Question

A provider notifies a medical assistant that she will be arriving 20 minutes late to the office, which of the following actions should the assistant take?

1) Inform the provider's patients of the delay
2) Reschedule the provider's appointments
3) Continue with regular office tasks until the provider arrives
4) Contact the provider and ask for further instructions

Answer 1

The assistant should inform the provider's patients of the delay, manage regular office tasks, and be prepared to adjust the schedule as needed when the provider arrives.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a medical provider notifies an assistant that they will be arriving 20 minutes late, the assistant should inform the provider's patients of the delay. This is both courteous and professional, helping to manage the patients' expectations and maintaining a good level of communication. In most cases, it is not necessary to reschedule the appointments unless the delay causes significant disruptions to the schedule or the provider advises otherwise. Additionally, the assistant should continue with regular office tasks and be prepared to adjust as needed when the provider arrives.