Question 62 of 100
(demo test)
Product Demo for COA Exam Questions
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The doctor orders a scan at a hospital across town for a patient who has brief attacks of vision loss. You give the patient directions and check that her insurance covers the test. What else should you keep in the office so the result is not lost?
Keep a log of ordered outside studies. For each test the log holds the patient's name and record number, the date, the place, and the name of the test. That short line lets you follow up on the result. Without it, a test that is never done, or a report that goes to the wrong office, is simply never missed. Nobody is left holding the loose end.
The reason is legal as well as clinical. Some patients do not keep the appointment. Some results are sent to the wrong place. Lack of follow-up then becomes a medical legal issue. The risk is highest when the missing result would have changed the treatment and the patient is harmed. The other tasks in this visit are still real work. Directions, clear instructions, and a check on insurance coverage and preapproval all help the patient get the test done. But none of them tells you later whether the report ever came back. Keep the log where the whole team can reach it. Check it each week for tests with no result yet. Then call the facility or the patient and ask why.
So build the habit of closing the loop. Every test you send out gets a line in the log and a check later for the answer. When a report does come in, show it to the doctor and file it in the chart that day. Tracking what you order, and writing it down, is part of the COA history and documentation content area.
Incorrect Answers
- A. An insurance copy helps billing only. It says nothing about what test was ordered, where it was sent, or whether a report came back. Coverage was already checked before the test was booked.
- B. A records release lets you share the chart. It is about privacy and consent, not about chasing a result. Signing one does not put the test on anyone's list to watch.
- D. A number on today's schedule sheet is thrown away tonight. The trail disappears with the paper. A phone number also names no patient, no date, and no test.
Testing Pearls
- Log every outside test with name, record number, date, place, and test.
- Missing follow-up on a result is a medical legal risk for the practice.
- Tell the patient the prep instructions and directions for an outside facility.
- Check coverage and preapproval before an outside test is booked.
- Patients who understand why a test matters are more likely to keep the appointment.
References
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmic Medical Assisting: An Independent Study Course. Chapter 19, Understanding Practice Management.
