1. Presented by: Ambulatory Education and Systems
Telephone Messaging
Presented by: Ambulatory Education and Systems
Jerry Amirault, Amy Goldman, Irene Jordan, Geoff O’Hara, Patricia Cox,
Julie Rockwell & Charmaine Massey

2. Table of Contents Telephone Messaging…3
Accessing Telephone Messaging…4
Telephone Messaging Options…5
Choosing Your Clinic…6
Identifying Who the Message Is Intended For…7
New Message - Type of Call …8
New Message – Episodic…9-12
New Message – Lab Result…13
New Message – Message for Provider…14
New Message – Prescription Refill…15-17
New Message – Callback Info…18-19
New Message – Print Message or Send to Person…20
View Messages…21-23
Print Message…24
Delete Message…25
Edit Messages…26-27
Edit Messages – Actions Taken…28
Edit Messages – Header (Why Calling/Primary Provider) …29
Send …30
Resources…31

3. Telephone Messaging
Telephone Messaging was developed to streamline the process of taking messages from patients and passing them on to clinicians.
The Telephone Messaging option is an electronic messaging system that automates this process. When creating a message all key patient information is captured from CCC and a series of options and related questions are presented. The call taker will select the option appropriate to the call and record the patient’s responses to the questions asked. When the message is complete, the call taker can or fax the message to the clinician or other staff as dictated by department rules.
The questions asked in this option are standard for all clinics. The system cannot be customized for each clinic’s needs. Each message will be stored in the system for 60 days.
A user can only use the Telephone Messaging system for the clinic in which they have been granted authorization

4. Accessing Telephone Messaging
There are two ways to access Telephone Messaging:
The main CCC prompt – Appointments/Scheduling Option:
The Make Appointments option within a patient record:

5. Telephone Messaging Options
There are six options to choose from in Telephone Messaging
View messages – Allows user to view messages within their clinic for a specified date.
Edit message – Allows user to edit a specific message within their clinic.
Print message – Allows user print a specific message within their clinic .
Delete message – Allows user to delete a specific message within their clinic
New message – Allows user to create a new message within their clinic
Send – Allows user to send a specific message within their clinic to a provider via
Enter in the number of the option to be selected at the Choose prompt.

6. Choosing your clinic
After a messaging option has been chosen, a list of units using Telephone Messaging
appears. Enter the two or three letter code of your clinic at the Choose prompt. *
If you have used this functionality before the code for your unit will default
*Note – If entering Telephone Messaging from the main Appointment/Scheduling prompt, the system will ask for the patient ID before asking the user to choose a clinic

7. Identifying Who the Message Is Intended For
Header (Call for Primary Provider/Nurse) - Allows user to choose a primary doctor and/or primary nurse for whom the message is intended. This appears after the clinic has been identified. These are not required fields.

8. New Message - Type of Call
Allows user to enter a message from a patient which can be forwarded to a provider by or can be printed
There are four types of messages that can be recorded. Enter the first letter of the type of call to be recorded
Each type of call has a series of predetermined questions that need to be asked of the caller. There is also a free text section where staff can enter any additional information.

9. New Message – Episodic
Episodic (Sick) – This option should be used if the patient is calling regarding an illness or
medical problem
Main Complaint: Enter a one line description of the patient’s problem
Are Your Symptoms: Enter the number associated with the symptom level
1 Mild
2 Moderate
3 Severe
4 Unsure
Do You Have a Fever?:
1 Yes
2 No
3 Unsure
When Did Your Symptoms Begin?: Enter a day or date when illness began
(Continued)

10. New Message - Type of Call Episodic (Cont)

11. New Message – Type of Call Episodic (Cont)
Is This a New Problem Since You Last Saw Your Provider?:
1 Yes
2 No
3 Unsure
Are Your Symptoms Different From Usual?:
1 Yes (If Yes, the next prompt will be ‘How Are They Different?:’ This is a free text field)
Would You Like to Be Seen Today?:
Additional Comments: This is a free text field. Enter any additional information that the provider should be aware of

12. New Message – Type of Call Episodic (Cont)

13. New Message – Type of Call Lab Result
Lab Result – This option is used if the patient is seeking results from recent tests
Date of Lab Test – Date test was performed
Can We Leave a Message on Answering Machine – This is for patient confidentiality. The caller may be concerned that someone other than the patient or the caller will hear the message. The patient may not want these other individuals to know about the tests or the results
1 Yes
2 No
Additional comments – This is a free text area. Enter any additional information that the provider should be aware of

14. New Message – Type of Call Message for Provider
Message Provider – This is a free text section where the message for the provider doesn’t fit
into the other three categories.
Provider who should receive the message – Enter the name of the provider who message is intended for. If the provider’s name was entered after identifying the name of the clinic then this provider’s name will default in
Message – This is a free text area. Enter any additional information that the provider should be aware of

15. New Message – Type of Call Prescription Refill
Prescription Refill – This option allows the patient to inform the provider of the need to
refill a prescription and indicates how the patient wants the provider to handle the request.
What Should We Do With the Prescription:
Will Pickup Prescription
Please Call Pharmacy (If this option is chosen user will be asked for name of pharmacy and its phone number)
Please Mail to My Home Address
Rx – Enter the name of the prescription. Only one prescription per line
Dosage
Do You Need a Refill Today:
1 Yes
2 No
Additional Comments - This is a free text area. Enter any additional information that the provider should be aware of

16. New Message – Type of Call Prescription Refill (Cont)
*Using option 2 – “What should we do with the prescription”

17. New Message – Type of Call Prescription Refill (Cont)
*Using option 1 or 3 – “what should we do with the prescription”

18. New Message - Callback Info
Callback Info – Enter information about the person who called or person to follow up with.
At the “Select Another Message, Prescription, Lab result, Episodic” prompt enter “N” if no further messages for the patient need to be entered. The system will display callback information.
Person calling – Name of person to follow up with
Relationship to Patient – Callers relationship to patient
Daytime Phone – Number that person above can be reached during the day
Extension –
From/Until – The time range that the caller is available at the daytime phone number
Evening Phone – Number that person above can be reached during the evening
Extension
From/Until – The time range that the caller is available at the evening phone number
Additional Comments – This is a free text area. Enter any additional information that the provider should be aware of
Continued

19. New Message - Callback Info (Cont)

20. New Message – Print Message or Send to Person
At the end of the message the user will be asked to print message and/or send to a person.
Print Message – User can have message printed. The system is set up to send the message to a default printer within the clinic. The default for this question is determined by the Clinic workflow. Printing will occur once the users key has been entered.
Send to Person – The primary provider and/or primary nurse will default to this section. The user can delete these names and/or add additional names. An will be sent to each individual listed once the users key has been entered.
* Note - Each of the names listed as well as the user signing their key have to have their CCC key synched up with their exchange ( ) login in order to receive or send an . Contact Ambulatory Education if you are experiencing problems ing messages from Telephone Messaging

21. View Messages
Allows user to view messages within their clinic for a specified date. No edits to the
message can be made from this option.
At the Date prompt, enter the date of the message(s) that need to be viewed
A list of messages will appear for the user’s clinic on the date selected. At the choose prompt enter the number of the message to be viewed
(Continued)

22. View Messages (Cont)
The system will display the message. The entire message may not fit on one page. Hit enter to view the rest of the message.
There are three or more sections to the message.
Header – This section lists the type of call, which was entered at the time the message was created, basic patient information including phone number and insurance information, the date the message was created and by whom, the patients Primary Care Provider and Primary Nurse Practitioner if one is noted in their record and the last time the patient was seen in HCA and the next scheduled appointment in HCA
Callback – This section lists information about how the provider can contact the caller. The evening phone is pulled from the patient’s record. The rest is entered by the person taking the message
The Type of Call – The heading on this section will be determined by what type of call the message was listed as (Episodic, Lab result, Message for Provider, Prescription Refill). All the information entered for this call will appear in this section.
Note - If more than one type of call was entered in one message then each type will have it’s own section.
(Continue)

23. View Messages (Cont)

24. Print Message
Allows user to print a specific message from their clinic
At the date prompt enter the date the message was entered
Enter the number of the message you wish to print at the Choose prompt
Message will print

25. Delete Message Allows user to delete a selected message
Enter date the message was created at the Date prompt
Enter the number of the message you wish to delete at the Choose prompt
Hit enter if you wish to view the message before deleting it. This is recommended to ensure the correct message is being deleted
System will ask “Are you sure you want to delete this message//N”. Default is set to No. Change to yes if it should be deleted.
If message was printed then system will state “This message was already sent to the printer. Delete anyway?//N”. Change default to yes is message to delete

26. Edit Messages
Allows user to edit a specific message within their clinic.
At the Date prompt, enter the date of the message(s) that need to be viewed
A list of messages for the user’s clinic on the date selected will appear . At the choose prompt enter the number of the message to be viewed.
At the View Message before editing? Y// question, hit enter to view message or type ‘N’ to continue.
Choose the section of the message you wish to edit. Enter in the first letter of the option at the choose prompt

27. Edit Message (Cont)
Callback Info – User can update callback information. Edits can be made at the field level.
Episodic (Sick) – User can update the Episodic entry of the selected message or add a new one to this selection.
Lab Result – User can update the Lab Result entry of the selected message or add a new one to this selection.
Message for Provider – User can update the Message for Provider or can add a new one to this selection.
Prescription Refill – User can update the Prescription Refill entry for the selected message or can add a new one to this selection
Suite – This is only available to HCA users. User can update the HCA suite that the provider is a member of.
Header (Why Calling/Primary Provider) – Brings the user out to the list of Telephone Messaging clinics. By hitting enter, the user can then enter or change the name of the primary provider and/or primary nurse.

28. Edit Message - Actions Taken
Action Taken – The person following up on the message can update the message with any action they have taken. Fields can be edited at the field prompt.
Action Taken By Clinical Nurse - The clinical nurse should enter their notes about any actions taken in response to this message.
Date Call Returned – CCC automatically enters in the current date. The user can enter in a different date.
Time Call Returned - CCC automatically enters in the current time. The user can enter in a different time.
Left Message With – Enter name of the person message was left with.
Calls Attempted – Enter the number of times an attempt was made to return the call.
Action Taken by Other – Record any actions taken by other staff.

29. Edit Message - Header (Why Calling/Primary Provider)

30. Send
Allows user to send a selected message to other providers. This option can only be used to
send existing messages.
At the Date prompt, enter the date of the message that needs to be ed
A list of messages will appear for the user’s clinic on the date selected. At the choose prompt, enter the number of the message to be ed.
Under Send to Person, the provider(s) for whom the message was originally created for will default. The user can delete these names (shift + 8) or replace them with other names. The user can also add additional names. The message will be sent to all the individuals listed when the enter key has been struck after the first blank STP line.

31. Ambulatory Education and Systems Team:
Resources
Ambulatory Education and Systems Team:
Geoff O’Hara
Amy B. Goldman
Irene Jordan
Jerry Amirault
Julie Rockwell
Patricia Cox
Charmaine Massey