Types of Office Visits and Associated Requirements

Vocabulary flashcards covering types of medical office visits, patient screening procedures, and appointment time allocations.

New Patient

A patient who has not received services from the provider or the same group (and same specialty) within 3 years, including for a known complaint or condition.

Established Patient

A patient who has received services from the same provider or same group (and same specialty) within 3 years, which could include a follow-up, sick visit, or consultation.

Comprehensive Appointment

A visit for a new or established patient addressing a specified complaint at the highest coding level, multiple complaints, injuries, or worsening chronic conditions.

Preventive Care Appointment

A visit centered on a thorough review of body systems, including complete physical examinations, annual wellness examinations, and chronic care management.

Urgent Appointment

An appointment scheduled for a patient whose condition is medically necessary to address within 24 hours.

Other Entities

Non-patient related office appointments, such as depositions, sales visits, representatives, staff meetings, and staff training.

Screening

The process of asking questions to determine a patient's signs, symptoms, and history of the current condition to prioritize medical services.

Decision Tree

A protocol tool containing questions that directs the medical assistant on the correct action to take depending upon patient responses.

Telehealth Visits

Virtual medical encounters that allow patients to save time and money by avoiding travel or transportation issues, determined by specialty, service needs, preferences, and third-party payer guidelines.

Schedule Increments

Time intervals into which medical office schedules are commonly divided, typically set in 15-minute blocks.

New Patient Visit Duration

An approximate required time of 60 minutes.

Established Patient Visit Duration

An approximate required time of 15 minutes.

Comprehensive Visit Duration

An approximate required time of 45 to 60 minutes.

Preventive Care Visit Duration

An approximate required time of 45 to 60 minutes.

Urgent Visit Duration

An approximate required time of 20 minutes.

Other Entities Visit Duration

An approximate required time of 30 minutes.