Page 52 - 2022 Risk Basics - Surgical Practice

SVMIC Risk Basics: Surgical Practice

following a protocol, asked about the wound, any signs of

infection, diet, activity, medication, and pain control. There
were no available appointments, and it was noted that the

patient had a scheduled appointment in five days. Rather

than ask the surgeon or other clinical staff about working
the patient into the schedule, the patient was told to keep

the scheduled appointment. The patient later went to
another emergency department and a small bile leak was

found.

Your triage/scheduling protocol should allow the front

office/scheduling staff to ascertain which patients require
urgent follow-up versus routine follow-up (an emergency

department discharge should be handled promptly). The staff

should always notify the physician or other clinical provider
before turning away a patient requesting an appointment for

an urgent concern when there is no availability in the
schedule; likewise, if a patient presents to the office without an

appointment.

In addition to written telephone service standards, there
should be written policies to assist telephone response

personnel in directing calls to the appropriate staff and
advising patients.

The policy should:

 Define what types of calls are routine vs. urgent vs. critical
– post-surgical calls may require heightened attention

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