While the regular list is started the clinic reception can schedule them in if they can be treated, or try to find another solution for them. She should be encouraged to come for examination and counselling if she is not sure whether she wants to finish her pregnancy or not. It is a good policy for a clinic to grant this pre-exam and counselling free of charge and state in advance that a patient will not be persuaded to have an abortion done. Patients should be urged to phone if they will not keep their appointment or if they will be late. On arrival the patients name and address and date of birth is taken down and a treatment form is filled in.
Payment is made and the patient is given an outline of the procedure.
The receptionist should already find out if there is a reason for preliminary examination, for instance if the pregnancy is not certain or if it may be too far advanced. Ideally one or more counsellors are available who speak with every patient individually. This topic is discussed in some detail in chapter 14 4. Preparation of the patient. Here again to prevent a useless time consuming session, the first thing is to find out if a preliminary examination is necessary.