Medical Office Procedures
Shadow Project
New Richmond Clinic
Submitted to:
Cindy Rosburg
Instructor
WITC-New Richmond
Prepared by:
Amy Hanson
Teri Olds
Melissa Traiser
Melissa Wiederhoft
Medical Administrative Specialist Students
WITC-New Richmond
April 25, 2013
INTRODUCTION
When we arrived at the New Richmond Clinic on April 2, 2013, we immediately felt a warm
welcome from the staff. We checked in at the front desk to let Lori Durand, Business Office
Manager, and Jean Bygd, Health Information Manager, know that we had arrived for our shadow
project.
As we were in the patient waiting area, we had the opportunity to observe patients who were
checking in for their appointments, and the efficient manner in which the front desk personnel
handled this process. The atmosphere of the reception area was welcoming and comfortable and
made the patients feel at ease.
A short time later, we were greeted by Lori and Jean. We proceeded to a small meeting room in
the business office where Lori and Jean provided a brief overview of the clinic. We then
reviewed and signed a confidentiality statement before breaking up into two groups and
beginning our shadow project experience. As we met with Lori and Jean before we started our
project, it was evident that we were in for an afternoon of learning about the importance of the
medical administrative assistant’s role in the medical field today.
The New Richmond Clinic, a Division of Western Wisconsin Medical Associates, has provided
health care for families in the greater New Richmond community for more than half a century.
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MEDICAL OFFICE RECEPTION
What is the process for getting ready for and receiving the patients?
How many days in advance are the charts pulled?
Paper charts are pulled one to two days before the scheduled appointment, if needed. There are
two to three providers who still use paper charts. Otherwise, paper charts are only pulled if the
patient has not been seen within the last three years. If they have been seen within the last three
years, their records are in the EMR. Paper records are also pulled for specialist appointments
and surgical visits.
How is the patient registered when they arrive for their appointment?
They are asked their name and which physician they will be seeing. Next they ask for their
current address and phone number and verify that they have the patient’s updated information in
the system. Verification of insurance, primary care provider, and date of birth is also completed
at check-in. The front desk personnel never ask the patient what they are being seen for. A
charge ticket is then printed and placed in the appropriate physician’s folder.
When patients are seen for their first visit at New Richmond Clinic, they must be given a Notice
of Privacy Practices and sign an Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice form – see attached
sample forms. On an annual basis, patients must also sign New Richmond Clinic’s Billing
Policy and Authorization form – see attached form. The EMR system alerts the receptionist
when the patient is due to sign this form each year.
How is staff notified that the patient is here and waiting?
The EMR is highlighted to indicate that the patient has arrived, and this then notifies the nurse
that the patient is there for the appointment. The nurse views a different side of the EMR in
which the patient’s name appears in green indicating that they have arrived for their
appointment.
What is the communication process for notifying a patient when the doctor is running late?
Usually the physician’s nurse will let the front desk personnel know when the physician is
running late, and then the front desk personnel will relay that information to the patient. The
patient is then given the option of continuing to wait until the physician is able to see them, or if
they would prefer, to reschedule with another physician that might be available. It is very
important to know how long patients have been waiting and keep an open line of communication
with the physician’s nurses.
How is patient confidentiality protected during the reception and registration process?
When you first walk into the reception area, there is a sign back several feet from the registration
desk requesting that patients wait there until there is someone available to help them. The
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waiting area is positioned a good distance away from the front desk. Receptionists try to talk in
a low voice, only loud enough so the patient can still hear them ask questions. This is especially
important since there are no partitions between each receptionist’s area to help maintain patient
privacy. If the patient is reluctant to say information out loud, the receptionist can give them a
piece of paper to write the appropriate information on. Again, they never ask what the patient is
being seen for.
What was your group’s assessment of how the reception function was handled?
It seems that the reception area functions very well. The personnel are very friendly and made
excellent eye contact when talking to patients. Each receptionist greeted patients with a warm
smile. They made each patient comfortable when registering for their appointment. Patient
confidentiality was handled very well. All personnel are cautious to make sure a patient’s
medical health information was not overheard by others at all times. One receptionist, Wendy,
knew a lot of the patients by name. When they were leaving, she would acknowledge them and
say “good-bye” and wish them a “good day”. This provided a more personable approach, and
made each patient feel important and special. At times during our observation, the reception
desk got very busy with patients checking in or making other appointments. This provided a
great example of the value of teamwork in the office environment. The reception area personnel
provided efficient and personalized service with a smile. It seems like all of the reception area
personnel really enjoy their jobs and love to work with people.
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TELEPHONE PROCEDURES
What greeting is used by the office when answering the phone?
The greeting the New Richmond Clinic uses depends on which area you are calling. If you are
calling the switchboard, they answer “good morning or good afternoon, New Richmond Clinic.”
If you are calling the appointment area, they answer “good morning or good afternoon,
Appointments,” and then they state their name.
Does the receptionist answer on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd ring, etc.?
They try to answer the phone on the 1st or 2nd ring, but for sure always by the third ring. Also, if
they are calling a different department within the clinic, they try not to let the phone ring more
than three times.
Is there a script or training plan for how to answer the phone?
There is no script for answering the phone. A new employee is trained by a more experienced
employee. The new employee will follow the lead of the experienced employee on how to
answer the phone and what to say.
What process does the office follow for putting callers on hold?
They do not place people on hold very often. If they do need to place a caller on hold, they ask
them if they can hold first. If the caller says yes, then they get the information from the second
caller quickly and return to the first caller. They thank the caller for holding and finish the call.
How often does the receptionist check back with caller?
If it is necessary to put a caller on hold, they check back with them every couple of minutes.
Their phones are equipped to emit a reminder beep to alert them that the caller is still waiting,
and this then prompts them to return to the caller. Each time the receptionist checks back, the
caller is given the option of continuing to hold, calling back later, or leaving a message.
How are medical and non-medical calls screened?
The switchboard does all of the screening for the clinic. If it is a medical question or a nonemergency condition, they get transferred to the triage line where they can be better assisted.
The Triage department has the knowledge and ability to further screen the calls. They take
messages for the doctors if the patient needs a call back, or they transfer the patient to the doctor
if the matter requires prompt attention.
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What is the process for transferring incoming calls?
The calls are screened by the switchboard. The switchboard gets the name of the caller and the
company that they work for. The switchboard will also ask the nature of the call. The
switchboard operator then calls back to the physician or whomever the caller is trying to reach.
The switchboard operator then lets them know that there is someone who would like to talk to
them and see if they are available to take the call. If the physician or the person the caller is
trying to reach cannot take the call, they are then given the option to call back later or leave a
voicemail message.
Does the office have a specially-designed message pad that is used for taking messages?
They do not use message pads. Any messages received are sent electronically to the intended
recipient.
Is the message put in the patient chart (and how) or is a chart note typed up and later put
in the chart? What process is followed?
A copy of the patient’s message is saved and attached to their chart only if it is medically needed
for their care. The message will only be attached to the file after the last action is taken that is
needed for the patient. If the message is not needed, then the message is not added to the chart.
Does the office have a routine time of the day that non-urgent calls are returned?
The physician’s schedule has times built in for them to return phone calls. If they have more calls
to make then what they have time for, they then do it at other times. Some of the other times that
they may return phone calls include at the end of the morning, between patients, and at the end of
the day.
Does the office use a telephone log for recording incoming calls? If yes, what information is
contained on the log? If no, what process does the receptionist follow for keeping track of
all incoming messages?
There is no log used. The phone system is designed to take one call at a time. When a patient
calls into the clinic, they are given choices as to which department they are trying to reach.
Within the departments, calls are answered as they are received. The other calls are parked in
queue and ring through once that department’s line is free. This makes it easier for the staff,
allowing them to focus on one caller at a time. Any calls regarding the patient’s care are
transferred to the triage line. If the patient is requesting to speak to a physician, the triage line
generally takes a message for the physician. If the patient is returning a physician’s call, then the
call is transferred to the physician if they are available. If the physician is unavailable, then they
also have to take a message.
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How are calls from an angry caller or a complaint handled?
The receptionist personnel stated that they don’t generally get a lot of these kinds of calls. Most
of these calls go through the switchboard. Here are some things that you should do when dealing
with a person who is angry or has a complaint: try to remain calm, get as much information from
the patient as possible to better understand the situation, and then route the call to the manager of
the department if need be.
How are emergency calls handled?
These kinds of calls go directly to the triage line. The triage line then determines the urgency of
the call and takes the appropriate action.
How are personal calls handled?
Personal calls come in like other calls through the switchboard. Staff members are allowed to
take personal calls as long as they don’t interfere with their work and they don’t spend too much
time on the phone. Personal calls should never be taken while assisting a patient. If an employee
needs to make a personal call, there is a phone in the business office that they can use for that
purpose.
How are calls from patient’s family members handled?
Apologize to the caller, but inform them that you are unable to give out any information because
of privacy laws. Never let the caller know whether or not their family member is there. The only
time that you can give out that information is if the patient has a signed release on file that
authorizes sharing that information with the caller.
How are calls from insurance companies requiring further information handled?
If an insurance company is calling about a coding question, they get directed to the business
office. If the insurance company needs to discuss something in the patient’s chart, then they get
transferred to the triage line.
Does the office use a professional answering service for after-hours calls?
Yes, calls automatically go to the answering service. They obtain information from the patient
regarding the nature of the call and the patient’s phone number. The answering service has a list
of which physician is on call. The answering service then contacts the physician with the
patient’s name and concern. Then the physician calls the patient back. The answering service is
available from 6:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday morning and from Noon on
Saturday through Monday at 8 a.m. The service message that a caller hears before being
connected to the answering service states, “If this is an emergency, please call 911.” It also states
the office hours.
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What is the policy for leaving patient information on answering machines?
When calling a patient to leave them a message, they try to leave as little information as possible.
They inform the patient who is calling, the date of the appointment they are calling regarding,
and a call back number for the clinic. If the message is being left on a cell phone, they only leave
who is calling and request that they call the clinic back. The reason why they only leave minimal
information on a cell phone is because many cell phones do not have greetings. Therefore, they
are unable to identify if they are calling the correct number for the patient.
What was your group’s assessment of how the telephone function was handled at this
facility?
The receptionists seem to handle the telephone scheduling and patient check-in functions very
efficiently. The switchboard operator is located in a separate, private room. The switchboard
operator tries to answer the calls on the first ring. Their phone system used to be able to take six
calls at the same time, but with their new phone system they only take one call at a time. In
addition, the switchboard operator can see if there are calls that are parked in queue. They can
also answer these calls and schedule appointments. They did note that they are having some
technical difficulties with their new phone system, but they have only had the system for a
couple of weeks. The appointment schedulers are at two different spots at the front desk. There
is one off to the corner of the front desk and the other one is at the back of the reception area
facing where the patients exit the exam rooms. There is always more than one receptionist at the
front desk at a time. The reason for this is if one receptionist is on the phone with someone, then
there is always another receptionist that can help the patients that are checking in.
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MEDICAL OFFICE SCHEDULING PROCEDURES
Does the office use a manual or computerized scheduling system? If computerized, what
software is used?
The New Richmond Clinic uses a computerized scheduling system, and the software they use is
Cerner.
What type of scheduling process in used? What time allotment was used?
The scheduling process that is used at the New Richmond clinic is scheduled appointments. The
physicians at the New Richmond Clinic each have their own set of fixed time intervals.
Appointments such as an office visit or a consultation are allotted a 15 minute time slot. Pap
smears and male physicals are allotted a 45 minute time slot. If a longer appointment is needed,
the receptionist uses visit codes that allow for a longer visit – see attached visit codes form.
Each physician has an open block of time in their day that is highlighted in yellow on Cerner.
The receptionist does not schedule a patient in that time unless necessary. This time is typically
set aside to allow the physician’s time to return phone calls.
While scheduling an appointment, the receptionist will ask the patient for their date of birth first.
The receptionist uses the date of birth to pull up a patient list. From the patient list available, the
receptionist will select the patient’s name. The receptionist will select a visit code based on the
information received from the patient. The receptionist gives the patient three options to choose
from when scheduling their appointment. At the end of the call, the receptionist always repeats
back to the patient: their name, day, date, and time of the scheduled appointment, and the
physician they are going to see to make sure that both the receptionist and the patient have the
correct information.
How does the office handle emergency, walk-in, double-booked, late, no-show and extended
appointments? How about canceling appointments?
For patients that walk in to the clinic needing an emergency appointment, the receptionist will
page a nurse up front to assess the situation. If the nurse sees fit, she will put the patient in a
wheelchair and take them right over to the hospital. If a patient calls in needing emergency
assistance, the receptionist will route the call directly to triage.
For walk-in appointments, the receptionist will check the day’s schedule for the earliest available
appointment.
They try not to double-book patients. On the rare occasion that they find it necessary to double
book patients, they try to fit the double booking in at the end of a longer appointment slot, since
these appointments don’t usually take up the full allotted time.
When a patient is late for their appointment, the receptionist will call back to the physician’s
nurse and see if the physician is still able to see them. If they are so late for their appointment
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that the physician is unable to see them, the receptionist will help them reschedule their
appointment.
If it has been more than 15 minutes past a patient’s scheduled appointment time and they still
have not arrived, then the receptionist will pull up that patient’s chart in the computerized
scheduling system and mark them as a no-show.
When scheduling an appointment for a patient who has several issues to address or for a patient
who won’t share the purpose of the appointment, the receptionist may use his or her own
personal judgment and may extend the allotted time by an additional 15 minutes.
When a patient calls and cancels an appointment, the receptionist takes the appointment out of
the schedule.
How are other appointments (laboratory, x-ray, surgery) and referrals handled?
Laboratory appointments are made through appointment scheduling. If a patient has a referral
from their doctor for an x-ray, the nurse will take them over to the x-ray reception desk where
they will fit them into the schedule. Surgery appointments are scheduled through the hospital.
How do they handle other visitors to the office (pharmacy, equipment vendors)?
Drug company representatives and equipment vendors are given a pass at the front desk and
allowed to go back into the clinic. Only one representative or vendor is allowed back into the
clinic at a time.
Patients may come into the clinic for purposes other than a scheduled appointment. Written
prescriptions for narcotics may be picked up at the clinic with a 24 hour notice so the clinic can
have the prescription ready. Currently, there are strict guidelines in place that do not allow
prescriptions for narcotics to be electronically prescribed or faxed to the pharmacy. The clinic
keeps a log of when the prescription was picked up and by whom. Patients may also come into
the reception area and pick up sample medications and/or documentation that were prepared by
the physician.
How do they handle patients with language barriers or cultural differences?
The New Richmond Clinic has a phone interpretation system that can be utilized by all staff at
the clinic. The system has a 1-800 number that the receptionist calls. She lets the interpreter
know what information is needed; the interpreter then obtains the information from the patient,
and then relays the information to the receptionist. This system can be used by reception, billing,
and can even be used in the examination room. Various languages can be translated by this
interpretation system, but it is most commonly used for Spanish interpretation.
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What was your group’s assessment of how the scheduling functions were handled at this
facility?
The New Richmond Clinic has an excellent patient scheduling system. The receptionists are
well trained and capable of handling front desk check-in duties while also answering the phone
and scheduling appointments. They do their best to answer the phone on the first ring. They
have switchboard personnel who can also answer the phone if the front desk is busy. One of the
receptionists that we interviewed, Wendy, has been working at the New Richmond Clinic for 9
years and it showed in her ability to multi-task while maintaining a true smile. She knew a lot of
the patients by name and it was nice how she acknowledged each of them. It was obvious to us
that Wendy enjoys her job.
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FILING AND HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Do you use paper or electronic medical records? If electronic, what is the name of the
system used?
New Richmond clinic converted to an electronic medical records system three years ago. The
software system used is Cerner. Cerner is rated within the top two or three EMR/Billing software
systems in the nation. Within Cerner, there are subprograms that are used for billing, patient
records, and other applications. They still do use some paper records. This will depend on how
long it has been since the patient’s last visit. If they have not been seen in the last three years,
then they pull the paper chart, as they don’t yet exist in the EMR.
Did you observe the EMR in use? Summarize your experience.
Yes, Jean showed us the EMR in use. There is a home page that lists messages waiting and
items in queue. The home page is mainly used by the physicians. By selecting the provider and
date of service, a summary page can be opened. The summary page gives a list of diagnoses and
problems, last visit summary, alerts, and insurance information. There is an area where orders
can be entered. A search of the records may be completed based on date of birth or medical
record number. The system allows users to look at test and lab orders, as well as charges
incurred. Jean has more access to information than most people in the clinic. Information is
restricted and accessible on a need to know basis. The Cerner EMR used at the New Richmond
Clinic appeared to be very similar to the Medisoft software program that we have had a chance
to use in class.
What are the security measures taken to protect patient confidentiality with the EMR?
The Cerner system features automatic log-off after three minutes. Some staff utilize security
screens. In common areas, such as reception, positioning of the monitors is taken into account.
Cerner also prompts and requires the staff to change their passwords/logins every 90 days. To
access certain areas within the system, there is the protection of dual sign-on/log-ins, each with a
different password, creating multiple layers of security.
How long have you had EMR?
New Richmond Clinic has had an EMR system for three years.
How was the process of moving to EMR?
Jean described the conversion as a “very painful process”. It required extensive training and was
a whole new way of doing things.
What type of training was provided to prepare staff to use the EMR?
There was extensive training provided with the conversion to the EMR system. Training was
provided through various delivery models and included the use of webinars. Super users/trainers
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were on-site for two weeks once the system went live. Some of the training that was provided
was specialized per department or unit.
What costs were associated with converting to an EMR system?
The Cerner system was very expensive. It is one of the more comprehensive and popular
medical software systems available on the market. In accordance with government mandate,
there will be penalties in the future for not having an EMR system. Jean notes that ironically the
VA Hospital, which is a governmental agency, currently does not have an EMR system.
How is the EMR functioning to meet your facility’s needs?
According to Jean, the benefits of the EMR system include:
 The ability for multiple users to work in one chart at a time, which saves time.
 Quicker and more efficient flow of information.
 Critical access in the event of an emergency.
 Decreased loss of documentation and misplaced files.
 Capability for the physician to dictate directly into the EMR.
 Multi-functional – used for billing, ordering tests/labs, progress notes, etc.
Disadvantages of the EMR system include:
 The need to change screens to access different things.
 Incapable of having two different sections of the chart open at one time.
 The EMR system is a “work in progress”.
 Constantly changing – quarterly updates and upgrades.
Jean also noted that the staff at New Richmond Clinic have provided a lot of feedback to Cerner
and have seen positive changes come about based on their feedback.
How many paper records do you have?
NR Clinic has between 35,000-40,000 paper records on the shelves.
What type of record storage system for paper records do you use (open shelves,
automated)?
New Richmond Clinic uses a combination of different types of storage systems. Most of their
paper records are housed on open shelving and contain active records of current or the most
recent patients seen. There is a lateral file cabinet that contains the charts of people who maybe
were visiting from another state and most likely will not be seen in the clinic again. There are
banker’s boxes lined up and organized alphabetically and by year of inactive and deceased
patient records. Currently, any records from 2004 and prior and deceased patient charts are kept
at an off-site storage facility that is in New Richmond, about five miles away from the clinic. In
addition to the boxes being labeled, a list of all records that are in boxes is also maintained.
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What filing system is used (alphabetic, alphanumeric, numeric, color coding, etc.) for paper
records?
Records are filed alphabetically by last name, then by first name. Each file contains a year
sticker, the first two letters of the patient’s last name, and the first letter of the patient’s first
name. The letters are color-coded making misfiles easier to spot. Charts contain a name alert
sticker if there are patients with duplicate names. This sticker then directs the staff to refer to the
middle initial and date of birth to identify that they have the correct patient’s file. Out folders are
used and contain a slip that identifies the patient’s name, date, and which department or whom
currently has the record – see attached out guide insert.
How is the medical record organized (source-oriented record, problem-oriented, other)?
The medical record is source-oriented. On the right side of the folder, it is divided into sections,
such as Dr. /Pt. notes, lab, imaging, cardio, and correspondence. The left side of the folder
contains summary documents like weights and blood pressures.
How is patient confidentiality protected with how the record is stored/checked out by
others, etc.?
The file room is always kept locked. It is located in the lower level of the cancer center portion
of the building. If a chart is removed from this room, it is always kept with staff. The staff must
either have physical control over it or be able to observe it. After hours, physicians may enter
the clinic, but the clinic has a system that records who was in the building and when. Records
that are kept off-site are located in a locked storage facility.
What is the process for correcting anything in the record?
For paper records, place a line through the error and write “error”, write the correct information
above or below the error, date, and initial the correction. Never use white out or remove things
from a record. Within the EMR, you need to create an addendum, note that there was an error
and this entry is a correction. The EMR is automatically “stamped” with the date and author’s
name.
Are paper records locked up after hours (how)?
The records room is always kept locked. Only the health information department staff has access
to this room. The building is locked after hours. Jean also noted that even the cleaning people
are supervised by another staff while they are cleaning in this room.
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What is the process for finding misplaced files? What is the occurrence rate of misplaced
files?
When trying to locate misplaced files, first check to see if the out guide contains information
about where the file is located. Check with physicians, the business office, and other logical
places where it may be. Look at the shelf of files, paying attention to the color coding and look
for any record that appears to be out of place. Jean stated that they rarely have misplaced records
and since it is a relatively small facility, they are usually able to find the misplaced file easily.
What is the process for retention of records – paper or electronic (Active, inactive, closed)?
How long do you retain records?
Paper records are retained based on their classification (active, inactive, or closed). Active
records are kept indefinitely.
Inactive records are moved from the open shelving unit depending if more room is needed for
active files. If so, then inactive files are moved to banker’s boxes and kept on-site for a number
of years. Most recently, records that had not been accessed since 2005 were moved to banker’s
boxes and are kept on-site. Before converting to the EMR, inactive records were moved to
banker’s boxes about every 5 years to make room for active files. The Clinic has purchased a
new shelving system and some inactive records that are currently kept in off-site storage will be
being moved back on-site so that they have 13 years’ worth of records on-site. Records that are
older than 13 years will remain at off-site storage. Jean notes that they do not destroy inactive
records. There are laws that state that any records of a minor who has now reached the age of
majority cannot be destroyed without first placing a public notice in the paper notifying the
patient that the record is scheduled to be destroyed before the actual destruction.
Records of deceased patients are moved to banker’s boxes once the patient is deceased. They are
then kept on-site for about one to two years before being moved to off-site storage. Currently,
they have deceased patient records going back about 25 years in off-site storage.
The current plan is to retain all electronic records forever. There is no formal schedule of
retaining electronic records since they do not take up much storage room. With the use of the
EMR, any paper records that are received are scanned into the EMR. One example of a form
that needs to be scanned into the EMR is the Patient Health History form – see attached example.
We had the opportunity to observe Tammy M. scanning records into the database. The first step
is to pull up the correct patient’s EMR, checking the date of birth to rule out duplicate names and
ensuring it is being scanned to the correct record. The date is entered, which should be the date
that the form was completed, not the date that it was scanned. The appropriate folder within the
system is then chosen, and the item is scanned. An “S” is written on the bottom of the form to
indicate that it was scanned. Currently, they do not have someone double check this process, but
may in the future. The original paper document then goes directly into the locked shred bin.
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Is microfilm used for storage of any records?
New Richmond Clinic does not use microfilm for the storage of any records.
What is your process for handling employees who breach patient confidentiality?
The action that is taken when dealing with employees who breach patient confidentiality varies
based on the severity of their action and whether or not the action was intentional. Corrective
measures are taken up to and possibly including suspension and/or termination. Jean stated that
they have had employees who have breached confidentiality and who have been terminated
because of it. Jean recommends that if you come across a file of someone you know, it is best to
request that a co-worker handle this file. Jean also informed us that if there has been a breach of
confidentiality, the patient involved must be informed. They have no tolerance for breach of
confidentiality.
What was your group’s assessment of how the medical records function was handled at this
facility? Summarize your observations.
Everything in the medical records area seems to be very well-organized. It is quite apparent that
scanning is a very time-consuming process. On average, staff enter the medical records room
four times a day. It would be very beneficial for them to have a copy machine available in this
room. Currently, they find the records they need, bring them back upstairs to copy, and then
have to return them to the filing room. The addition of a copy machine would save them a great
deal of time.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, we appreciated the opportunity to do our shadow project at the New Richmond
Clinic. They have a very nice facility for a small town clinic. The personnel that we met with
were all willing to show us what their job entails. The receptionists are all very well trained in
their job. They manage the front desk while also answering the phones and scheduling patients.
The software they use at the New Richmond Clinic is Cerner, which is one of the bigger EMR’s
available. They recently moved 35,000 paper files to a new location in the basement of the
clinic. Jean, who is the Health Information Manager, was very thorough while showing us what
screens she has access to and giving us a tour of the records room. Lori, who is the Business
Office Manager, took us into the switchboard room and was very helpful in answering our
questions about telephone procedures.
Our only recommendation would be that the New Richmond Clinic invests in a computer and
copier for the file room. The file room is some distance from the Health Information
Management department and the personnel who work in that department are down in the file
room an average of 4 times a day.
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