Question

an established patient confirmed the time - specified scheduled appointment for a complete annual physical appointment 48 hours prior; however, the patient arrives 3 hours late. which of the following is the best approach to managing the schedule? educate the patient on the scheduling impact and document the exchange reschedule the 60 - minute appointment for an alternative day and document the exchange. honor the late arrival and use the interval time to catch - up. tell the patient they will be called back next and document the late arrival.

Explanation:

When a patient arrives late for a confirmed appointment, rescheduling is often the best approach. Educating the patient about scheduling impacts and documenting the exchange is important for future reference and patient understanding. Rescheduling ensures the schedule remains organized and other patients are not overly delayed. Honoring a very late arrival (3 hours) disrupts the schedule. Telling the patient to wait without clear communication (just "called back next") is less professional than rescheduling.

Answer:

Reschedule the 60 - minute appointment for an alternative day and document the exchange.