Module 12 of 12 · 门诊中文 Front Desk & Medical Assistant
结账沟通 Checkout, Bills and Hard Conversations
Close every visit well in Mandarin: checkout and next steps, notes and bills, complaints and hard conversations, and a warm goodbye.
By the end of this module you can…
- Run checkout: the next visit, payment, notes, and what to bring.
- Explain a bill and a balance, and fix mistakes.
- Listen to a complaint, apologize well, and act on it.
- Stay calm and respectful when a patient is angry or feels disrespected.
- End every visit warmly, even after a hard conversation.
Key vocabulary
Fourteen words from this module. Tap the speaker to hear each one.
Checkout & bills
- 结账jié zhàngTo check out (and pay)
- 病假条bìng jià tiáoSick note
- 证明信zhèng míng xìnLetter (from the doctor)
- 下次预约xià cì yù yuēNext appointment
- 欠费qiàn fèiUnpaid balance
- 退款tuì kuǎnRefund
- 催款信cuī kuǎn xìnPayment reminder letter
- 账户zhàng hùBilling account
Making it right
- 投诉tóu sùComplaint; to complain
- 道歉dào qiànTo apologize
- 理解lǐ jiěTo understand (feelings)
- 主管zhǔ guǎnSupervisor
- 反馈fǎn kuìFeedback
- 尊重zūn zhòngRespect
Ten core phrases
The lines from this module’s take-home phrase sheet. In the course you can print them on one page for your pocket.
- 医生让您两个星期以后再来，我们现在约吧。Yī shēng ràng nín liǎng ge xīng qī yǐ hòu zài lái, wǒ men xiàn zài yuē ba.Back in two weeks: let’s book it now.
- 今天的共付额三十块。如果还有需要您付的，等保险处理完，我们再寄账单给您。Jīn tiān de gòng fù é sān shí kuài. Rú guǒ hái yǒu xū yào nín fù de, děng bǎo xiǎn chǔ lǐ wán, wǒ men zài jì zhàng dān gěi nín.US: $30 copay today; anything else billed after insurance.
- 需要病假条吗？是给学校还是公司？Xū yào bìng jià tiáo ma? Shì gěi xué xiào hái shi gōng sī?Need a sick note? For school or work?
- 您的账户上还有欠费，一次付不了的话，可以分期付。Nín de zhàng hù shang hái yǒu qiàn fèi, yí cì fù bu liǎo de huà, kě yǐ fēn qī fù.There’s a balance owed; if you can’t pay it all at once, you can pay in installments.
- 账单有错的话，我们会尽快改，多收的会退款给您。Zhàng dān yǒu cuò de huà, wǒ men huì jǐn kuài gǎi, duō shōu de huì tuì kuǎn gěi nín.Any billing error gets fixed, and overcharges refunded.
- 谢谢您告诉我，您慢慢说。Xiè xie nín gào su wǒ, nín màn màn shuō.Thank you for telling me; take your time.
- 非常抱歉让您有这种感觉。您能告诉我发生了什么吗？Fēi cháng bào qiàn ràng nín yǒu zhè zhǒng gǎn jué. Nín néng gào su wǒ fā shēng le shén me ma?I’m very sorry you feel that way. What happened?
- 请您小声一点，这样我们好好谈。Qǐng nín xiǎo shēng yì diǎn, zhè yàng wǒ men hǎo hǎo tán.Please lower your voice so we can talk it through.
- 我请主管来跟您谈。Wǒ qǐng zhǔ guǎn lái gēn nín tán.I’ll ask my supervisor to talk with you.
- 谢谢您今天来，慢走，多保重！Xiè xie nín jīn tiān lái, màn zǒu, duō bǎo zhòng!Thank you for coming today. Take care!
What’s in Module 12
- Part 1 · Warm-UpWarm-Up: Good Days and Hard Days
- Part 2 · The Words for CheckoutReading the PinyinSaying 假条 vs. Writing 医疗证明Vocabulary · Flash CardsFive Things at Checkout
- Part 3 · Checkout and BillsThe Checkout ScriptListening to a ComplaintKey PatternsBills and BalancesNotes and FormsTaking a Complaint
- Part 4 · Hard ConversationsWhen a Patient Is Angry“You’re Not Respecting Me”Respect and Safety
- Part 5 · Concerns & GoodbyesWhat Patients SayEnding Every Visit WellThree More Words
- Part 6 · Role-PlayRound 1 · Guided ConversationRound 2 · Controlled PracticeRounds 3, 4 & 5 · Independent
- Part 7 · Knowledge CheckModule 12 Knowledge Check
- Part 8 · Wrap-UpModule 12 HomeworkTake-Home Phrase SheetModule 12 Wrap-Up · 下次见
Practice it properly
The full module adds dialogues, role-plays, pronunciation drills and a Knowledge Check. Pass the check to earn a certificate of completion you can add to LinkedIn.