Open Forum

Hi,  We are currently working on a project to improve our phone call workflow.  I am looking for the answer to the following questions.  

** When I reference Patient Care Staff (PCS) I mean RN, LPN, CMA.  

1.  Does the person that answers the call take the message and send it to the PCS or does the phone call get transferred to someone else?
2.  Do you send certain messages to PCS and certain messages to other departments?  How do you decide what goes where? 
3.  The idea came up that all "medical" messages have to go through a PCS.  If you do that, how do you decide what is a medical message and what isn't.  
4.  If your PCS does take the phone calls, what is your staffing ratio to provider?  Do the PCS that are taking the calls have other responsibilities?

Thank you, 
Cathy Jo Berry, BSN
Mile Bluff Medical Center


------------------------------
Cathy Jo Berry BSN
Patient Care Staff Director
Mile Bluff Medical Center
New Lisbon WI
(608)562-3456
------------------------------

Hello Kathy, 
Hot topic. At this time we have Call center receptionist taking our incoming calls and creating a telephone communication to what we call our  PHONE MA.   The phone MA will gather additional information and either route to RN, provider or assist the patient with needs.   We are about to begin our build for message management and who gets what type of message.   RN task would include- symptoms, medication problems, needs sooner appoint.  MA - forms, referral , supply , medication refill.  
I am looking forward to hearing all of the feedback on this process and we begin MESSAGE MANAGEMENT process.  We are looking to eliminate the call center and have RN/LVN take live calls in a work que, just like the call center..  

Have a great day..

------------------------------
Caroyn Bravo RN
Ambulatory Care Manager
San Ysidro Health
Chula Vista CA
(619)884-6958
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-19-2023 11:15
From: Cathy Jo Berry
Subject: Phone call workflow

Hi,  We are currently working on a project to improve our phone call workflow.  I am looking for the answer to the following questions.  

** When I reference Patient Care Staff (PCS) I mean RN, LPN, CMA.  

1.  Does the person that answers the call take the message and send it to the PCS or does the phone call get transferred to someone else?
2.  Do you send certain messages to PCS and certain messages to other departments?  How do you decide what goes where? 
3.  The idea came up that all "medical" messages have to go through a PCS.  If you do that, how do you decide what is a medical message and what isn't.  
4.  If your PCS does take the phone calls, what is your staffing ratio to provider?  Do the PCS that are taking the calls have other responsibilities?

Thank you, 
Cathy Jo Berry, BSN
Mile Bluff Medical Center


------------------------------
Cathy Jo Berry BSN
Patient Care Staff Director
Mile Bluff Medical Center
New Lisbon WI
(608)562-3456
------------------------------