Mental Health Receptionist Training

Mental health care is provided by a team of workers. Most people think of mental health professionals as only the nurses and counselors, but in truth even receptionists are part of this team to provide care. Mental health receptionists have similarities to receptionists in other settings, but with unique additional responsibilities.

Basic Duties of Mental Health Receptionists

• Mental health receptionists are responsible for answering the telephone at doctors' offices, hospitals and other mental health facilities. Receptionists also may schedule appointments, handle billing issues and make sure the office runs smoothly. Medical receptionists also verify patient information and explain federal regulations such as HIPAA laws.

Medical Receptionist Training

• All receptionists who work in a medical setting can benefit from the same training, including mental health receptionists. A university degree is not needed, but some trade schools offer certification programs in medical receptionist training. These certificate programs generally take one year to complete. These programs teach students about billing, bookkeeping, insurance and medical terminology.

Crucial Issues of Confidentiality

• In all forms of medical training, students learn about the Federal patient confidentiality law. In 2001, new laws went into effect to protect the privacy of all patients. These laws, called Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), ensure that information about the patient's health, billing and any other items that go into the patient's personal medical file is all kept private. Mental health is no exception, and mental health receptionists must be careful not to reveal private patient information over the phone.

Coursework in Medical Receptionist Training Programs

• In programs for medical receptionist training certificates, students learn about medical terminology, business communication, laws and ethics and basic computer operations. Students will also learn how to function as part of a medical team.

Receptionists are Part of a Mental Health Care Team

• Everyone who works in a mental health care office is an essential part of the mental health care-giving team. Although receptionists do not have an active role in patient treatment, they are the first line of contact and are gatekeepers to the rest of the team of nurses, social workers and psychiatrists.