José Menendez is an elderly patient ofDr. Juárez, a board-certified urologist. José has a history ofrecurrent UTIs dating back more than 10 years. When he becomessymptomatic, he has been instructed to call Dr. Juárez’s office andschedule a urinalysis. Dr. Juárez’s receptionist has just receiveda call from Mr. Menendez. He says he knows he is supposed to comein for a urine test but that he just wants a prescription phoned into his pharmacy instead. The receptionist asks Emilia, Dr. Juárez’smedical assistant, to take the call from Mr. Menendez. Emilialistens as Mr. Menendez recounts that he is experiencingdysuria—painful, burning urination. She asks him to come in for aurinalysis, explaining that, as per standing orders, a clean-catchmidstream specimen needs to be collected. Mr. Menendez repeats toEmilia that he does not want to come in to the office. “Why can’tyou call in a prescription for Bactrim? That is what I took lasttime, and it helped.”

Provide detailed answers for each ofthe following questions. Your response should be one (1) page inlength.

• What is your response?
• Should the responsibility for this call have fallen on Emilia,or should the receptionist have either handled the call herself orpassed it on to Dr. Juárez?
• What, if anything, could or should Emilia say to Mr. Menendezto persuade him to come in for the urinalysis?
• Might the cost of the procedure be a factor in the reason whyMr. Menendez does not want to have a urinalysis, and, if so, what,if anything, can Emilia do or say about the cost?
• Is it appropriate in this case, given the patient’s extensivehistory, to indeed call in a prescription for Bactrim?
• If not, how should Emilia handle Mr. Menendez’s request for hisprescription?
• If so, what procedure should Emilia follow to arrange for aprescription?
• How should this telephone call be charted?
• What, if anything, should Dr. Juárez be told about theconversation with Mr. Menendez?