Problem: Review the following scenario and answer the questions listed below.
Scenario: Barbara Allen is a new health information technology graduate hired by the medical center's health information management department. This is her first day on the job. The telephone rings twice and is answered by the department secretary. The call is forwarded to Barbara Allen, correspondence technician.
Barbara: "Correspondence Section. May I help you?"
Doctor: "Hello, this is Dr. Ahbibe from Breyne's Clinic in Columbia, New Mexico. We have a patient here by the name of Garrick Tanner who was admitted for status epilepticus. We need a past history for this patient and all pertinent documents sent to us immediately. The seizure activity is progressing in frequency and the patient is unable to provide information about drug allergies."
Barbara: "Would you hold while I pull the patient's record?"
Doctor: "Certainly."
Several minutes pass as Barbara searches by checking the Master Patient Index (MPI) and retrieving the record. Upon inspection of the record, she realizes that this is a "sealed file" because of a pending lawsuit. She also notes that Garrick Tanner has an extensive history of substance abuse that has been the main cause of his seizures. She closes the record, confused as to how she should handle this situation.
1. Critique Barbara's greeting.
2. Determine how you would handle this situation if you were Barbara. What would you have done differently, if anything, from the onset? Please explain and discuss.
3. Given the situation what would you do next? Please explain and discuss.