Office Needs

In this section, you will find a general guide to office operations. This guideline is only a template. You should review it and make appropriate changes based on your office flow and protocols. I recommend having a manual like this for purposes of training staff and holding staff accountable for the day to day functions and protocols in your office.

Functional Medicine Office Template – General Guidelines for Office Operations:

If you need to get a hold of The Doctor

Cell: xxx-xxx-xxxx (enter Doctor’s number here)

Home: xxx-xxx-xxxx

PHONE ETIQUETTE GUIDELINES:

General Guidelines:

Lines should be kept open as much as possible (Private use limited for emergencies only)
Smile before answering the phone (patients can hear a smile on your face)
Try to answer on the first ring (2nd at the latest)
Be polite, but direct
Avoid non-pertinent conversation
Be conscious of the caller’s time
Always thank the caller
Sincerely emphasize comments such as : GREAT ! WONDERFUL ! TERRIFIC !
Avoid mediocre terms like: FINE or O.K.

WHEN A NEW PATIENT CALLS IN TO SCHEDULE:

Take insurance information, name, phone number in order to verify the patient’s benefits (see Verification Form)
Collect $150 deposit to hold the time (refundable) and applicable towards initial visit
All cancellations must be made within 24 hours of appointment ($150 fee if less than 24 hour notice is given.)
New patient forms should be housed on line – office website.
Forms are downloaded by patient at DrPeterOsborne.com (Become A Patient-button on home page)
This paperwork MUST be filled out prior to their visit or else it will back up the schedule and delay other patients

**Each patient is on a case by case basis, never try to price quote over the phone**

Always ask how the patient found your office:

“Which one of our patients referred you to us?”
“Who can we thank for referring you to us?”

Before you hang up, make sure patient knows how to find our office, and aways thank them for calling and choosing Town Center Wellness.

A NOTE ON SCHEDULING PATIENTS

When scheduling new patients, ask them how they found Dr. O or who referred them to our office

Scheduling Patients – It’s WHAT you say that counts!

From the very first phone call, a procedure regarding scheduling sets the tone of who is in charge.

Does the staff say to a patient, “when do you want to come in?”

When they should be saying, “We reserve special times for our new patients.”

By allowing patients to set their own time, the wrong precedent is set and future appointments with this patient will take twice as long to set up and eat up your staff’s resources.

Always give the patient two choices,

“We have an opening at 10:15am or 3:30pm, which is better for you?”

OFFICE PRICING:

**Each patient is on a case by case basis, never try to price quote over the phone**

PROTOCOL FOR NEW PATIENTS:

Initial appointment will take up to 60 minutes

At the end of the initial consultation, laboratory work will be ordered and the patient will need instructions