Why Physicians Need an Automated Message Service

by Kristen White Blogger

Medical emergencies and questions can come up at any time of day or night which means that even if a doctor has specific office hours, they are available 24/7 especially if they have a single practice. It’s important that the physician can step away and have personal time which is one of the reasons to have a medical answering service. Patients can call and leave a message which is then determined to be either urgent or non-urgent. Emergency messages are immediately sent to the doctor on-call so the patient can receive a call back to discuss, while non-urgent messages are held until the next day when they are delivered to the office for review. This protects the doctor’s time off so he is only contacted when absolutely necessary.

No one likes to be placed on hold and listen to the background music, feeling like the staff doesn’t have time for them. Instead, the best medical telephone answering services can be set to pick up the call and give the patient the ability to leave a message which will be addressed as soon as possible by the staff and then a call back with the necessary information. A benefit of this is that patients do not sit on hold but they also get a reliable answer to their question in a timely manner which creates a better customer/doctor relationship and experience.

A third situation that is often not considered is major disasters or weather events. During this time, medical facilities can become flooded with calls from patients who need advice or assistance even if the office does not have the ability to open. When there is a physician answering service in place then office staff and doctors can stay in contact with their patients and provide a calming influence in a situation where stress and tension levels can be severe.

It is also a way to communicate information to employees and patients via an automated message that delivers facts, directions and updates so patients know how to proceed and where to go for emergency situations or routine requests. Lastly, medical records are critical in this industry and can be audited by regulatory agencies to ensure the office is meeting required standards for patient privacy and healthcare conformity. Every call that comes in through the answering service is documented along with the messages so that they can be referred back to if necessary or used to support the doctor’s approach to providing care.

It is important to find a reliable automated message service that is affordable and customizable so it can adjust to the changing needs of the medical community but more importantly it is a valuable tool that connects patients to their doctors no matter the time or location. Take a few minutes to review the benefits and find a reputable service online by trying out their free demo period and ask about flat rates for the monthly budget. Your patients deserve quality backed care and attention whether they are in the office or need to call in with a question or situation.