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Correct Answer: physicians
the question is asking to identify which of the given options is not an example of an external customer in a healthcare context. to address the question, it’s important to distinguish between external and internal customers within an organization.
external customers are those who receive products or services from an organization but are not directly a part of the organization itself. in healthcare, external customers typically include patients and their families, healthcare consumers, and other individuals who require healthcare services but are not employees or directly affiliated with the healthcare provider.
the options provided for consideration are ambulatory patients, physicians, patient's families, and out-patients.
- **ambulatory patients** are individuals who come to a healthcare facility for treatment but do not require an overnight stay. these are clearly external customers as they receive services from the healthcare provider.
- **patient's families** can be considered external customers because they interact with healthcare providers when making decisions about their loved one’s care or while supporting them during treatment.
- **out-patients**, similar to ambulatory patients, visit for treatment and leave without staying overnight. they are also external customers receiving services from the organization.
the exception here is **physicians**. in the context provided, physicians are generally considered internal customers when they are part of the organization, such as staff physicians in a hospital or healthcare facility. they work within the organization, providing services to the patients (external customers) but also receiving support and resources from other parts of the organization (internal services). hence, they are categorized as internal customers.
therefore, among the options given, the correct answer to the question "customers may be from outside of your organization or practice or within it. examples of external customers include all of the following except:" is **physicians**. they are typically internal customers when employed within the healthcare organization.
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