PAR Scheduling and Pre-Arrival Coordination 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient calls to schedule an MRI but mentions they have a pacemaker. What should the patient access representative do first?
- Schedule the MRI and note the pacemaker in the chart
- Alert the clinical team immediately and place the scheduling on hold (Correct answer)
- Cancel the appointment and tell the patient MRIs are not available
- Transfer the patient directly to the MRI technologist
Correct answer: Alert the clinical team immediately and place the scheduling on hold
A pacemaker is a contraindication for standard MRI; the clinical team must determine if a pacemaker-safe MRI is appropriate before scheduling.
Question 2: When scheduling a procedure that requires pre-authorization, the PAR should initiate the authorization process:
- On the day of the procedure
- Only after the patient pays a deposit
- As early as possible to allow sufficient processing time (Correct answer)
- After confirming the patient's insurance is active
Correct answer: As early as possible to allow sufficient processing time
Pre-authorization can take several days; initiating it early prevents delays and last-minute denials.
Question 3: A patient is scheduled for a colonoscopy and calls to ask about bowel prep instructions. The PAR should:
- Provide the standard bowel prep protocol from memory
- Transfer the patient to clinical staff for prep instructions (Correct answer)
- Tell the patient to look it up online
- Schedule a separate pre-procedure visit for prep education
Correct answer: Transfer the patient to clinical staff for prep instructions
Bowel prep instructions are clinical in nature and must be provided by licensed clinical staff, not the PAR.
Question 4: Which scheduling method involves booking all appointments for a specific provider at the same time each day?
- Wave scheduling
- Open access scheduling
- Stream scheduling
- Cluster scheduling (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Cluster scheduling
Cluster scheduling groups similar appointment types or same-resource bookings at designated time blocks to maximize efficiency.
Question 5: A new patient requests a same-day appointment but the schedule shows no openings. The PAR should:
- Tell the patient to go to the emergency room
- Check for cancellations, a waitlist, or refer to an appropriate urgent care option (Correct answer)
- Double-book the patient over an existing appointment
- Schedule the patient three weeks out without offering alternatives
Correct answer: Check for cancellations, a waitlist, or refer to an appropriate urgent care option
The PAR should exhaust all appropriate options — cancellation slots, waitlists, or appropriate referrals — before turning away a patient.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of sending a pre-arrival reminder to a patient?
- To collect final payment before the visit
- To reduce no-shows and ensure patients arrive prepared (Correct answer)
- To verify the provider's availability
- To update the patient's demographic information
Correct answer: To reduce no-shows and ensure patients arrive prepared
Pre-arrival reminders reduce no-show rates and ensure patients know what to bring, how to prepare, and where to go.
Question 7: A patient scheduled for surgery refuses to provide a current medication list during pre-arrival intake. The PAR should:
- Proceed with the visit and note refusal in the chart
- Cancel the surgery immediately
- Escalate to the clinical team, as medication reconciliation is a patient safety requirement (Correct answer)
- Accept a verbal summary and not document the refusal
Correct answer: Escalate to the clinical team, as medication reconciliation is a patient safety requirement
Medication reconciliation is a Joint Commission patient safety goal; clinical staff must be involved when a patient refuses to provide this information.
PAR Scheduling and Pre-Arrival Coordination 2
A patient calls to schedule an MRI but mentions they have a pacemaker.
What should the patient access representative do first?