Question

A patient was seen in the office to discuss a newly diagnosed heart condition. Later in the day, the same patient calls the office with additional questions for the physician. Which of the following would be the most appropriate response by the medical assistant?

A. Give enough information so that the patient may conduct a web-based search of medical sites on the condition.
B. Obtain all necessary information and tell the patient you will inform the physician.
C. Schedule an appointment for the patient to come in right away to visit with the physician.
D. Transfer the call to the physician immediately.
E. Offer to send a copy of all laboratory reports.

Answer 1

The medical assistant should collect information from the patient about their additional questions and inform the physician (option B). Directly transferring the call or scheduling immediate appointments is not the standard protocol for follow-up questions about a heart condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate response by a medical assistant when a patient calls with additional questions about a newly diagnosed heart condition would be to obtain all necessary information from the patient and assure them that you will inform the physician of their concerns (option B). This approach allows the medical assistant to act as a liaison between the patient and the physician, ensuring that the patient's questions are addressed appropriately without overwhelming the physician with immediate calls.

It's also important to ensure the patient feels heard and that their concerns will be responded to in a timely manner. Option C might be necessary if the situation is urgent, but it is not the default action for a routine follow-up query. It's particularly important not to provide medical advice directly (option A) or send laboratory reports without physician's instruction (option E) as this may breach confidentiality or cause unnecessary confusion for the patient. Immediate transfer of the call to the physician (option D) is usually not practical as physicians are typically busy with other patients. Additionally, option D does not take into account the possibility that the physician may need to review the patient's medical history before answering any questions.