The operational decision
Help callers leave the information line without asking them to disclose the intended patient request. A general-information handoff gives the caller a dependable next step. It does not quietly become patient intake, a callback commitment or evidence that someone on staff has accepted responsibility for a request.
Prepare the workflow
Identify the service and offer the correct public practice contact if known; do not guess another organization's number.
Example wording for approval
“This is the example practice's general-information line. If you intended another office, please check its published number; I cannot confirm a destination I do not have.”
Worked example
A fictional caller thinks they have reached a different practice with a similar name. State this line's identity and offer the known public contact only if it is relevant. Do not search for a likely replacement number and announce it as verified. The test should include two similarly named offices so staff can hear whether the assistant overclaims an affiliation. The useful outcome may simply be a polite correction that allows the caller to check the intended practice's own listing.
Handoff record
Record these task-specific fields: line identity, known public alternative, unknown-route wording, owner.
Acceptance check
Name an unrelated practice. The assistant should acknowledge the mismatch without inventing an affiliation or transferring to an unverified number.
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