel confident in their physician and the members of the office staff.

Question 5

Patients often complain that the time they spend with the physician is not equal to the fees the physician charges.

Question 6

The physician's habits should not influence appointment scheduling.

Question 7

A space of time between events is intermittent.

Question 8

Outpatient testing is no longer common for physicians.

Question 9

Most facilities require a documented physician's order before a patient can be admitted.

Question 10

The facilities available at the office do not influence the number of patients the physician can see in a day.

Question 11

Well-planned scheduling allows the physician to spend more time with patients.

Question 12

Wave scheduling may involve several patients arriving at the same time.

Question 13

The advance planning that is done to make an appointment book ready for use is called establishing the matrix.

Question 14

A physician may discontinue care if the patient habitually fails to show up for appointments.

Question 15

Physicians rarely use medical bags for outside visits, so the medical assistant need not be concerned about such bags.

Question 16

Time is one of the physician's most valuable commodities.

Question 17

Open office hours do not work well for most practices.

Question 18

Scheduling systems should be individualized to each specific practice.

Question 19

A matrix is something in which a thing develops, originates, or takes shape.

Question 20

If a late patient is scheduled as the last patient of the day and does not show up before the office closes, the medical assistant is obligated to wait until the patient arrives.

Question 21

Which is the least satisfactory method of scheduling for the patient?

A)Wave scheduling
B)Double booking
C)Modified wave scheduling
D)Categorization or grouping

Question 22

Which is the best approach for efficiently handling the scheduling of patients due for an appointment?

A)Sending out a reminder asking the patient to call for an appointment
B)Calling the patient at work
C)Scheduling a date and time and notifying the patient
D)It is the patient's responsibility to remember.

Question 23

When scheduling an inpatient admission, the medical assistant must make sure the patient understands which of the following?

A)Date and time to report for the admission
B)What preadmission testing is necessary
C)Name, address, and phone number of the facility
D)All of the above

Question 24

Why is it necessary to include a note in the patient's chart when the person does not show up for a scheduled appointment?

A)To bill the patient for the time
B)To keep count of the number of no-shows for a possible drop in the future
C)To provide the medical assistant with a reminder to call and reschedule
D)To be prepared for future legal consequences regarding the patient's care

Question 25

Which of the following is true concerning the scheduling of new patients?

A)Financial arrangements should be explained when the appointment is made if the patient is expected to pay at the time of service.
B)The patient should be offered only the times reserved for new patient appointments, without flexibility.
C)It should be assumed that the patient will look up directions to the office on the Internet.
D)The medical assistant should wait to obtain information about the chief complaint until the patient arrives for the appointment.

Question 26

A tickler file is an effective organizational tool to help the medical assistant:

A)mail appointment reminders
B)remember patients' names
C)learn to schedule efficiently
D)manage office hours effectively

Question 27

The first prerequisite for scheduling an outpatient admission or procedure is:

A)a signed consent form
B)the telephone number of the diagnostic or inpatient facility
C)the patient's demographic information
D)an oral or written order for the procedure from the physician

Question 28

The appointment setting method by which a patient logs on to the Internet and views a facility's schedule to set his or her own appointment is called:

A)flexible office hours
B)self-scheduling
C)grouping procedures
D)advance booking

Question 29

What is the most important action to take when changing a patient's appointment time?

A)Find out and note why the time must be changed.
B)Remind the patient of any past due balances.
C)Emphasize the importance of keeping the new appointment.
D)Erase the patient's name from the original slot.

Question 30

The way to organize appointment scheduling so that it best supports the success of the practice is to:

A)schedule as many patients as possible throughout the entire day
B)allow frequent rest breaks
C)include a lot of time for the physician's administrative activities
D)consider the preferences of the physician

Question 31

Which of the following is not an advantage of computerized scheduling?

A)The computer cannot select times based on patients' needs.
B)The computer can keep track of future appointments.
C)More than one person can access the system at a time.
D)Ample appointment setting software is available.

Question 32

A matrix in the schedule:

A)prevents overcrowding
B)prevents booking of patients during meetings and hospital rounds
C)is used only in large offices
D)is done at the end of the day

Question 33

If you work for a physician who is frequently called away from the office, it is a good practice to:

A)warn patients about this possibility when they make appointments
B)design a reception area that offers extra patient services during long waits
C)note alternative appointment times for each patient for rescheduling purposes
D)create a scheduling system that best accommodates these delays

Question 34

The principal advantage of using the wave method when designing the scheduling process is that it:

A)allows flexibility to accommodate the unpredictable
B)gives priority to established patients
C)provides more breaks for staff members
D)enables the physician to see more patients each day

Question 35

An effective way to deal with patients who are always late for appointments is to:

A)refuse to schedule them after this happens several times
B)have them wait until it is convenient for the physician
C)advise them that they disrupt the office schedule
D)give them the last appointment of the day

Question 36

What information would the medical assistant need to matrix the appointment book properly?

A)Days and hours the physician performs hospital rounds
B)Employee vacation days
C)Patient preferences regarding appointment times
D)Appointment times for friends of the physician

Question 37

If a patient has been waiting longer than ________ minutes past his or her appointment time, the medical assistant should offer to reschedule the appointment.

A)5
B)15
C)20
D)30

Question 38

The information in the appointment book must be legible, because it:

A)could be entered into court proceedings as evidence
B)provides a clear indication as to which patient is coming at what time
C)allows all those using the appointment book to read it clearly
D)all of the above

Question 39

Which of the following features is not a basic requirement of the office appointment book?

A)Appropriate size
B)Color coding of days
C)Ease of writing
D)Space for notations

Question 40

When informing patients that you must postpone their appointments because of the absence of the physician, it is good practice to:

A)give them the name of one or more alternative physicians
B)explain exactly why the physician cannot see them
C)offer them priority over patients already scheduled in the future
D)be extremely apologetic about the inconvenience

Question 41

Julia needs a lithium level drawn to make sure her dosage is accurate and appropriate.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 42

Jolee, who is 6 years old, has been complaining for several days that her throat hurts.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 43

Tammy is a new patient with no immediate health concerns.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 44

A person who fails to keep an appointment without giving advance notice is called a:

A)disruption
B)no-show
C)cancellation
D)reschedule

Question 45

Which types of outpatient procedures might be scheduled by the physician's office?

A)MRIs
B)CT scans
C)Blood work
D)All of the above

Question 46

The open office hours method of scheduling is also known as _____ scheduling.

A)tidal wave
B)self
C)wave
D)flexible office

Question 47

Angela, who was in a car accident last night, calls to say she feels "sore all over." She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 48

Andi thinks she has a kidney stone and is in severe pain.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 49

Maria is having chest pains and pain in her left arm, but she states that the pain is "not too bad." She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 50

When patients need a series of appointments, it is best to:

A)schedule them individually
B)let the patient call when he or she is ready to come in
C)try to set the appointments for the same day of the week at the same time
D)use any method of scheduling; they will all be effective

Question 51

An obstetrician who devotes two afternoons a week to seeing pregnant patients is using an appointment scheduling method called:

A)wave scheduling
B)advance booking
C)grouping procedures
D)modified wave scheduling

Question 52

When the physician is scheduled at outside facilities, the medical assistant must be sure to allow time for:

A)emergencies
B)travel
C)returning phone calls
D)the physician's late arrival

Question 53

Larry is experiencing severe pain in his back and shoulder area.He should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 54

Steven needs a chest x-ray film as a follow-up to his hospital stay last week.He should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 55

Dr.Brown wants Terri to come in and have blood drawn for a blood test to determine whether she has an infection.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 56

Patients may fail to appear for appointments because:

A)they have been pressed for a payment but do not have the funds to pay
B)the patient is in denial and is having difficulty facing his or her illness
C)the office consistently runs behind schedule
D)all of the above reasons

Question 57

When a requested appointment time is not available, the medical assistant should:

A)explain why the time is not available and offer a substitute date and time
B)insist that the patient accept the next available appointment
C)immediately put the patient on a waiting list for that time slot
D)suggest the patient see an alternate physician in the practice

Question 58

The medical assistant must remember that the physician will have other types of appointments that will need special notation in the appointment book, such as:

A)new patients
B)physicals
C)surgeries
D)established patients

Question 59

Jonathan needs a school physical to participate in band.He should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 60

What should the medical assistant remember when dealing with the appointments in the appointment book if the physician is ill?

A)Explain the nature of the physician's illness apologetically.
B)Refrain from disclosing the nature of the physician's illness.
C)Avoid losing the patient by referring him or her to another physician.
D)Tell the patients that the physician is out of town.

Question 61

Stephanie found a small lump in her left breast but has no history of any type of tumor.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 62

Sammie has an excruciating migraine headache and has been nauseated for 2 days.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 63

Erica's husband calls the office and says that she experienced some bloody stools over the weekend and that she fainted about 15 minutes ago but now is conscious and seems fine.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 64

If a symptom is coming and going at intervals and is not continuous, it is said to be __________.

Question 65

Holden, who is 6 weeks old, has been unable to hold food down for 2 days.He should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 66

Karry takes a thyroid pill daily for hypothyroidism, and she has her thyroid checked quarterly.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 67

If a thing is considered __________, it is an indispensable part of a whole.

Question 68

Paula thinks she may be pregnant and is overjoyed.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 69

A person who fails to keep an appointment without giving advance notice is called a(n) __________.

Question 70

Lynda had a hip replacement last week and needs to schedule a follow-up appointment.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 71

A space of time between events is called a(n) __________.

Question 72

Responding to requests for immediate care and treatment after evaluating the urgency of the need and prioritizing the treatment is called __________.

Question 73

Juan wants to speak to Dr.Brown about having a vasectomy.He should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 74

Approaching a situation with caution is using __________.

Question 75

__________ means relating to a combination of social and economic factors.

Question 76

Two-way communication is also called __________.

Question 77

Patients who are returning to the office and have previously seen the physician are called __________.

Question 78

Trent is fairly sure he has broken a bone in his hand, and he states that it is sore and annoying but not terribly painful.He should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 79

Bobbie's arthritis seems to be getting progressively worse.She should be seen:

A)immediately
B)today
C)this week
D)this month

Question 80

To throw a thing into disorder is called a(n) __________.