7 Benefits of Using a Healthcare Answering Service

Medical answering service

According to the CDC, 860.4 million people made visits to a physician’s office in 2020. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020, it became more important than ever to receive scheduled medical visits and vital health information.

Medical practices scrambled to answer the phones promptly and accommodate the need for appointments. Patients who were met with busy signals, constantly ringing phones, or voicemail messages probably hung up in frustration. Maybe they sought out another medical practice instead to serve their needs.

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If your medical office’s phone system isn’t living up to its potential, consider a medical answering service instead. Using a medical answering service can benefit your healthcare practice in so many ways.

In this guide, we’ll detail seven great benefits of how a healthcare answering machine can help your medical practice thrive. Interested in learning more? Keep reading for further information.

1. A Medical Answering Service Is Available 24/7

Even when you can’t be available, a medical answering service is there for your patients to answer their questions and meet their concerns. If you’re in an important meeting, in surgery, on lunch break, or on vacation, a doctor’s answering service picks up where you need it. They’ll help answer your patients’ most common questions.

This includes after-hours, weekends, holidays, or just busy times of days where your office may receive a larger influx of calls. If your office staff can’t be available to answer every call, a medical answering service can provide help with a live agent. They’ll ensure each patient is able to voice their concerns and receive answers to their questions no matter what.

No impersonal voicemails, busy signals, or frustrating automated menu options. An after-hours medical phone service live agent adds a personal touch to call answering and message taking that’s available when you need it.

2. A Medical Answering Service Increases Patient Retention

Patients who feel like their needs are met timely and personally will improve their opinion of your medical practice. They will see you as a medical office that cares about them no matter what. You offer them a way to connect with your office that makes them a priority.

Patients who feel valued by their physician’s medical office will stay loyal to your practice long term. They’ll also provide word-of-mouth referrals to friends, family, and co-workers who are also looking for a specific medical practice to join.

3. A Medical Answering Service Provides Detailed Records

There’s no worrying about garbled voicemails that get cut off and no loose message pad slips that get lost in the shuffle in your medical office. All of the messages relayed through the healthcare phone service are stored in a secure and HIPAA-compliant database. This keeps your office organized.

You can access these messages at any time through the healthcare phone system and ensure they have been answered to satisfaction. Should any questions arise later on, you can always access the time and date-stamped message again and view the record for up to a year.

4. A Medical Answering Service Improves Patient Communication

Patients won’t feel like they have to repeat themselves when they call the office. The live agent has access to their records about previous calls. This will save more time and help improve patient communication within the office.

Having access to a medical answering service also means they’ll be more likely to share their concerns as they arise. They won’t withhold important information that can impact their level of care. Communication is key to providing a higher level of care.

The medical answering service opens up the channels of communication between a doctor and their patients.

5. A Medical Answering Service Improves Your Business Rating

Prospective patients will search your practice online to read reviews before they attempt to make the first appointment. If your medical practice has received a high rating due to your interactive medical answering service, it will make your practice look more favorable.

Not only that, but your practice will appear at a higher ranking on the search results. This will help you stand out from other medical practices offering similar services. Patients will be more likely to go to a higher-rated practice.

6. A Medical Answering Service Is Affordable

Though the total cost varies based on exactly what your needs are, a medical answering service also costs less than an in-office medical secretary. An in-office secretary can cost you over $30,000 per year in salary alone.

You can pay for a medical answering service based on only the amount of time a live agent speaks to a patient. Or only when your office needs to transfer calls during busy periods.

With a medical answering service, you can have a professional and dedicated customer service line available to answer your patient’s questions and concerns for a fraction of the cost.

7. A Medical Answering Service Can Schedule Appointments

Take the guesswork out of scheduling appointments with your patients. A medical answering service gives your patients the ability to call the healthcare answering service to schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments.

If they’re uncertain what their schedule looks like, they can always call later and schedule through the live agent. If there’s a need to cancel or reschedule an existing appointment, they can do so through the live agent.

There’s no worrying about being put on hold or leaving a message on the office voicemail that may not be received in time. This will make it easier to fill the vacancy. They can even send out appointment reminders via text and email.

Medical Answering Service Solutions for Your Medical Practice

You’ve worked hard to establish your medical practice, and you want to do whatever you can to make it a success. A medical answering service can help you lighten the load and keep your patients happy and your office running smoothly.

When choosing a doctor’s answering service, it’s essential to find the best healthcare answering service to represent your medical office. You’ll know you’re leaving your patients in competent hands

Medical Call Service finds you quotes for the leading medical answering service providers based on your medical office’s needs.

Contact us today to receive your free medical answering service quotes.

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