title: The telephone encounter: the cast of characters encountered by the physician executive.
abstract: Volumes have been written about telephone productivity, decorum, behavior, and economic impact. Although every physician is skilled in telephone communication, medical directors must approach this communications modality from a different vantage point. The attending physician uses it as an information receiver and transmittal station. The medical director uses it as a negotiation platform. It is estimated that 50 to 90 percent of the medical director's time is spent on the phone. "Working smarter" can increase productivity to save time and stress. This article identifies and categorizes many of the problems that the medical director deals with on a daily basis. It pertains to phone conversations in which there is a question about a procedure, appropriateness of care, medical necessity, or quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Aetna Health Plans, Hartford, CT, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Casebolt
mesh_terms: D003144:Communication Barriers; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D017008:Negotiating; D008486:Physician Executives; D013689:Telephone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017748:Time Management; D014481:United States