When you work in a medical office, there’s always something that needs to be done – and done efficiently.
Physicians, nurses and office staff all need to work together to make sure that patients and their families are receiving the very best in care. This can sometimes be a big challenge especially during peak times like cold and flu season, or when a medical practice starts to get more popular with patients.
Incoming calls can interrupt medical professionals and distract them from the patients in front of them. While these calls shouldn’t be ignored, they also shouldn’t diminish the experience that in-office patients have while they are getting care. In order to handle the high call volumes that many offices receive, some medical practices look to medical answering services for help.
Here’s why:
Improved customer service
Customer service can play a key role in whether or not patients come back to your practice – and what they tell their friends and family. When calls go unanswered too long or they are answered by an overwhelmed office staff, it paints the wrong kind of picture.
With a medical answering service, callers are greeted promptly by a friendly receptionist who can give them the information that they need, set appointments or transfer them to the right party. Unlike in-house receptionists, medical answering services can answer calls 24/7. This means that patients can get help around the clock from your medical practice which can increase patient satisfaction.
HIPAA compliance
As a medical office, staying legally compliant with rules for the industry is a must. The HIPAA guidelines have specific rules about handling patient information and dealing with sensitive communication. By working with an HIPAA-compliant medical answering service, your office can be sure that patient information is handled properly and there’s a lower risk of penalties.
Improved profitability
While a medical answering service might seem like another expense in the budget, it can actually save your medical practice money. Working with a medical answering service means that you don’t have to hire additional staff members to answer phones – and incur the extra costs that go along with them, like sick time, insurance and other expenses.
A medical answering service provides the same phone coverage – or better if you opt for 24/7 coverage – at the fraction of the cost of an on-site employee.
Working with a medical answering service is the best way to stay compliant, improve your bottom line and keep patients happy with your practice.
Get the help and coverage you need for your office today!
