A call center is a call center, right? This may seem like it is true, but it is not. There is a big difference between a specialized call center and one that is generic. If you run a medical practice, then you will want to make sure that you choose a medical call answering service. Here is why.
When your patients call your office on the weekend or during a holiday and they reach a call center, they will only be able to leave a message. They will not be able to get any medical related help at all. In fact, in most cases, a call center will simply send your patients to a voicemail system, which you will need to check regularly. For non-medical companies, this type of system may work just fine.
However, when you provide medical service and when there is a possibility that your patients may need emergency service, a medical call answering service is imperative. When you choose a medically specialized call center, you will be providing your patients with trained operators. This means that the operators will be experienced at dealing with medical specific calls.
Why does this matter since the service will generally be just taking messages? It is very important. First of all, medical call centers and services are required to make sure that all callers speak to a person and do not just hear a recorded message. When a patient calls, they are usually ill or injured and scared. If they hear a recorded message, or they are simply directed to voicemail, they will feel neglected and this will reflect on your business.
In addition, the medical call answering service will offer additional services that can be invaluable to the medical practice. For example, you can choose to have the service contact you directly if there is a message that needs to be addressed.
You can also add on the option of a triage nurse answering service. This means that, if the medical answering service receives a call that they feel can benefit from talking to a nurse, they can escalate the call. A triage nurse is specifically certified to take medical calls and, to an extent, diagnose patient problems.
When your patients dial your number and are connected to a medical call answering service, they will be delighted to speak to a real person, and if need be, they will be connected with a nurse who will help them with their medical problems. This earns trust in you and it takes some of your workload away so that you can enjoy your personal time.
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