The first person you meet when you walk into the PTC is the front-desk receptionist. As you’d expect, a big part of that role is answering the phone and making appointments. But there’s a lot more to it! (Including getting moony over visiting babies.)
You should know, our receptionists are volunteers who receive the same background screening and client-focused training as all our volunteers in every role. The receptionist’s job is to make your visit as useful and as seamless as possible.
When you walk in, the receptionist will greet you and ask what kind of services you need. We are here to serve men, women, and families, so we have a range of different services – pregnancy testing, STD testing, counseling, education, and a first ultrasound or prenatal appointment for moms who can’t get in with an OBGYN right away. We can do pregnancy tests on a walk-in basis, but all our other services require an appointment.
All of our services are free. Always.
The receptionist will ask if you’re new or if you’re already a client. If you’ve visited us in the last five years, we should be able to pull your file on site. Even if it’s been a long time since you visited, we should have a record of you in our database.
We maintain medical records on each clinic patient, but we also keep anonymous statistics on how many people we serve, what kind of services are used most, and how our work impacts clients in the long-term. This information is important for our supporters, our parent organization, and to help plan for the future.
The receptionist will have you fill out some paperwork. Your clipboard will include an intake form for your contact information, medical history, and some questions about your living situation, relationships, and personal beliefs. It may seem like a lot, but it’s helpful for the medical staff and your client advocate to know where you’re coming from. We have a lot of resources available to offer you practical and emotional support, and this information helps us find the ones you need.
You’ll also sign some consent forms for testing and treatment, and some related to the privacy of your health records. We’ll get a copy of your photo ID, or take a snapshot to keep in the file. This helps us make sure that we’re matching the right file to the right patient.
If you are more comfortable speaking and writing in Spanish, tell us! We have Spanish materials available, and we have interpreters on-call.
Si te sientes más cómodo hablando y escribiendo en español, ¡cuéntanos! Disponemos de material en español e intérpretes de guardia.
When your file is created or updated, the receptionist will take it back to the clinic and make sure the staff know you’re ready to be seen. We try to keep wait times as short as possible, but if you have any special time pressure, like visiting us on your lunch break from work, let us know! We’ll work hard to respect your time and get you seen as efficiently as we can.
When you’re done with your visit, the nurse or your client advocate will let you know if you need a follow-up visit. The receptionist will work with you to set that up and make sure we have your best contact info for a reminder.
If you have any questions before or after your appointment, please ask the receptionist! If she doesn’t know the answer, she’ll find somebody who does. Our receptionists show up every day because they care about you and want to make sure you get the help and services you need.
Call us at 205-979-0302 to make an appointment. We’re always glad to see you!