6 tips to be the best Front Desk Agent in a medical practice

Front desk agents are a vital position within any medical practice, you are the first person that people are approaching for information and a friendly, willing to demeanor is key to create a great first impression, this is why we create this useful 6 tips guide to help you to perform even when you are not having a great day.

1. Engage with patients

You don’t need to know all the details about their personal life, but maybe a small talk about how their day is going could help patients to feel more relaxed before their appointment and therefore create a better medical experience for them.

2. Confidentiality is crucial

As a Front Desk Agent, you are dealing with a great number of patients, some information can go to the wrong place, this is why it is very important to have a system that simplifies your organizational tasks and keep the patient’s information in a safe place.

Remember, medical practices work under the federal law called “The Privacy Rule”, and confidentiality is a must. 

3. Use a task management app

If you work in a big practice, chances are that you are already using a system that helps you organize your day, but if you are not familiar with these tools, we will introduce 3 of the best-rated tools in the Google store, they will help you to have everything on track and will make your job way easier:

• Monday.com
• SmartSheet
• Wrike

4. Try to have a friendly demeanor

It can be tough to remain firm yet polite when you work in a Front Desk medical practice, especially when a patient is giving you a hard time for whatever reason. However, you need to know how to recognize a disruptive situation, to remain calm and respectful, and to choose the best way to defuse it. 

5. Keep your area neat

Clean places most of the time provide us a feeling of wellness and safety,this is very important especially in medical practices because patients have certain expectations for the environment in which they see their health care provider. If the front desk looks messy or cluttered it may give the impression that the office is run inefficiently, so make sure everything looks good, papers in the right place, clear spaces and an appropriate set up of your phone and computer.

6. Take short breaks 

Customer service positions can be overwhelming, but remember you are the first impression of the practice, take a few minutes to drink some coffee or water, stretch your body and if is possible take some fresh air, this will help you to settle and have the right mindset to start a new hour of work.

Remember sometimes patients are going through rough situations and waiting for a doctor’s diagnosis could add a lot of more distress depending on the type of practice, don’t take anything personally and have a few minutes every two hours to breathe and clean your mind.