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Medical Receptionist Interview Questions

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Medical Receptionist interview questions and answers.

  1. What skills and characteristics do you think successful medical receptionists need? See answer
  2. What do you like about being a medical receptionist? See answer
  3. What do you know about our physicians and our practise? See answer
  4. What approach do you take to work with the many people at your desk daily? See answer
  5. How do you handle appointments cancelled at the last minute? See answer
  6. How would you manage an upset patient? See answer
  7. Which medical reception software have you used in the past? See answer
  8. Why did you leave your previous job as a medical receptionist? See answer
  9. What are the challenges you expect to face while working as a medical receptionist in our organisation? See answer
  10. How would you monitor and assess your performance as a medical receptionist? See answer
  11. Given an opportunity, would you want to pursue other roles in our medical practise? See answer
  12. Apart from welcoming guests, what other administrative duties are you comfortable handling? See answer
  13. What efforts do you make as a receptionist to establish a work-life balance?
  14. How would you prioritise a ringing phone, patientsin line, and a physician requesting to speak with you?
  15. How do you maintain confidentiality and ensure that patients’ personal information is secure?
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Hire your next Medical Receptionist today.

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Hire your next Medical Receptionist today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Medical Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers

What skills and characteristics do you think successful medical receptionists need?

This question assesses whether a candidate understands their contribution to the practise. It can reveal the candidate's personal skill set and relevant qualities that make them a good fit for the job. What to look for in an answer:

  • organisation, customer service, communication skills
  • Experience with administration duties
  • Understanding of what qualities a medical receptionist needs

Example:

"Medical receptionists need to be organised, compassionate, and strong communicators. In my three years of experience, I've been able to hone my communication skills by being welcoming.I also regularly acquaint myself with modern technologies that could improve efficiency at the reception desk."

What do you like about being a medical receptionist?

The goal of this question is to understand the candidate's approach to a medical receptionist's responsibilities and their attitude towardss the job. A candidate should express what they love about the role and acknowledge the challenges that come with it. What to look for in an answer:

  • Inspirations and enthusiasm for the role
  • Ability to identify and overcome challenges
  • Self-motivated

Example:

"Working as a medical receptionist excites me because I get to interact with new people every day. It's also interesting to work on different clerical and administrative tasks. I love organizing, scheduling, and take pride in my efficient filing systems."

What do you know about our physicians and our practise?

Look for a medical receptionist who's passionate about this position and is a good fit for your organisational culture. The answer evaluates whether the candidate researched your practise before applying for the role. What to look for in an answer:

  • Familiarity with the organisation's practises
  • Research skills and preparedness for the interview
  • Demonstration of passion in the organisation

Example:

"I'm drawn to your office because of the reputation your physicians have created over the years. I want to work for an organisation that helps patients with memory loss disorders, like this one. My aunt suffers from memory loss, so it's a field I'm passionate about. I'm impressed by the patient reviews that I found when researching the practise."

What approach do you take to work with the many people at your desk daily?

The question seeks to find out the candidate's interpersonal skills and how they handle pressure. It is an opportunity to evaluate if your candidate has a positive attitude towardss cheerfully serving others and learning about your organisation's policies. What to look for in an answer:

  • Approach service delivery
  • Interpersonal skills demonstration
  • Initiative to learn and adapt to new policies

Example:

"I enjoy interacting and conversing with different people to learn more about them and establish a good relationship with them on behalf of the organisation. I am comfortable learning more about your organisations' policies so that I can better advise and assist patients and visitors to their satisfaction."

How do you handle appointments cancelled at the last minute?

There are varying reasons a patient may cancel an appointment. A candidate should show empathy and problem-solving abilities. What to look for in an answer:

  • Empathy in customer service
  • Interpersonal and communication skills
  • organisation skills to manage unexpected cancellations

Example:

"I understand patients sometimes need to cancel or reschedule unexpectedly. For last-minute cancellations, I reschedule for the next available appointment and make a note to send additional reminders. I always leave a couple of open appointments in every doctor's weekly schedule to accommodate these unforeseen changes."

What efforts do you make as a medical receptionist to establish a work-life balance?

The question seeks to understand if the candidate can separate their personal life and professional duty. The candidate should show that they can handle patients without attaching their personal life issues. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to exhibit professionalism at all time
  • Commitment to high-quality customer service
  • Strategies to maintain a healthy work-life balance

Example:

"In my five years of practise, I have learned the importance of a healthy work-life balance. I always leave my personal issues at the door when I start my workday. When I leave the office, I enjoy my personal time and spend it doing things I love with friends and family."

How would you manage an upset patient?

Look for a candidate who can implement problem-solving strategies. A medical receptionist needs to settle issues swiftly by exercising excellent customer service skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Expertise in problem solving
  • Logical reasoning when dealing with patients
  • Ability to de-escalate challenging situations

Example:

"I would seek to understand what was causing the patient to be upset to devise a suitable solution. I've learned that I can't always avoid disagreements, but I can control how they're managed. If the issue is beyond my capacity, I would follow the company's protocols for next steps."

How would you prioritise a ringing phone, patients in line, and a physician requesting to speak with you?

A medical receptionist has to balance a lot of tasks that all require their full attention.This question assesses the candidate's ability to prioritise and multitask their duties. The receptionist must understand which tasks they can postpone for urgent ones, and why. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understands their roles well
  • Ability to multitask
  • Capacity to accommodate pressure at work

Example:

"My multitasking abilities make me a strong medical receptionist. In such a situation, I would answer the phone and ask the caller to hold for a moment. I would also acknowledge the patients in line with a smile and eye contact. I would then inform the physician that I have patients waiting in line and offer to return to see them as soon as I'm done with the patients. If there was another receptionist available, I would ask for their help so we could tend to patients more quickly."

How do you maintain confidentiality and ensure patients' personal information is secure?

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Code of Ethics protects patient information. A successful candidate needs to understand why and how to maintain patient confidentiality. They also need to be familiar with securing their records. What to look for in an answer:

  • Mention of the regulatory body
  • Understanding and respect for patient confidentiality
  • Experience managing sensitive information and keeping it secure

Example:

"In my first job as a receptionist, they trained me to adhere to the CMA requirements to protect patient information. I maintain confidentiality both inside and outside the workplace. I'm also familiar with different security software for digital copies and keep all hard copies of patient records under lock and key."

Which medical reception software have you used in the past?

This question assesses the candidate's familiarity with reception desk tools. A successful candidate should be able to keep up with technology to improve processes. What to look for in an answer:

  • Technological sharpness
  • Desire to improve efficiency and stay up to date
  • Experience with relevant software

Example:

"In my last role, I used VisiPoint Says to manage online scheduling, which improved our efficiency. I'm also familiar with several other applications. I have experience with visitor management tools, filing security software, and the Microsoft Office suite."

Why did you leave your previous job as a medical receptionist?

The answer to this question will evaluate the candidate's work history and inform your understanding of their career interests. What to look for in an answer:

  • Reason for leaving the former or current engagement
  • Desire to seek new opportunities
  • Long-term career goals

Example:

"I'm looking for a position that offers more opportunities for career growth. My former position as a medical receptionist was on a one-year contract term to cover maternity leave. That role was a great opportunity for me to hone my skills. However, the contract is coming to a close and I'm ready for a new challenge."

What are the challenges you expect to face while working as a medical receptionist in our organisation?

A medical receptionist faces several challenges in their duties and responsibilities. Look for a candidate who exhibits the ability to acknowledge challenges and problem solve. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the various challenges they may face in the role
  • Strategies for overcoming challenges
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Example:

"I expect many challenges in my line of work including communication barriers, managing patients' emotions, handling volumes of files among others. I've learned to organise my work and develop interpersonal skills to foster good relationships with all the patients."

How would you monitor and assess your performance as a medical receptionist?

This question evaluates whether the candidate can set and meet achievable targets without supervision. Look for a candidate that is self-motivated and driven to succeed. What to look for in an answer:

  • Goal-oriented
  • Interest in professional development and continuous improvement
  • Ability to take responsibility and work independently

Example:

"I keep a running to-do list to ensure I'm meeting my daily goals and staying organised. It's the first thing I review at the start and end of my day. If patients' needs and physician's schedules are well-managed throughout the day, I know I'm meeting my primary targets. I also..."

Given an opportunity, would you want to pursue other roles in our medical practise?

This question evaluates the candidate's career goals. Look for a candidate who's passionate about a role in the medical field and plans to work with your office long-term. What to look for in an answer:

  • Desire to work in a medical office and relevant skills
  • Long-term career goals
  • Interest in professional development

Example:

"I've always been interested in medical reception because I'm organised and enjoy interacting with different people every day. However, I'm always open to career development opportunities. If another role became available within the practise, I'd consider shifting my focus if I felt I was a good fit for the role."

Apart from welcoming guests, what other administrative duties are you comfortable handling?

A medical receptionist needs to balance several administrative tasks every day. This question's goal is to assess a candidate's experience with and knowledge of key medical receptionist duties. What to look for in an answer:

  • Enthusiasm for reception tasks
  • Ability to manage multiple administrative duties throughout the day
  • Experience as a receptionist and an understanding of the tasks involved

Example:

"In my previous role, I handled various data entry tasks in between communication with patients. I also managed office inventory and patient invoicing. I managed multiple physician's calendars and organised automated text and email reminders for patient appointments."

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