Register a new patient with an interpreter

You are a medical receptionist at the Warners Bay front desk.

Simulated workplaceEntry missionCAQA Lakeside Health

What is going on

A new patient, booked under reference LH-31120, arrives at 2:00 pm on Monday with a family member and the Arabic interpreter reception booked. The patient has never attended Lakeside, has a healthcare card, is taking several medicines from a previous doctor interstate and needs the registration form explained through the interpreter. The waiting room is busy and another patient with a similar surname is due at 2:15 pm. Last week a pathology result was handed to the wrong patient at this counter, and the Practice Manager has reinforced the two-identifier check for every interaction. The Senior Medical Receptionist is with you but expects you to lead the registration.

Jordan Whitlam, Senior Medical Receptionist
Subject: New patient with interpreter arriving 2:00 pm Monday

We have a new patient booked for 2:00 pm Monday under reference LH-31120 who has asked for an Arabic interpreter. You will be on the front desk with me. Before then, read the Patient Registration, Identification and Appointment Procedure and the Privacy and Health Records Policy so you can walk the patient through the New Patient Registration and Consent Form with the interpreter. Check the booking in the appointment system, confirm the interpreter is recorded, and think about what alerts we will need to add to the record. After last week's shared surname mix-up at the counter, I also want you to review that incident and tell me what we do differently.

Your brief

Register the new patient correctly and respectfully using the registration form and the interpreter, verify identity, record consent and alerts in the Patient Records and Appointments system, protect the patient's privacy at a busy counter and apply the lessons from the recent privacy incident.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the Patient Registration, Identification and Appointment Procedure and the Privacy and Health Records Policy and list the steps and the information you must give the patient.
Open the LH-31120 booking in the Patient Records and Appointments system and confirm the interpreter booking, the appointment type and the clinician allocation.
Work through the New Patient Registration and Consent Form with the patient and interpreter, explaining the privacy collection statement and the consent choices in plain language.
Verify the patient's name, date of birth and address against their identification, record the healthcare card details and confirm the emergency contact.
Enter the record with alerts for the interpreter requirement, allergies and the shared surname with the 2:15 pm patient, and mark the patient as arrived.
Read the 8 September privacy breach in the Clinical Incident and Hazard Register and write three things you will do at the counter today to prevent a repeat.
Record how you protected the patient's privacy at the counter (where the conversation happened, what was said aloud, how the form was handled) in a short reflection for the Senior Medical Receptionist.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Completed New Patient Registration and Consent Form
Updated patient record with alerts and arrival status
Three-point counter privacy checklist
Short reflection for the Senior Medical Receptionist

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.