Colleagues at adjacent computers often monitored each others' activity and helped to troubleshoot: "we bounce off each other for information and answering questions" (receptionist, Elm).
For example, whilst the formal protocol for repeat prescribing is that a doctor checks and signs each prescription, receptionists may observe that in reality, doctors do not check each medication before signing, and hence add an informal safety measure (e.g. a post-it note asking "OK to give?").
But just look for the casually uniformed staff members: each is receptionist-concierge-hand holder rolled into one.
Others will be calling for an appointment, knowing they'll more likely hear the engaged tone than a cheery receptionist each time they press the redial button.
The screening unit receptionist informed each woman who had received her final routine mammogram that she was no longer eligible for routine screening, advised her that she might continue to be screened every 3 years on request, and provided a card with contact details and a suggested date for contact.
In January, Method started a policy of rotating the receptionist position between each employee.
Physicians and one staff member (medical secretary, receptionist, assistant) of each participating practice in both experimental and control group are trained in workshops lasting 3.5 hours.
When I worked in a big ad agency, briefly, in the mid-eighties, in a skyscraper on Lexington Avenue, visitors entered elevators unimpeded and, though each floor had receptionists, doors were kept open in their absence (and purses had a way of disappearing — we were all warned not to keep our wallets or other valuables unattended at our desks).
26 We surveyed either a practice manager (PM), lead receptionist or other suitable informant at each participating practice.
It will not be possible to provide scripts for the role players as each call will be unique and dependent on receptionist responses.
