A friendly and well-trained front desk officer sets the tone for every visit. With new tools like online registration and real-time insurance verification to manage, your front desk staff provides essential services that make your clinic more efficient.
The front office staff is often the first, and sometimes the last, person your patients talk to. A well-trained front desk employee is the start of a five-star patient experience. And it can also have a positive impact on the rest of your staff.
The front desk does carry a lot of weight. Here are five characteristics of a good front desk officer:
1. Friendly Attitude
At the front desk, it is important to have a person who is genuinely good-natured—not someone with a fake smile. Patients can spot that from a mile away. Rather, you want someone who is authentic and greets patients who come to your clinic with a pleasant attitude. Front office staff cannot allow personal troubles to plague them. They have to be able to keep their private life private and not let any personal drama affect the way they treat patients.
2. Strong Attention to Detail
The front desk takes a certain amount of care. Contrary to what some people may think, this is not the place where you hire “cheap” labor. A lack of attention to detail can cause a wealth of problems when it comes to submitting claims [wrong insurance information] or taking care of injured employees [workers’ compensation protocols].
3. Ability to Multitask
The optimal front desk person must also be an excellent multitasker. There will be days where phones are ringing, multiple patients need attention, and a nurse from the back needs an important piece of information. Prioritizing and managing the demands of all these people is often frustrating and overwhelming. However, they all need to be taken care of in an efficient manner. Someone who can juggle a handful of tasks, while remaining calm [and happy], is the ideal person for your clinic.
4. Discretion
Being on the front line of the front office means being the first and last face the patient sees—and the face patients see the entire time they are in the waiting room. Always under watchful eyes, front desk staff see more of the clinic and staff than you realize and hear more than you think. They must be mindful of their demeanor, tone of voice, and the conversations they have with other staff members. It is not just about maintaining HIPAA compliance, it is about presenting your clinic positively and conveying the right message to your patients.
5. Team Player
In many ways, the front desk officer is the silent conductor of the train. While many people probably think the physician is running the show, the person in this role can contribute to the success or failure of your clinic. By coordinating and contributing to patient care, the front office staff can alert staff to significantly ill and injured patients that require immediate attention. They can promote good health practices by encouraging the use of masks and hand sanitizer. They can improve marketing efforts by alerting patients to new services being offered at the clinic. They can prevent client dissatisfaction by confirming protocols, orders, and good information as it is provided. Even though much of this goes back to being detail-oriented, it’s more than just someone doing the job. It is about looking for the ways a person’s job intersects with the rest of the clinical team and making the patient’s experience better.
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This resource was first published prior to the 2019 merger between DocuTAP and Practice Velocity. The content reflects our legacy brands.
The receptionist represents the public face of a business. She is often the first person a customer sees or the first voice he hears over the phone. Because of this, it is important that the receptionist conducts herself in a professional manner to give customers a good first impression. Certain qualities and skills can help make receptionists better at the job and portray the company in its best light.
Positive Attitude
Whether over the phone or in person, the receptionist's attitude comes through loud and clear. It's been said that callers can tell when a person is smiling over the phone, and they can surely tell when she is not. A receptionist's positive attitude tells potential and current customers that the business is interested in them and their needs.
Organizational Ability
An organized receptionist makes everyone's job easier. She knows where to find the documents, files and phone numbers her boss, co-workers and customers need. A receptionist must also be able to work independently, keep herself on track and accomplish her tasks without direct supervision. The ability to prioritize is essential, as the nature of the job requires frequent multi-tasking. In addition to answering the phone and taking messages, a receptionist must type correspondence, respond to company email and answer questions from people on the phone and in person.
Technology Skills
Office technology is constantly changing, and receptionists must be able to operate a variety of equipment and systems. Phone systems usually have more than one line and multiple functions. Computer skills are a must, particularly word processing and email. Receptionists who also know spreadsheet, desktop publishing or other industry-specific software have additional skills that are in demand. If the copier or other general machines are near the reception area, the reception will often be asked for help with them as well, so her ability to master additional technology as needed is vital.
Consistent Dependability
When the phone goes unanswered during normal business hours, or a line of impatient customers waits in front of the empty reception desk, it reflects poorly on the business. A receptionist is counted on to be at the desk on time in the morning, be prompt returning from lunch, answer correspondence quickly and give accurate, reliable information about the company to all inquiries.
Good Listening Skills
Taking the time to listen is essential to the receptionist's role. Good receptionists listen closely as clients are talking so they can be efficient in solving their problems or answering their questions. Through active listening, she can connect visitors and clients with the right department or personnel quickly. It's also an ideal way to learn new skills quickly and advance in her career.