Which course of action is recommended when a provider has not answered 20 queries past the target date?

• A. Follow the policy on query response
• B. Close the queries without response
• C. Notify patient family
• D. Reassign the case to another provider

Answer: (A)

When a provider falls far behind on responses, the key idea is to act through established procedures for handling delays. Following the policy on query response ensures a consistent, safe, and auditable approach to backlog management. It typically triggers the predefined workflow—such as escalating to a supervisor, documenting the delay, and allocating or reassigning workload as directed—so the issue is addressed promptly and uniformly.

Closing the queries without response would bypass safeguards and could compromise patient care. Notifying patient family is not appropriate for internal performance issues and doesn’t resolve the backlog. Reassigning the case might be part of the policy, but the correct action is to follow the policy first, which will guide whether reassignment or other steps are warranted.