Activity Information

This continuing education activity is designed for front desk associates working in community health centers and other ambulatory healthcare settings. The activity provides practical instruction on the knowledge and skills needed to support a positive patient experience, efficient clinic operations, and organizational success. Participants will explore patient-centered communication strategies using the H.E.A.R.T. framework, professional phone etiquette, appointment scheduling and access management, demographic and insurance verification, data integrity, revenue cycle fundamentals, patient privacy requirements, and preventive care outreach.

Through interactive scenarios, case-based learning, and knowledge checks, learners will develop the skills necessary to create welcoming patient experiences, accurately manage patient information, support insurance and financial processes, and promote continuity of care through effective outreach and scheduling practices. The activity emphasizes the critical role front desk associates play in patient satisfaction, care access, compliance, operational efficiency, and the overall financial sustainability of the healthcare organization

Acknowledgement of Support

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided financial support for this project. The award provided of total costs and totaled $1,561,267. The contents are those of the author. They may not reflect the policies of HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. 

Target Audience

This activity is appropriate for health center front desk associates.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to do the following:

• Apply the H.E.A.R.T. framework to create positive patient experiences, achieving a score of 80% or higher on patient-service scenario assessments.
• Demonstrate professional communication, phone etiquette, and scheduling practices, achieving 90% accuracy on simulated call-handling and scheduling exercises.
• Verify and document patient demographic and insurance information accurately, reducing registration and documentation errors by at least 20% following training.
• Support patient access, revenue cycle processes, and preventive care outreach, achieving 90% compliance with established front-desk workflows and outreach documentation standards.