10/25/2013. Why are Telephone Etiquettes Important? Learning Objectives. Training for Healthcare Professionals. Module :Telephone Etiquette

Transcription

1 Module :Telephone Etiquette Training for Healthcare Professionals Why are Telephone Etiquettes Important? Imagine, you call up the switchboard of an organization. You want to just reach out to your friend. The operator is rude, impolite and just transfers your call without hearing you out. How would you feel? Lost, angry, upset? Likewise, when a patient/a relative calls up the hospital to get details, it becomes very important that you attend to them in the right manner. Remember you represent your hospital, even if it is just a conversation over the telephone! Learning Objectives After completing this module you will be able to demonstrate: Basic telephone etiquettes How to handle telephone calls effectively 1

2 What Went Wrong? This isn t definitely how you should handle a call that comes in. Let s now see the same example and identify some moments that should have been different. Group Discussion ACTIVITY TIME (suggested): 10 MINUTES Items Needed: Nil Discuss this video: Are there any other mistakes that were made? Why might this have happened? What was the worst mistake? What are some of the ways in which this situation could have been avoided? Go around the room. By turn, each student should share their thoughts on one or more of the above points till all the students in the class have participated. Role Play That was so much better! You just saw what a big difference a bit of politeness and telephone etiquettes made! Now let s have some fun. ACTIVITY TIME (suggested): 40 MINUTES Items Needed: Nil Divide yourselves into groups consisting of around 4-5 people each. One person should be the patient/relative, two or three people should be the hospital staff and one person should be the director. Discuss and detail out a brief interaction (it should be different from the one you just saw), which shows similar bad and good handling of the patient or relative's calls. Practice acting it out within your group. After 15 minutes, each group should act out their small skits (each of about 3 minutes) in front of the whole class, followed by discussion. 2

3 How to Answer Calls - Ground Rules Answer promptly Before third ring if possible Discontinue all activities Other conversations Eating Chewing gum Typing Speak clearly Use pleasant tone Identify yourself This is. Listen Do not interrupt Use hold button So caller won t hear nearby conversations Explain transfers Why and where 5 Phases of A Call Explanation Click each phase to know about the 5 phases of a call. Tactful Responses The Situation What Do You Say To The Caller The doctor/nurse is out Sr.Asha is unavailable at the moment. Would you like to leave a message behind? The doctor hasn t come in yet. The patient is sleeping. Please don t disturb. I expect the doctor shortly. Would you like to leave any urgent message? The patient is unavailable at the moment. Would you like me to pass on any message once he/she is awake. The nurse or doctor is busy. No, your reports aren t in yet. The nurse or doctor is unavailable at the moment. Could I take your message or arrange for another doctor or nurse to take the call? I m sorry, but the reports haven t come in yet. I am expecting them shortly. Would it be possible for you to call after give appropriate time? 3

4 Taking Messages Be prepared Pen and paper Ask for: Caller s name with correct spelling Caller s phone number What the call is in regards to Repeat message to caller Note Date & Time Don t forget to give the message to the intended recipient! Telephone Etiquette 5 Keys When you re on the phone, you should be: POLITE Choose your words carefully and use proper tone PREPARED Have all the relevant details (names, numbers, dates, etc) CONCISE Don t beat around the bush CONSIDERATE Don t waste people s time on small talk HELPFUL Give the information needed, but if you can t help, find someone who can, or tell the caller you will call back with the information. Points to Remember Before placing a caller on hold, ask their permission first and thank them Never interrupt the person while he/she is talking to you, as far as possible. Do not give the impression that you are rushed. Give the person the time. Speak clearly and slowly when taking a call, yet keep phone calls brief and friendly. Smile while you re on the phone it will make a huge impact about your communications and on your organization! 4

5 Credits and References We would sincerely like to thank the following entities for the resources and references: Jagriti Theatre For further reference: