One of the biggest sources of

frustration for patients is

leaving a voicemail message

at their healthcare provider’s

office that is never returned.

A professional healthcare

answering service helps

medical practices manage

phone calls, and using a live

answering service sends a

clear message to patients that

their needs are important and

will be responded to shortly.

Let’s take a look at the

different tasks a professional

live medical answering service

can provide to improve your

practice.

One of the most important

functions a live answering

service can provide is

appointment setting

services.

Professional answering

service representatives have

the training and skills required

to manage a provider’s or

provider group’s busy

schedule.

Live answering service reps

can also answer additional

questions patients may have

when they call to set an

appointment, including

whether the provider accepts

their health insurance.

You may not always have the

staff needed to handle

inbound phone calls during

the day—especially during

busier times/seasons.

Patients who are on hold for

extended periods or whose

calls go unreturned may

become frustrated and move

on to another provider.

A live answering service can

be a tremendous help with

inbound call management,

handling calls according to

your practice’s specific scripts

and guidelines.

A live answering service can be an

invaluable tool for urgent patient

issues.

An answering service will

appropriately screen and respond

to calls, delivering instant SMS text

messages to the appropriate person.

Additional message delivery methods

include IM (instant message), PDA,

page, or phone call (if preferred).

Appointment reminders

may seem superfluous, but

they are highly valued by

patients, many of whom rely

on these calls to help

manage their schedule.

When patients miss

appointments, your bottom

line suffers.

Major advantages of having a

live operator initiate these

calls versus an automated

system is that patients can

cancel or change their

appointment on the spot, and

the service is personalized.

Beyond appointment reminders,

a live answering service can help

providers reach out to patients

in the following ways:

• Reminding patients of

upcoming screenings/tests

• Promoting flu shots or other

vaccinations

• Encouraging patients to use

the provider’s patient portal

to communicate, review test

results, etc.

• Surveying patients about

their experience or level of

satisfaction

Patients frequently need follow-up calls with test results and instructions.

A professional answering service can provide HIPPA-compliant messages

and follow-up instructions for patients, around the clock.

When calls are customized for each patient, the number of “back-and-forth”

communications are reduced, improving the efficiency of your practice.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of

utilizing a live medical answering service

is improved patient satisfaction.

When patients are confident that their

calls will be handled appropriately and

professionally every time, you build

essential trust that will help you forge

long-lasting patient-provider

relationships.

A practice with high-quality patient care

at its forefront is more likely to succeed

over the long term.

Personalized Communications has

been providing expert inbound call

center and answering services for over

30 years. We serve businesses and

organizations of every scope and size in

a broad range of industries. We take

pride in our highly trained, professional

staff of phone representatives and

state-of-the-art telecommunications

equipment. Personalized

Communications has helped countless

clients improve their bottom lines with

services tailored to meet their specific

needs. Learn more about our services

at www.callcenteragency.com.