Front Office Staff in Medical Offices

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The Importance of the Front Office Staff

The front office staff in a medical practice - the receptionist, billing personnel, and others not involved in direct patient care -- can have a significant impact on the quality of a patient’s encounter with his or her doctor. They’re the people who make you feel welcomed – or unwelcomed. They are also the last people you see when you’re leaving the office, so their attitude is often what lingers with you as you drive home.

I work at the Cancer Resource Center, so I often talk with people who have just gotten bad news. While most are understandably overwhelmed with what looms ahead, a remarkable number tell me about the kindnesses they received from people in the medical practice that they can’t identify by name or by position.

The front office staff can help by making things a little easier for the patient. They can coordinate appointments with other physicians so the patient can make one trip instead of two. They can help the patient navigate the insurance maze or find coverage if none exists. The really good staff members place themselves in the shoes of the patient and initiate ways to be helpful even before the patient thinks to ask.

Of course, what patients remember most is attitude. I recently visited a doctor’s office and I was fourth in line at the front desk. The receptionist never smiled, never made eye contact, and never made any effort to make people feel welcome. She stared at her computer screen and sullenly entered information as though she was doing each patient a favor. After I checked in, I sat in the waiting room and wondered if she was representative of the practice as a whole.

Contrast that image with a receptionist who, as I was leaving, encouraged me to call the office whenever I had any questions or needed any assistance. I knew she meant it. It made such a difference.

Health care really is a team effort. Your appointment begins when you enter the office, not the examination room. When a staff member goes out of her way to be helpful, recognize her for it. The next patient will benefit as well.

From the Ithaca Journal, September 4, 2008

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