If you are thinking about changing your healthcare answering service, you have a lot of choices to consider. For example, do you go with a service employing people to answer the phone, or should you think about an automated physician answering service. Here is a look at both options, to help you make the right decision.
Good Things about Human Operated Services
Many people still like the benefits which come with talking to someone in real time. This is a good way to ensure you receive most of your calls. After all, some people may refrain from leaving a message but will talk to a person about their needs.
A live healthcare answering service can be a good way to promote your business. Knowledgeable and helpful callers make people feel at ease and this is good for business.
Not So Good Things about Live Services
A human operated healthcare answering service may not always be the best choice. For example, some of your patients may be reluctant to tell their personal medical problems to a complete stranger over the phone. However, they are willing to leave a private message when they know it will be forwarded to the doctor. This is like talking directly to a medical professional.
A healthcare answering service manned by people can make mistakes. For example, what would you do if someone did not forward an emergency message to the right medical professional? This type of situation could end up in disaster. Most live answering services must remain competitive and they cannot afford to pay their people high wages and good job benefits. As a result, they may not get the most competent and knowledgeable people for the job. This greatly increases the odds for human errors, and mistakes in the medical field are not good for business.
You will pay a lot of money for a good live healthcare answering service. These businesses have a lot of overhead which must be covered.
Automated Answering Services
When you choose the right fully automated healthcare answering service, you will enjoy efficient services. The system is programmed to separate emergency from non-emergency calls and always forwards important messages to the right healthcare professional. The top automated services are fully HIPAA compliant to protect your patient’s privacy. Plus, you can save a great deal on the cost when you choose a company which charges a set fee each month. You’ll notice an immediate decrease in your monthly bill and it will be the same every month of the year.
