How do you communicate effectively with other health care professionals in the front office?

1 Know your role and scope

As a front office staff, you have a specific role and scope of practice in the health care team. You need to know your responsibilities, limitations, and expectations, and communicate them clearly to others. For example, you should know when to escalate a patient's request or concern to a clinician, or when to consult a supervisor or manager for guidance. You should also respect the role and scope of other health care professionals, and avoid giving medical advice or making clinical decisions that are beyond your competence.

3 Be clear and concise

When communicating with other health care professionals in the front office, you should be clear and concise in your message. You should use simple and accurate language, avoid jargon and slang, and confirm that the receiver understands your message. You should also provide relevant and sufficient information, and avoid unnecessary or redundant details. For example, when making a referral or requesting a consultation, you should include the patient's name, date of birth, reason for referral, clinical history, and contact information.

5 Give and receive feedback

Feedback is essential for improving communication and performance in the front office. You should give and receive feedback regularly, constructively, and respectfully to other health care professionals in the front office. You should focus on the behavior and outcome, not the person or intention, and use specific examples and suggestions. You should also use positive feedback to reinforce good practices and behaviors, and negative feedback to address areas of improvement or concern. When receiving feedback, you should listen carefully, avoid defensiveness or excuses, and thank the giver for their input.

6 Collaborate and cooperate

Communication is not only about exchanging information, but also about building relationships and working together. You should collaborate and cooperate with other health care professionals in the front office, and support each other's goals and needs. You should share your ideas, opinions, and concerns, and invite others to do the same. You should also respect the diversity and differences of others, and seek to understand their viewpoints and values. You should also resolve any conflicts or misunderstandings in a timely and respectful manner, and seek help from a third party if needed.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?