Introduction to Front Office Management

Front office department is the first place where the patients/guests are greeted and received properly, this is known as the first window of the hospital. All the confusions, queries of the patients/ guests should be sorted out from this point only. The purpose of the Front Office Department is to provide guests assistance with transportation, information concerning the hospital and the city, and any other service arrangements needed during their stay.

Employees of the Front Office Department often provide the first and last impression of the hospital to the patients/ guests. It is therefore vitally important that employees display a prompt and courteous attitude to all guests and demonstrate the excellence in service.

The Importance of Front Office Department to the Hospital is as follows:

a) Hospitality, warm welcome
b) Often provides first and last impression.
c) Often have the longest contact with the guest.
d) Continuity: Long term service, recognition of repeat guests, remember names, guest histories.
e) Smoother over disgruntled guests.

Scope of services

1. New patient registration
2. Orientation to

• Patients’ Rights and responsibilities,
• Hospital rules and hospital departments,
• Available facility,
• Available consultant

1. Helping the patients with the filling up of the registration form
2. Creates MRD No. in HIS
3. Guides the patients as and when necessary
4. Scheduling the appointment of the consultants
5. Help desk for guest & visitors

Handling enquiries

• • Receive the guests, patients and patient relatives.
  • Answer all the queries asked by the patients/patient relatives and direct them to appropriate Departments.
  • Attend all the telephone calls within the third ring and give the appropriate information to the callers.
  • Ensure all the information available for the day is updated and confirmed before passing it on.

Outpatient enquiry

Give information about doctors or services and provide the appropriate updated information about the Doctors and Services List.

Inpatient enquiry

If the enquiry is about the patient’s location and status, check-in HIS and inform

• Obtain and give information regarding the patients to their relatives as and when required.
• Organize wheelchairs/stretchers for sick patients.
• In case of emergency do not wait for the attenders to reach the spot, instead of wheel the patient to ICU or the concerned area.
• Make announcement as and when required
• Keep an update of bed status in ICU and other wards.
• Update the important messages/availability of the doctors in the appropriate register on a daily basis.

Visitors

• Reception should station near the main hospital entrance to be easily visible and accessible to those coming to the hospital for procedures or to visit friends and family.
• All receptionists have a neat and professional appearance which is important as the hospital receptionist often creates the first impression a visitor forms about the hospital.
• Since many visitors to the hospital come to see a family member or friend who is ill or injured, the hospital receptionist interacts with visitors in a kind and compassionate manner.
• Explain about the visitors’/attenders’ pass at the time of admission and explain the Visitors’ Policy at the same time. Passes are issued from the billing section.
• If the patient relative comes off visiting hour, explain the necessity for adhering to the visiting hour and also how it disturbs the functions and the patients
• At the time of discharge make sure that the passes are collected back by billing section.
• In case a VIP arrives at the reception counter escort him/her to the destination, with GRE.
• Enter all complaints/ feedbacks/appreciation including written, personal, and telephonic by the Patients/guests in the Feedback Register.