Scheduling and Pre-Arrival Coordination Flashcards

During appointment scheduling, a patient discloses they do not have transportation to the clinic. The PAR's best response is to:

Answer: Inform the patient of available transportation assistance programs or community resources

PARs should connect patients with transportation assistance programs to reduce social barriers to care and prevent no-shows.

A PAR discovers a scheduling conflict where two patients are booked in the same room at the same time. The immediate action should be to:

Answer: Notify the supervisor and reschedule one patient with appropriate notice

Double-booking an exam room must be resolved proactively by notifying leadership and contacting one patient to reschedule with proper notice.

Which of the following is an example of an open-access scheduling model?

Answer: A set number of slots are held each day for same-day or next-day appointments

Open-access scheduling reserves daily slots to accommodate urgent or same-day needs, improving access and reducing wait times.

A patient calls to reschedule a pre-operative appointment. The PAR should first:

Answer: Verify how much lead time is needed before surgery before confirming a new date

Pre-operative appointments must occur within a specific window before surgery; the PAR must confirm clinical timelines before rebooking.

When confirming a patient's appointment, the PAR should verify all of the following EXCEPT:

Answer: The provider's personal home address

The provider's personal home address is private information irrelevant to appointment confirmation.

A patient calls saying they are running 20 minutes late for their appointment. The PAR should:

Answer: Check with clinical staff regarding the facility's late-arrival policy and communicate options to the patient

Late-arrival policies vary by facility and appointment type; the PAR must apply the correct policy and inform the patient of their options.

The term 'prior authorization' in the context of scheduling means:

Answer: The insurance company has approved the service before it is rendered

Prior authorization is approval from the payer obtained before a service is provided to ensure coverage and reimbursement.