An organized registration staff member can help improve the flow of a doctor's office.
Patient registration is an integral part of the health care industry. Patient registration helps to improve the flow of doctor's offices, hospitals and outpatient facilities. Quick and accurate patient registration can help move patients from the waiting rooms to exam rooms to meet with doctor's or have procedures in an orderly fashion. Patient registration staff must be organized and have above-average computer skills. Follow these steps for a more efficient and productive registration staff.
Instructions
1. Ask your manager about attending a training class to help improve your knowledge of the computer programs your hospital or doctor's office uses. Computer programs in the health care industry are constantly being updated and changed. Stay on top of updates and changes.
2. Take initiative and mail out new patient information forms before a new patient's first visit. This will cut down on the time they spend sitting in the waiting room filling out forms. Indicate to new patients that they will need to bring their insurance cards, medication lists and any other pertinent information -- records from old doctors, imaging studies or test results, for example.
3. Offer a sheet that instructs patients to sign in and have a seat. Indicate on the sheet that you will be with them shortly. This prevents overcrowding around the reception area and protects the privacy of patients you are currently registering.
4. Keep conversations to a minimum while registering a patient. Greet the patient and make them feel welcome, but avoid extensive conversations with patients.
5. Print out a sheet with the patient's demographic information. Ask them to review the information -- and sign any necessary forms including a privacy agreement -- while you verify their insurance coverage and collect any co-payments they may have due. Verify the reason why the patient is present. Multi-tasking can help register patients in an organized and quick manner.
6. Thank the patient for their cooperation. Ask the patient to have a seat, and tell them a member of the medical staff will be with them shortly.
7. On slow office days, call patients who will be in the next day. You can verify their insurance information and demographic information ahead of time. This will help to save time the following day.
Tags: registration staff, their insurance, care industry, demographic information, doctor office, flow doctor
