Reception staff do their best but they often need to ask you for more information when you call so they can “Triage” and manage your call correctly.We ask you to help with this process by understanding and helping reception staff when they ask for more information from you.
Sometimes a return phone call is appropriate, e.g. your doctor may have asked you to report in on your response to treatments, or to get further instructions from them. Examples include patients who have been started on an antibiotic and we are assessing repsonse to treatment, or a small child with a high fever may be reviewed by phone later in the same day or the next day. If this is the case, the doctors usually let the reception staff know who they are expecting to call in on any particular day.
There are times however when you really may need to come in and see the doctor, and it is the job of the reception staff to try and work this out with you sometimes.
So please let reception staff know clearly what it is you are ringing about, and what the problem is, so they know how to advise you.
Of course there might be times when you are very distressed. Your call will be handled carefully, and attended to as promptly as possible. We all understand that crises can occur and sometimes you need to talk to your treating health professional for help and advice.
Also if the matter constitutes a medical emergency, please let reception know, so thay can get the right person on the phone to give you advice.
Our doctors would prefer to take calls in their administration time in order to minimize delays in the waiting room, so if you call when they are with another patient, you may be asked to phone back when your doctor is free.
If your call is urgent, please explain the reason in case we need to interrupt a consultation.
Phone calls for Test Results
In your consultation the Doctor will have told you to either ring for results or to make a follow up appointment for your results.
It is best to make the follow up appointment as you settle your account, allowing sufficient time for your results to be sent to the doctor after your pathology or imaging has been attended to.
If you have been told to ring for your results you are able to leave a message with the receptionist with your name and best contact number and she will forward the message your doctor.