Leveraging the Potential of Doctors Answering Service

Doctors answering service is the first point of contact for patients. For the doctors it is vital that the answering service conveys to them messages that are accurate and dependable. Precise messages play a pivotal role in providing the right treatment - especially in emergencies. It is not uncommon for healthcare providers to leave their answering service because far too many blunders are committed after hours. These can relate to either unprofessional handling of calls or imprecise communication of patient conditions.

Let us face it. No one knows your clients better than you do. So when medical professionals choose answering services for doctors, they expect consistent and professional handling of every call.

Sadly, smaller healthcare practices have been slow to use the modern forms of electronic communication that work so well in patient–doctor interactions. Admittedly, the proliferation of communication channels and shift in patients’ preferences are presenting a challenge to medical professionals.

Today doctors answering service has come to stay. A professional service that is HIPAA compliant can benefit the medical profession in many ways. Here is a list of some key advantages.

•    A live answering service provides patients with a simple process. There is no confusing list of menu options to navigate. There are no impersonal messages that patients find so distressing.
•    Doctors answering service supplies the doctors with quality, convenience and a broad range of delivery options. This is beneficial to the staff as they can do away with the cumbersome job of sorting through voicemail messages.

Doctors can choose from many options to have their patients messages delivered to them.

•    To their PDA
•    Cell phone or pager as a text message
•    In an email format that will enable a doctor to receive the messages at any location.

The medical profession has now understood that a caring practice not only helps build relationships but also provides continuity in quality care. Patients feel that a healthcare professional who takes good care afterhours demonstrates responsibility and accountability.

Increasing no-show rate has been a perennial concern with the medical profession. It is no easy task to lower the no-show rates. Here answering services for doctors can help a great deal. The service can:

•    Track and provide feedback why no show occurs
•    Send effective patient reminders as follow up for no-shows
•    After consulting with the doctors, provide incentives for showing up

To stay afloat in competitive business, doctors are increasing adopting for effective measures. A doctors answering service is one of them.