Zento Training - Day 1: Foundations

Day 1 Contents

DAY 1

Welcome & Introductions

Your trainers for this session are:

Steph Downie

Operations Manager - Surgeon and Physicians

Sam Roberts

Billing & Practice Development Coordinator

Assisted by the Senior Admin team:

Loris Sunga

Jess Formaran

DAY 1

About Zento & Organisational Structure

About Zento Group

Founded in 2009, Zento Group provides end-to-end practice management and billing services for medical specialists across Australia.

We offer tailored, white-labelled services, operating seamlessly behind the scenes so our clients' brands remain front and centre.

DAY 1

Key Contacts & Team Structure

Our success is built on a "one team" approach between our Australian and Philippines teams.

Philippines Admin Team (Remote)

The remote hub for administrative efficiency, handling patient services, scheduling, and billing support.

Australian Admin Team (On-site)

The on-site anchor, providing in-person patient care and managing the physical clinic space. Their unique duties include patient greetings and chaperoning.

Key Management Contacts

Name	Role	Key Area
Steph Downie	Operations Manager - Surgeons/Physicians	Your Direct Manager
Becky Bennett	Operations Manager - Anaesthetists	Anaesthetist Team
Joel Cox	Accountant	Finance & Pay Queries
Sam Roberts	Billing & Practice Dev. Coordinator	Billing & Development

DAY 1

Company Culture & Our Values

Our Core Values

Efficiency: Streamlined processes and productive workflows.
Innovation: Embracing technology and new ideas.
Clear Communication: Speaking honestly and listening actively.
Responsibility: Taking ownership of our tasks and outcomes.
Positive Attitude: Supporting one another with optimism.
High Engagement: Showing up, contributing, and caring deeply.

A Note on Chismis (Gossip)

We nurture a culture of openness, respect, and professional kindness. Talk with people, not about them.

Quick Gut Check:

"Would I be okay if this were said about me, or said in front of me?" If the answer is no, it’s better left unsaid.

DAY 1

The Zento Way: Our Non-Negotiable Principles

These principles are the foundation of how we deliver excellent service.

1. Process Over Outcome ("Show, Don't Tell")

Your success is measured by your ability to follow the process correctly. It's not enough to get the right outcome; you must get there the right way. Our training teaches you the 'how'.

2. The System is the Source of Truth

All instructions and tasks must be logged in the correct system (Gentu, Slack). Informal "chit-chats" are not part of our workflow. If it's not in the system, it didn't happen. This protects you, the client, and Zento.

3. Own Your Swim Lane

Each role has clear responsibilities. Your job is to be an expert in your "swim lane." It's equally important to know when to professionally hand over tasks to another division or escalate to a Team Leader.

4. We are a Team, Not a Person

Our greatest strength is our team-based approach. We protect clients from risk by ensuring all work is visible to your colleagues through team channels, allowing for seamless support and cover.

DAY 1

Workplace Essentials: Hours, Pay & Leave

Understanding our core operational standards is key to a smooth start.

Work Hours & Breaks

Your manager will confirm your rostered hours, generally between 7 AM - 6 PM (PH Time). You are required to take a 60-minute unpaid meal break each day.

Pay & Timesheets

Salaries are paid fortnightly. You MUST clock in/out daily and log time against specific doctors using QuickBooks.

Leave & Holidays

Request annual leave via QuickBooks, providing at least 4 weeks’ notice where possible. We observe WA public holidays, but be aware teams may be rostered to work on a rotational basis.

DAY 1

Your Remote Workspace & Equipment

A professional and secure home setup is essential for your role.

Your Responsibilities

Your Space: Maintain a quiet, dedicated, and ergonomic workspace free from distractions.
Your Connection: A stable, private, and secure internet connection is mandatory. Public Wi-Fi is not permitted for work.
Our Equipment: You are responsible for the care and security of the Zento-supplied laptop and accessories. Report any issues immediately.
Privacy: All work-related communication must be done on your Zento-supplied equipment. Do not use personal devices.

Your professional setup ensures efficiency and protects patient confidentiality.

DAY 1

Critical Policy: Privacy & Security

Protecting patient information is our most important responsibility. Any breach of this trust can have serious consequences.

Procedure for an Accidental Breach

If you accidentally send sensitive information to an incorrect recipient (e.g., wrong email address), you must follow these steps immediately:

Notify your direct manager without delay.
Contact the incorrect recipient, apologize, and request that they permanently delete the information.

Your Cybersecurity Duty

Protect your home network with a strong password.
Report any suspicious activity (e.g., strange emails, pop-ups) to your manager or Ben Dudley immediately.

DAY 1

Communication Channels & Etiquette

Clear, prompt, and professional communication is a core part of your role.

Which Tool to Use?

Slack: Quick, urgent team messages.
Gentu Tasks: Patient-specific tasks & notes.
Email: Formal, detailed correspondence.
Zoom: Phone calls & virtual meetings.

Key Etiquette

Phone: Answer within 3 rings with a professional greeting (e.g., "Good morning, Dr. [Name]'s clinic...").
Email: Reply within 1 business day. Prompt action is crucial as referrals often arrive via email and must be actioned in order of receipt.
Privacy: Never send patient information without consent. If you make a mistake, notify your manager immediately.

DAY 1

Health & Safety: Your Remote Work Well-being

Your health is our priority. A safe setup and open communication are key.

Ergonomic Setup

Protect yourself from strain with good posture and setup:

Your screen should be at eye level to keep your neck in a natural position.
Your feet should be flat on the floor or a footrest.
Ensure your chair provides good back support.
Take regular short breaks to stand and stretch every hour.

Mental Wellbeing

We foster a supportive environment. If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, please don't hesitate to speak with your manager or a trusted colleague.

Open communication is encouraged and supported.

DAY 1

A Deep Dive on Doctor Communication

Understanding our clients is key to providing the premium service they expect.

Understanding Our Clients

Our clients are highly educated medical specialists. They are experts in their field, operate in high-stakes environments, and are owners of their own businesses. They have extremely high expectations for professionalism, accuracy, and efficiency.

Your Role is to Build Confidence

Every interaction you have is an opportunity to build the doctor's confidence in Zento. This is achieved through:

Accuracy: Double-checking your work is essential.
Professionalism: Your tone must always be calm, confident, and empathetic.
Proactive Communication: If you identify a problem or a delay, escalate it to your Team Leader immediately.

DAY 1

The Australian Health System: A Two-Tier Model

To understand your role, you must first understand the system our patients navigate. It has two main parts.

Public System (Medicare)

Funded by taxes, available to all citizens.
Provides essential care in public hospitals.
Can have very long waiting lists for non-urgent surgery.

Private System

Paid for by patients and their Private Health Insurance.
Allows choice of doctor and hospital.
Offers much shorter wait times for surgery.

Key Takeaway: Our specialists operate almost exclusively in the Private System. This is why we handle quotes, invoices, and private health funds.

DAY 1

Who Pays? Medicare vs. Private Health Funds

Understanding who pays for what is crucial for accurate billing and patient communication.

Medicare

Australia's universal health scheme.

Subsidises (partially pays for) consultations with specialists.
Does NOT cover the full cost of procedures in a private hospital.
Your Role: We use the patient's Medicare details to claim this subsidy (rebate) for them.

Private Health Insurance (PHI)

An optional, extra insurance policy.

Covers the costs of being treated in a private hospital.
Pays a portion of the specialist's procedure fee.
Important: PHI applies to in-hospital care only; it generally does not cover out-of-hospital consultations.
Your Role: We use the patient's PHI details to create quotes and claim procedure fees from their fund.

DAY 1

The Money Explained: Billing Terms You MUST Know

These terms are central to creating quotes and explaining costs to patients.

Bulk Billing: The doctor accepts the Medicare rebate as full payment. The patient pays nothing. This is not common for our specialists and is typically limited to certain telehealth consultations where results are discussed.

Private Billing: The doctor sets their own fee. The patient pays the full amount, then claims a rebate back from Medicare. This is common for consultations.

"The Gap" (or Out-of-Pocket Cost): This is the most important concept for procedures. It's the amount the patient is personally responsible for paying.

Doctor's Fee - (Medicare Rebate + PHI Contribution) = The Patient's Gap

Your Role: Our quotes (Informed Financial Consent) are designed to clearly explain this "gap" to the patient before their procedure.

DAY 1

The Gatekeeper: Why the GP Referral is Essential

A referral isn't just a letter; it's the key that unlocks the patient's access to Medicare benefits for specialist care.

The Rule of the System

A patient cannot claim a Medicare rebate for a specialist visit without a valid, in-date referral from a General Practitioner (GP).
The GP acts as the manager of the patient's overall care and the entry point into the specialist system.
Standard GP referrals are valid for 12 months from the date of the first specialist visit.

Why This is Critical For Your Role

Checking the referral's validity is one of your most important first steps. An expired or incorrect referral means:

The patient cannot claim their rebate.
This leads to payment problems and unhappy patients.

DAY 1

The Patient Journey in Australia

Now that you understand the system, let's see how a patient moves through it. This is a cycle of care we facilitate.

DAY 1

Patient Journey: Step 1 - GP Consultation & Referral

The journey begins when a patient sees their GP. If needed, the GP writes a referral letter to a specialist.

This referral is essential for the patient to claim a Medicare rebate. A standard GP referral is valid for **12 months**.

DAY 1

Patient Journey: Step 2 - Specialist Appointment

The patient (or our team) books an appointment with the specialist.

The specialist assesses the patient, may order more tests, and discusses a treatment plan.

DAY 1

Patient Journey: Step 3 - Pre-Procedure Process

Pre-Procedure Process

If surgery is needed, a series of important administrative steps must be completed.

Informed Consent: The specialist explains the procedure, and the patient provides written consent.
Booking: Our team schedules the procedure at a private hospital.
Quoting: We provide the patient with a quote (Informed Financial Consent).
Preparation: We send the patient instructions for pre-operative preparation.

DAY 1

Patient Journey: Step 4 - The Procedure

The Procedure & Immediate Recovery

On the day, the patient is admitted to the hospital.

Admission: The patient checks in, and nurses confirm all details.
Procedure: The specialist performs the procedure.
Recovery Ward: The patient is monitored closely as they recover.
Admission Types: This can be a "Day Surgery" or an "Overnight Stay".

DAY 1

Patient Journey: Step 5 - Follow-up

Post-Procedure Follow-up

Follow-up appointments are essential for recovery.

Purpose: To review healing, check pathology results, and detect complications.
Booking: These appointments are typically booked when the original procedure is scheduled.
Mode: Can be in-person or via telehealth.

DAY 1

Patient Journey: Step 6 - Back to GP

Transition of Care Back to GP

Once specialist care is no longer required, the care cycle is completed.

A final report is sent from the specialist to the patient's GP.
This report summarises the procedure, results, and ongoing management plan.
The GP then resumes primary care for the patient.

DAY 1

Role: Managing Referrals

The First Point of Contact

This is the critical starting point for every new patient's journey with us. Accuracy and efficiency here are fundamental.

Key Responsibilities:

Receiving & Logging: Systematically collect all incoming referrals.
Clinical Triage: Forward referrals to the doctor to assess urgency and document instructions.
Patient Profile Creation: Accurately create new patient profiles in Gentu.
Sending RPIF: Send the Referral and Patient Information Form to gather medical history.
Initial Booking: Schedule the patient's first appointment based on triage priority.
Document Uploading: Upload the referral, RPIF, and test results to the patient's file.

Key Handovers:

To Outpatient Admin: Once an appointment is booked, a task is created for the Outpatient Admin team to manage future billing.

To the Doctor: All referrals are sent to the Doctor for clinical triage before any action is taken.

DAY 1

Role: Outpatient Admin

Managing Daily Appointments

This role is central to the daily management of outpatient appointments and the wrap-up of each consultation.

Key Responsibilities:

Billing: Accurately process billing for consultations.
Appointment Wrap-up: Action the doctor's instructions after each appointment.
Confirming Next Steps: Clearly communicate next steps to the patient.
Updating Patient File: Promptly update the patient's digital file.
Procedure Handover: Meticulously pass all details for a procedure booking to the Theatre Admin team.

Key Handovers:

To Theatre Admin: If a procedure is required, all details are passed to the Theatre Admin division to begin the booking process.

DAY 1

Role: Theatre Admin

Coordinating All Procedures

This role handles the complex coordination of all medical procedures.

Key Responsibilities:

Theatre List Management: Accurately add patients to the theatre list.
Sending Quotes: Generate and send detailed financial quotes (IFC) to patients.
Patient Instructions: Provide clear pre-operative and initial post-operative instructions.
Post-op Booking: Proactively schedule the patient's post-operative follow-up appointment.
Team Coordination: Book regular anaesthetists and surgical assistants for procedures.
Invoice Management: Process final invoices, manage refunds/extra charges, and send reminders.

Key Handovers:

From Outpatient Admin: Receives all initial information to begin the theatre booking process.

DAY 1

Role: Admin & Communication Support

The Operational Backbone

This role provides overarching assistance, ensuring seamless communication and operational smoothness.

Key Responsibilities:

Correspondence Management: Manage, sort, and distribute all incoming mail.
Task Monitoring: Proactively monitor task completion across the team.
Sending Letters: Efficiently dispatch letters and reports to GPs.
Call & Message Management: Act as a first point of contact for incoming calls and emails, handling general inquiries and escalating where necessary.

DAY 1

Beyond Daily Tasks: Practice Support & Growth

Specialized Admin Tasks

As you grow, you may be involved in key administrative projects, such as:

Managing doctor provider number applications.
Handling new registrations with Private Health Insurers.

Supporting Practice Growth

We also support our clients' networking and marketing efforts. An example of this is:

Organizing the logistics for professional networking events, such as catered lunches for referring GPs.

DAY 1

Knowledge Check

1. Which system do our specialists primarily work in?

The Public System

The Private System

2. What is the term for the out-of-pocket cost a patient must pay for a procedure?

Private Billing

The Gap

Bulk Billing

The Rebate

3. What is the validity of a standard GP referral?

6 months

3 months

12 months

Indefinite