Scenario for Tasks 1, 2 and 3
You are a medical receptionist in a country medical practice. You work as part of a team of four – three medical receptionists and a Practice Manager. Patient care and treatment is provided by three Medical Practitioners (owners of the business). A Registered Nurse also assists. The Practice Manager allocates tasks to the receptionists, and occasionally you are also given tasks by the Medical Practitioners. The Registered Nurse is required to negotiate with the Practice Manager before giving tasks to you and the other medical receptionists.
Task 1
On Tuesday, you arrive at the practice at 7.50 am and begin to prepare for your day. Here is your list of tasks:
a)Word process overdue accounts reminders for three patients: Due Thursday
b)Contact patient: Mr Singh to organise an appointment with his doctor to discuss results of recent medical tests
c)Collect mail from mailbox (15-minute drive each way), open and distribute: Due daily by 10.30 am
d)Mail merge five Pap smear reminder letters to patients: Due Wednesday
e)Answer morning telephone acute appointment requests (30 minutes) and update schedule: Daily 8.00 am.
Prepare a work schedule for the tasks above, showing that you have planned and prioritised your work.
List each task in order of priority, allocate a timeframe to complete each, and identify the resources needed for each task e.g. telephone, computer.
Task 2
At 8.30 am, the Practice Manager instructs you to word process a lengthy medical report for a chronically ill patient. The report is urgent. The Practice Manager says that the report includes a great amount of medical terminology and they are relying on your typing skill and attention to detail, to complete it accurately.
You realise you must reprioritise your day’s tasks. Before starting work on the report, you go to the staff kitchen to make a coffee. You take the medical report with you so you have something to read while waiting for your coffee, and to familiarise yourself with the material you are about to type. Another receptionist sees you reading the file and asks what you are working on. You have already read the front page and realise it is a report about the other receptionist’s sister.
What will you now do in reorganising your day (reprioritisation)?
Why is it important to have the medical report reviewed by a supervisor?
Should you take the medical report to the staff kitchen, even if it means you will save time? Why/why not?
What is the potential conflict of interest in this situation?
Task 3
A young patient has presented to your country medical practice. They are bleeding from what appears to be a deep wound to their leg. They hand you a significant amount of money and say, ‘I don’t have a Medicare Card, I just want to see a doctor’.
NOTE: When answering the two questions below, you must ensure that you consider the following issues:
1. Assess information and requests for information
2. Consider what is and what is not disclosable
3. Use discretion and judgement in all communications
4. Discuss patient-related matters within the confines of the facility and with appropriate personnel only
5. Seek advice and clarification with relevant personnel where potential confidentiality issues arise in dealings with patients, their families and others
Would this patient be permitted to see the doctor anonymously? Why / Why not?
You must fully explain your answer and provide justification for your decision.
Task 4
Conduct research and prepare a brief report outlining the patient information system used in a local health care facility. You may choose to prepare the report on the place where you attend or even where a family member or friend is employed. Examples of Patient Forms and Information are located in your Connect Learning Resources (Link available in Exercise Files, NewPatientForm and Market Street Medical Practice Privacy Policy).
Prepare a report of at least 300 words (short paragraph on each point, or clear dot points) based on your research. Your research should include:
How is patient information collected?
Who has access to the information?
What method is used to store patient information? Is it electronic or paper-based?
What information is given to patients about the privacy of their record?
How are patient records destroyed or disposed of?
Task 5
You must provide answers to the questions below
Name the current Workplace Health and Safety legislation for the state or territory in which you live. (Please write the full title and include the year)
For the legislation, you named in the question above, what are the relevant requirements for an employee at work – that is what must employees do at work, according to the Act? (Hint: Section 28).
Name one example of the legislation for the state or territory in which you live, relating to the storage of drugs (include the name of the Act).
What are Schedule 8 (S8) drugs, and what special measures need to be taken to ensure these drugs are kept securely?
Describe two (2) Australian Privacy Principles.
