Reception and Filing Instructions - Appointments

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This document clarifies communications with patients coming to our clinics for consultation. 

General Instructions

The goals of optimal appointment booking is to allow for efficient and throrough assessment of our patients while also providing a good customer service experience. Putting the 'best face' on our practice requires a good showing by each and every one of the staff at each point of patient contact. First impressions are critical and therefore:

  • Always smile and make eye contact when you greet a patient.
  • Always introduce yourself by name.
  • Always end the encouter by confirming that they understand what has been said and ask if there is anything else you can help the with.
  • Direct them to our website for further information.

Physicians Needs

To efficiently apply our knowledge to effectively address the patient's problem(s).

  1. Appropriate time booked for review

  2. Have the information necesary for complete evaluation available (e.g. patient demographics, lab and X-ray results, completed questionnaires).

  3. Minimize unncessary or redundant paperwork. (e.g. appropriate referring and family physicians up to date, other consulting physicians listed)

Patient's Needs

To have a good customer service experience and have their condition addressed.

  1. Courteous service

  2. Good communication with our office

  3. Minimize waiting room time

  4. Feel as though their problem has been addressed

General Instructions

  • Maximizing billings. Patients are to be scheduled when medically necessary. There are many instances where an office may safely be delayed for a short time and this can have significant implications for MSP payments

    • For appointments roughly '6 months' after previous, the appointments should NOT be booked sooner than 6 monhts unless there is a valid reason. The result is that the physician is required to bill a follow-up appointment rather than a full consultation (roughly $55)

    • Same for visits at '3 months'

  • Check patients in as soon as they arrive. It is the explicity responsibility of the reception staff to ensure all patients are checked in, no exceptions. it is not ever acceptable for a patient to be sitting in our exam room with out being checked in.

    • Both instruct patients to check back in after leaving the office for X-ray and scan the room to ensure that no patient has been missed.

  • Ensure that the demographic information is up to date.

    • Demographics

    • Contact information

    • Family MD

    • Referring MD

    • Other consulting MD's (you can usually find them in the referral notes)

  • Repeat referral has been received or requested

Pacing of bookings & Travel/Transition Considerations 

Having and appropriate mix of office consults will allow for appropriate patient flow. For example, booking 6 new consults in a row followed by 6 quick follow-ups will inevitably lead to the follow-ups waiting for too long. Please try and distribute new consults and follow-ups evenly through each 1 hour time period.

Travel/Transition Time

It takes time transition from one location to another. Please be considerate of this and please do everything possible to keep the urologists from being 'late'. Considerations

  1. Time of communte; consider how much traffic might be antcipated (e.g. rush hour)

  2. Changeroom times (when coming to and from the operating room)

  3. For surgeries, the urologist needs to be at the facility no later than 15 min prior to the 'start time'

  4. Account for running late in the office - often 20 min behind schedule

Locations Transition Time
Delta to Richmond
OR
Richmond to Delta		 1:15 hour minimum from last booking at departure location
(30 min commute; 15 min for last appointment; 25 min cushion if running behind; 10 min to walk into office and get set up)
PCRM to Richmond
OR
Richmond to PCRM		 1:30 hour minimum from last booking to procedure/clinic start time
(30-45 min communte, 15 min for last appointment, 25 min cushion if running behind, 5 min to walk into office; should arrive 15 min before procedure or clinic)

Prioritizing Clinical Activities

If you are unsure as to what activities may be 'moved' or 'rescheduled', please review the information on Prioritization of Scheduling.

Ensuring Complete Documentation

 

Initial Consult

In addition to the above, ensure that some information relevant to the problem is available. Keywords on consult and what to check for:

  • Problem: "Prostate, DRE, PSA, prostate cancer"
    Check for: actual lab reports for PSA, UA

  • Problem: "Hematuria, blood in the urine"
    Check for: urine cytology, UA, urine culture, creatinine, US or CT report

  • Problem: "Kidney stone, urolithiasis, flank pain"
    Check for: Radiology reports (CT KUB, KUB or US), UA, creatinine
    Consider: KUB

  • Problem: 'Infertility, abnormal semen analysis"
    Check for: Semen analysis results, hormone studies (FSH, LH, testosterone, prolactin)
    Consider: ordering those tests prior to visit

PSA: prostate specific antigen; UA: urine analysis

Follow-up Visit

If the follow-up visit is to review results, ensure they are available before booking the appointment. e.g.

  • Prostate biopsy result

  • Pathology report

  • Imaging report

  • Urodynamics report

 Problem: Post ESWL

Order: KUB. Brooke radiology on arrival if in Richmond clinic, nearest hospital if elsewhere a few days before the appointment to allow for the report to arrive (request that patient be given copy of CD/film)

 

Surgeon-Specific Instructions

Ken Poon

General:

Pre-visit Questionnaires: YES

Urgent Appointments Management

  • LEAVE TIME OPEN AT THE END (NOT THE START) OF THE CLINIC DAY

    • 2 hours to be held for urgent appointments until 2 weeks before the clinic day

    • 1 hour to be held until 1 week before the clinic day

    • If open time remains with 1 week prior to the clinic day, the time is open to general booking

  • Additional time beyond that allocated in the schedule may be permitted on a case by case basis, BUT ONLY AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE UROLOGIST

  • If additional urgent time above and beyone the 2 hours/2 weeks and 1 hour/1 week rules above, please discuss with urologist

Richmond and Delta Clinic

Time/Instructions
Expedited Consults Book within 1-2 weeks; Same day by request

Bladder tumor
Symptomatic kidney stone ("flank pain")
Kidney tumor (solid; NOT including 'cysts')
Infertility ('Azospermia/no sperm', 'vasectomy reversal', 'sperm retrieval')
Gross hematuria
Urinary retention with catheter
Vasectomy reversal (NOT vasectomy)
Pacing New consult: 15 min
Follow-up: 5-10 min (see Extra Time)
Hourly mix:
6 x FU
4 x NC
2 x NC + 4 x FU
Double booking
 Follow-ups only
Extra Time
 Cases to be booked as follows, regardless of whether it is a new or follow-up visit:
New diagnosis prostate cancer 20-30 min; Prefer end of day
New kidney tumor 20-30 min
Does NOT include 'cysts'
No Book Instructions
 NEVER book into excluded time without permission
Schedule 30 min off for lunch
RH cysto starting at 1 PM - last patient at noon
Other Notes
 Delta: No NEW female consults before 830 am (no reception staff available), ideally book follow-ups before 830

Referrals from Dr. MARTIN MCLOUGHLIN to be reviewed and triaged before making appointment

PCRM & Genesis

Time/Instructions
Expedited Consults Azospermia
Vasectomy reversal
Sperm retrievals: "TESE, microTESE, PESA" requests
Pacing New consult: 20 min
Follow-up: 10 min
Double booking
 Never
Extra Time
 None
No Book Instructions
 None
Other Notes
 Consider travel time
Ideally book procedures with clinics

Dan Rapoport

General:

Pre-visit Questionnaires: YES

Urgent Appointments Management

  • LEAVE TIME OPEN AT THE END (NOT THE START) OF THE CLINIC DAY

    • 2 hours to be held for urgent appointments until 2 weeks before the clinic day

    • 1 hour to be held until 1 week before the clinic day

    • If open time remains with 1 week prior to the clinic day, the time is open to general booking

  • Additional time beyond that allocated in the schedule may be permitted on a case by case basis, BUT ONLY AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE UROLOGIST

  • If additional urgent time above and beyone the 2 hours/2 weeks and 1 hour/1 week rules above, please discuss with urologist

Injections for Peyronies Disease

  • Please book at beginning or end of a clinic block (ie. 745am or 1200; 1300 or 1530)

Richmond Clinic

Time/Instructions
Expedited Consults Book within 1-2 weeks; Same day by request

Bladder tumor
Symptomatic kidney stone ("flank pain")
Kidney tumor (solid; NOT including 'cysts')
Urethral Stricture
Gross hematuria
Urinary retention with catheter
Fistula (vesicovaginal, rectourethral)
Pacing New consult: 15 min
Follow-up: 5-10 min (see Extra Time)
Hourly mix:
6 x FU
4 x NC
2 x NC + 4 x FU
Double booking
 Follow-ups only (especially first post-op visit)
Extra Time
 Cases to be booked as follows, regardless of whether it is a new or follow-up visit:
New diagnosis prostate cancer 20-30 min; Prefer end of day
New kidney tumor 20-30 min (Does NOT include 'cysts')
No Book Instructions
 NEVER book into excluded time without permission
Schedule 30 min off for lunch
RH cysto starting at 1 PM - last patient at noon
Other Notes
 Referrals for all out of town patients need to be reviewed and triaged by me
Referrals for urodynamics need to be reviewed and triaged by me
Referrals from Dr. MARTIN MCLOUGHLIN to be reviewed and triaged before making appointment

UBC Bladder Care Center

Time/Instructions
Expedited Consults I will triage referrals that are made directly to UBC
I will make note of URGENT cases to be booked at UBC through memo/tasks
Referrals from other offices requesting UBC urodynamics or cystoscopy with me need be reviewed and triaged by me
UBC is ultimately responsible for scheduling but we need to have clear lines of communication with them (Cheryl, booking clerk or Corey, head nurse)
Pacing New consult with cyst: 30 min
Regular cysto: 15 min (no need to put this on the requisition)
Double booking
 Never
Extra Time
 None
No Book Instructions
 None
Other Notes
 Consider travel time

Kiara Hennessey

General:

Pre-visit Questionnaires: YES 

Urgent Appointments Management:

  • LEAVE TIME OPEN AT THE END (NOT THE START) OF THE CLINIC DAY

    • 2 hours to be held for urgent appointments until 2 weeks before the clinic day

    • 1 hour to be held until 1 week before the clinic day

    • If open time remains with 1 week prior to the clinic day, the time is open to general booking

  • Additional time beyond that allocated in the schedule may be permitted on a case by case basis, BUT ONLY AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE UROLOGIST

  • If additional urgent time above and beyond the 2 hours/2 weeks and 1 hour/1 week rules above, please discuss with urologist

Richmond & Delta Clinic

Time/Instructions
Expedited Consults Book within 1-2 weeks; Same day by request

Bladder tumor
Symptomatic kidney stone ("flank pain")
Kidney tumor (solid; NOT including 'cysts')
Infertility ('Azospermia/no sperm', 'vasectomy reversal', 'sperm retrieval')
Gross hematuria
Urinary retention with catheter
Vasectomy reversal (NOT vasectomy)
Pacing New consult: 15 min
Follow-up: 5-10 min (see Extra Time)
Hourly mix:
6 x FU
4 x NC
2 x NC + 4 x FU
Double booking
 Follow-ups only
Extra Time
 Cases to be booked as follows, regardless of whether it is a new or follow-up visit:
New diagnosis prostate cancer 20-30 min; Prefer end of day
New kidney tumor 20-30 min
Does NOT include 'cysts'
No Book Instructions
 NEVER book into excluded time without permission
Schedule 30 min off for lunch
RH cysto starting at 1 PM - last patient at noon
Other Notes
 Delta: No NEW female consults before 830 am (no reception staff available), ideally book follow-ups before 830

Referrals from Dr. MARTIN MCLOUGHLIN to be reviewed and triaged before making appointment

False Creek

Time/Instructions
Expedited Consults
Pacing New consult: 20 min
Follow-up: 10 min
Double booking
 Never
Extra Time
 None
No Book Instructions
 None
Other Notes
 Consider travel time
Ideally book procedures with clinics

Corrie Krahn

General:

Pre-visit Questionnaires: NO