How would you prioritize the following situation...

[funkychickendancer]

You are on reception, people are queing at the desk, doctor comes out and says Pt. X files are not ready, I need them now, please find them. The phone is ringing...

Help doc first cos he seeing patients on time makes everyone wait less in long run.

Answer phone and put person on hold.
Deal with queue.

Or tell them all you are off for a tea-break!!!

Thanks potoftea.
That makes sense.

Perfect time to go for a tea break.

Dr first - assuming he's with the patient (wil make everyone late otherwise)
Then phone (apologising to people waiting - but at least they can see you are busy, person on phone just assumes you are drinking tea and ignoring them)
then queue

Slightly disagree to others...
Doc
Queue
Phone

A person in the queue might be the doc's first patient of the day.

Dr first, find out his request.
Phone next, they can't see you are busy and you can show body language to waiting patient to apologise.
Ask tell phone patient to hold and then action doctors request whilst apologising to patient.
Book patient in or if it is an information visit ask them to wait again whilst returning to the phone.
Book phone appointment or finish with patient which ever one prioritises first.

Spent years on front medical reception, body language speaks volumes plus keeping your doctors on side!

Phone second to doctor because they may be the doctors first appointment calling to cancel in the NHS's dreams

I agree with mrsconfused that I'd deal with queue before phone (it should have an answerphone on IMO) It drives me crazy when I'm in a long queue and then they stop to answer the phone, feels like queue jumping.

Hmm, I worked in outpatients.

I would:

1.Get details of DR request.

1. Say to people in queue that if any of them are here just to book in and have their appointment letter with them, they are welcome to just hand it to me and take a seat (this way the queue is reduced, the clinic will proceed and I have the patients' name if I have a query).
2. Apologise to remaining patients
3. Answer phone.
4. Deal with queue.