Your computer is your phone's best friend

Mrs. Smith is on the phone again. Someone from your practice left her a message. But who? She can't remember. Next time, use the phone note function on your computer software, suggests Lori Flores, a receptionist and front office team leader at Olathe Animal Hospital in Olathe, Kan.

For example, say the doctor notices a broken tooth during a dental procedure. He asks the technician to call Mrs. Smith for permission to remove the broken tooth while the pet's under anesthesia. Mrs. Smith doesn't answer the phone, so the technician leaves a message and makes a phone note in the computer using her management software. A time-date stamp in the software records the time and date that the phone note was entered and the team member's initials.

"When the client calls back, the receptionist can check the client's record and see the phone note," Flores says. "This saves you from the time-consuming task of checking with everyone to see if they left the message. It also helps when you simply need to pass on some information. For example, 'It looks like the doctor called you to let you know Angel's lab results are normal, so just keep giving her the same dose of her medications.'" A bonus: Your electronic medical records stay current with every client interaction between appointments, from prescription refills to follow-up questions about home care.