Healthcare answering services offer an excellent way for medical facilities to keep in touch with their clients at all times. They are the best way for practices to show their patients they care, even when they are not in office to tend to them.
As a medical practice, you are likely to be keen on finding new ways to enhance your customer service. Outsourcing your medical answering services to a professional company allows you to do that, while also giving you the freedom to focus on other things.
But finding the right healthcare answering services is not easy, because there are so many options available in the market, each promising excellent solutions. So how do you go about it?
Here are some tips for choosing the right medical answering services for your practice:
HIPAA compliance
You probably are wondering what HIPAA compliance has got to do with answering services. But you should know that some clients will provide sensitive information about their health on call – information that they want to be kept private. That’s why the company you work with should be HIPAA compliant – to ensure that the protected health information is safeguarded from anyone who doesn’t have legitimate reasons to see it. Remember, you are responsible for breaches committed by your business associates – and that includes your answering service provider.
Flexible coverage hours
Although answering services are often used for after-hours phone coverage, you can still use it for other applications. Your ideal provider should provide around-the-clock coverage whenever you require it. Yes, you may not need the services during your working hours, but it’s still good to know you can count on them when the need arises. Having a healthcare answering company at your disposal frees up your administrative team so they can focus on other important things. Many facilities use answering services to cover their calls during breaks, lunches and staff meetings, but it’s also a great resource when you have fewer employees or when an employee is absent.
Professionalism
When looking for a call answering company, you want to one that’s able to offer the same level of care to your patients as your in-house staff would – or even better. If you think about it, why would you want to risk your practice’s reputation by not outsourcing your solution to the best? A good company should have a staff that’s trained on relevant medical terms and how to adhere to and enforce the company’s protocols.
Reliability
In the field where a single call could mean the difference between life and death, dependability is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Find a company that has a reputation of being reliable, as it will give you peace of mind knowing your patients are well taken care of.
24/7 call transfer setting
Besides handling basic phone support services like taking messages, screening calls and taking care of off callers looking for medical advice, try finding an answering service that can also handle call transfers. On average, medical offices only opens for 42 hours every week. So, if the only way you make appointments is through your office, it means you won’t be available to patients who want to schedule appointments 75% of the time – which is not good if you are keen on growing your practice and income.