4 Benefits of Using a Medical Answering Service

Use an Answering Service That Understands Healthcare to Produce Superior Outcomes

Just about any answering service can take calls for your practice, clinic, or hospital. But if they don’t understand healthcare, the risk may be too high. That’s why it’s critical to select a medical answering service with experience in the healthcare industry. They know what’s important to you and your patients, understand healthcare jargon, and comprehend the unique needs of your callers and patients.

Here are four key benefits you’ll realize when you tap an answering service that has experience in the medical field: 

1. Better Communication

   Better communication produces better patient care. Though this ends with you, it often starts with your medical answering service. When you choose a leading answering service that understands the medical field, you’ve picked an answering service that knows how to communicate with your patients and callers. Let them make a great first impression. This will establish the framework for successful outcomes.

But if you use an answering service that doesn’t understand healthcare that well and lacks in-depth experience handling medical calls, your callers and patients won’t have a good first impression. They’ll likely have a negative one. This reflects badly on you and your healthcare services. This means that not only must you provide outstanding patient care, but that you must first overcome the negativity created by an under performing answering provider.

When you select an answering service that understands healthcare, you’ve picked a communications expert that will help you provide superior patient care.

2. 24/7 Appointment Scheduling 

   Though you spend a lot of time in your medical office, it’s only a fraction of the number of hours in each week. Maybe 25 to 30 percent. While your staff can take appointments when they’re in the office, what happens the other 70 to 75 percent of the time? Without an answering service that can access your appointment software, you’re missing out on the opportunity to take appointments.

Yes, patients might call back when your office is open. Or they might not. The truth is, that by the time your office is open to take their appointment request, they’ve likely already found another solution. It might be urgent care or another practice. And you just lost a patient and their lifetime value.

However, when your answering service can securely access your scheduling program, they have the complete ability to set appointments, change appointments, and cancel appointments. But why would you want your answering service to take a cancellation? The answer is simple. The sooner they know about the cancellation, the faster they can fill it.

Choose an answering service that can access your appointment software 24/7 to help keep your schedule full and maximize productivity and billable services.

3. Flexible Coverage 

   Some answering services force you into their service options, such as office hours only, after hours coverage only, or 24/7 coverage. But what if you need more flexibility? Select an answering service that treats you with respect, allowing you to decide when and how you want to use their services.

Here are some examples. You likely handle your phone calls when your office is open, but what about if someone is sick or on vacation? What about when you’re having a staff meeting or special outing? Wouldn’t it be great if your answering service could cover for you then? Of course it would, but not all answering services provide that flexibility. And if they do, there might be a steep price tag attached.

Don’t let your answering service limit the services they provide to you and when they’ll do it. Instead pick an answering service that understands that you need flexible options and will gladly deliver what you need, when you need it, without any hassle.

4. HIPAA Compliant  

   You know that your office must be HIPAA compliant. This is something you take seriously and continually work on to ensure you meet every legal and ethical expectation. However, did you know your answering service, as your business associate (BA), must also be HIPAA compliant? And if they aren’t, you’re responsible.

Using an answering service that’s not 100 percent HIPAA compliant is a huge risk to you and your patients. Don’t leave this to chance. Make sure you choose an answering service that’s HIPAA compliant.

Conclusion

When you select a leading answering service that understands the healthcare industry, you’ve picked an answering service that can provide you with excellence and deliver a great customer experience (CE) to your patients and callers. They’ll communicate professionally, schedule appointments around the clock, offer you flexible coverage, and be HIPAA compliant.

With offices across the United States and decades of experience, outsource answering service from Endicott Communications can help enhance your communication with your customers and callers. Click here to learn more.