Making a Doctor's Appointment over the Phone

 

You wake up in the morning with a runny nose. You have a headache, your body hurts. You measure your temperature and everything becomes clear. Today instead of going to work, you'll visit a doctor. However, first you have to make an appointment. How can you do it? You've got two options, you can do it over the phone or personally. Today we're going to cover the first one.

Below you can find an example of a dialogue and a list of useful expressions.

Receptionist: Hello, it's Art Medical Centre. How can I help you?
Patient: Hello, I'd like to make an appointment to see Dr Thompson, please.
Receptionist: Can you come tomorrow at 10.00 am?
Patient: I'm afraid that it's urgent. Do you think the doctor could squeeze me in today?
Receptionist: Dr Thompson doesn't work on Mondays. Let me see if a different doctor is available today.
Patient: Sure.
Receptionist: Thank you for waiting. You can see Dr Johnson today. How does 12.30 sound to you?
Patient: It sounds great.
Receptionist: I'll put you in the doctor's schedule. What is your surname?
Patient: Nowak.
Receptionist: Could you spell it, please?
Patient: Of course, it's N-O-W-A-K.
Receptionist: Is the first letter M for Mike or N for November?

Patient: It's N for November.
Receptionist: Thank you. We'll see you then.
Patient: Thank you for your help. Good bye!
Receptionist: Good bye!

Useful expressions:
How can I help you?
I'd like to make an appointment...
I need to see a doctor.
as soon as possible
I'm afraid that...
check-up
urgent
to squeeze somebody in
to put somebody in somebody's schedule

Your first English conversations over the phone can be really stressful. If you speak elementary English, you can write down useful expressions or even whole sentences on a piece of paper. Your interlocutor won't know that you are reading. In case you don't understand something, ask your interlocutor to repeat him/herself or try to paraphrase what he/she said in your own word so he/she can then confirm it. After all, you don't want to come at the wrong time.

Can you think of more useful expressions for making a doctor's appointment over the phone? Have you ever done it in English? How did it go? Please share in comments!

...

Budzicie się rano z bólem głowy, z nosa Wam cieknie, a wszystko boli. Mierzycie gorączkę i wszystko jasne, dziś zamiast do pracy pójdziecie do lekarza. Jednak najpierw musicie się umówić. Jak to zrobić? Są dwie możliwości, możecie zadzwonić i umówić termin, albo przejść się osobiście i sprawdzić, czy lekarz będzie miał jeszcze dziś czas. Dziś zajmiemy się tą pierwszą opcją.

Poniżej zamieszczam przykładowy dialog i listę przydatnych zwrotów.

Recepcjonistka: Hello, it's Art Medical Centre. How can I help you?
Pacjent: Hello, I'd like to make an appointment to see Dr Thompson, please.Recepcjonistka: Can you come tomorrow at 10.00 am?Pacjent: I'm afraid that it's urgent. Do you think the doctor could squeeze me in today?Recepcjonistka: Dr Thompson doesn't work on Mondays. Let me see if a different doctor is available today.Pacjent: Sure.Recepcjonistka: Thank you for waiting. You can see Dr Johnson today. How does 12.30 sound to you?Pacjent: It sounds great.Recepcjonistka: I'll put you in the doctor's schedule. What is your surname?Pacjent: Nowak.Recepcjonistka: Could you spell it, please?Pacjent: Of course, it's N-O-W-A-K.Recepcjonistka: Is the first letter M for Mike or N for November?Pacjent: It's N for November.Recepcjonistka: Thank you. We'll see you then.Pacjent: Thank you for your help. Good bye!Recepcjonistka: Good bye!

Najważniejsze zwroty:
How can I help you? - W czym mogę pomóc?
I'd like to make an appointment... – Chciałbym się umówić...
I need to see a doctor. – Muszę się zobaczyć z lekarzem.
as soon as possible – tak szybko, jak to tylko możliwe
I'm afraid that... - Obawiam się, że...
check-up - kontrola
urgent – pilne
to squeeze somebody in – wcisnąć kogoś
to put somebody in somebody's schedule – umieścić kogoś w czyimś planie

Pierwsze rozmowy po angielsku przez telefon mogą być stresujące. Jeśli mówicie po angielsku słabo, możecie sobie na kartce wynotować przydatne zwroty, a nawet całe zdania. Osoba, z którą będziecie rozmawiać przez telefon i tak nie będzie wiedzieć, że czytacie. Jeśli czegoś nie zrozumiecie, poproście o powtórzenie albo powtórzcie sami i upewnijcie się, czy dobrze zrozumieliście, przecież nie chcecie przyjść na złą godzinę.

Czy przychodzą Wam do głowy jeszcze jakieś przydatne przy rejestracji zwroty? A może już kiedyś rejestrowaliście się do lekarza po angielsku? Jak poszło? Zachęcam do komentowania!