The choices made in services offered through a doctor’s office have an impact on how patients perceive the professionalism of any office. This is true in everything from the way the patients experience their personal interactions with the staff to the effectiveness of the physician answering service.
Too often the choice in a physician answering service is not given the care and attention it deserves. Often doctors or doctor office managers simply choose a call center service because, at first glance, it may seem like the most effective and efficient choice.
However, with this type of physician answering service, there are a lot of inherent issues that often don’t become apparent until after the system is in use. Incorrect identification of what an emergency call is, doctors called when not on-call, and issues with HIPPA compliance and costs can all factor in.
Ability to Detect True Emergency Calls
Live operators are perhaps the least effective in determining if a patient is calling in about an emergency, or just needs general information that can wait until office hours.
With live operators, there tends to be a much higher rate of calls to the on-call physician. This results in both a higher cost for the physician answering service as well as increased dissatisfaction with the system by the doctors.
Options for Patient Ease of Use
While it may seem like a patient would rather talk to a live person, this is actually not the case for most people. Medical information is very personal and private, and patients are aware that after hours they are not talking to a medical professional, but rather a call center employee.
Even as a physician answering service, patients may be uncomfortable leaving specifics. On the other hand, if they can record a message their doctor will hear within seconds for an emergency, they are much more likely to provide full information.
HIPPA Compliance – Now and the Future
As you know, HIPPA compliance issues can change. With a virtual answering service those changes can be implemented through the system almost immediately, and they will be uniformly adhered to with each call.
Using a live physician answering service means it could be weeks or months until staff is trained in new procedures, potentially leaving you liable for breaches in the new regulations.
Cost
Finally, with a virtual physician answering service there is a flat monthly rate offered through the top service providers. This means you will pay the same if you have hundreds of calls or if you only have a handful per month.
With a flat rate fee, there are no surprises for billing for your physician answering service, and you still have all the features, services and patient care options that you need, all customized for your medical service.
If you are looking for a cost-effective, highly efficient physician answering service, look no further than No More Phone Tag. To see more about our services visit our website.
