Calm in the Chaos: how are friendly reception team can help!
A little calm in the chaos: how our reception team can help!
It’s that time of year when the calendar starts filling up, everyone’s heading in different directions, and finding a spare half hour somehow becomes a whole project.
With Christmas approaching, holidays, school events, work commitments and changing routines can make looking after yourself a little harder to organise. We’ve also had a bit of unpredictability at Next-Gen lately too – Tom is on parental leave, Zac is unexpectedly off with an injury and our team has been working through the appointment changes that come with it.
So, it felt like a good time to introduce the people who can help make sense of it all: our reception and admin team.
That’s me, Kim, the Practice Manager, alongside our amazing receptionists, Louise and Sam.
We’re the voices on the phone, the faces at the front desk and the people behind those appointment messages. A big part of our job is helping you work out what happens next (especially when things don’t go to plan).
Think of us as a little calm in the storm.
You don’t need to know who to book with, which appointment to choose or where your question belongs before you contact us. Here are a few things you can ask.
“My usual physio is away. Who can I see?”
We know seeing someone different can feel a little daunting, especially when you’ve built a relationship with your usual physio.
If they’re away, we can help arrange an appointment with another member of the team and explain that you’re continuing your care. Your clinical notes are available to the treating physio, giving them a starting point for understanding your injury, treatment and progress.
If you’re unsure about seeing someone else or waiting for your usual physio, let us know. We can check with the clinical team to help work out an appropriate next step.
“I can’t find an appointment online. Can you help?”
Yes – please give us a call.
Online booking is convenient, but if the available times don’t work for you, our reception team can check the options and add you to our cancellation list.
Let us know which days and times you can manage, whether you can come in at short notice and whether you’re happy to see another physio. Those details help us find an appointment that suits.
We can’t promise a spot will open up, but we can keep an eye out.
“My plans have changed. What should I do about my appointments?”
Between holidays, Christmas commitments and kids finishing school, routines can get a little unpredictable.
If you know you’ll be away or your usual appointment time won’t work, let us know early. We can help rearrange your bookings and, where needed, pass a message to your physio about the change.
It’s also worth mentioning any upcoming travel at your next appointment so your physio can factor it into your plan.
And if you need to cancel, as much notice as possible gives us the best chance of offering that time to someone waiting. We ask for at least 12 hours notice to cancel to avoid any cancellation fees.
“I’ve got a question for my physio. Can you pass it on?”
Absolutely.
Perhaps you can’t find your exercise program, you’ve forgotten something discussed at your appointment or you’re unsure about your next step.
Tell reception what you need, and we can get the question to the right person. We’ll check whether your physio can respond between appointments or whether a review is needed.
Our admin team won’t give clinical advice, but we can help you connect with someone who can.
“I don’t know what appointment to book.”
You don’t need to learn our booking system before you call us!
Whether it’s a new injury, a familiar problem or your first visit in a while, tell us a little about what’s going on. We can help you choose the appointment type and check with a physio if we need clarification.
The same goes if you’re booking for someone else and aren’t quite sure what they need.
“Can you help with a referral, invoice or paperwork?”
These questions are very much in our territory.
We can help with things like receipts, invoices, appointment records and questions about referral paperwork or fees.
If your request needs a report or input from your physio, we can coordinate that too. Just let us know about any deadlines as early as possible, particularly heading into the holiday period when leave can affect turnaround times.
“Something wasn’t quite right at my appointment. Who should I tell?”
You can talk to us.
If you’ve left feeling confused, have a concern about your appointment or think something has been missed, we want to hear about it.
You don’t need to make a formal complaint or wait until your next visit. Reception can listen, pass your feedback to the appropriate person and help arrange a conversation.
You don’t have to figure it all out yourself
Life gets busy, plans change, and sometimes your physio ends up needing a physio.
Through all of that, our reception and admin team is here to help keep things moving. Sometimes that means finding an appointment. Sometimes it means tracking down paperwork. And sometimes it’s simply listening and working out who can help.
If you’re unsure what to do next, call us on 4965 5712 or have a chat with us at the desk.
Chaos is inevitable sometimes, but at Next Gen you’ll always find a friendly face ready to help.
