subject: Why a Specialized Medical Call Answering Service Matters [print this page] Plumbers, electricians, tow truck operators and many other types of professionals who rely on after-hours answering services to serve their customers have similar needs. They need someone to answer the phone if it rings outside of regular business hours and contact someone in the business to provide emergency services when necessary.
Medical practices and physicians' offices however have very different needs when it comes to after-hours calls. Some patients may contact a practice after hours to cancel an appointment and may appreciate being able to reschedule with a live operator. Others may have questions about their prescription medications. At times, patients may reach out to an office's medical call answering service in the middle of the night with serious medical problems or emergencies.
The highly specialized, serious nature of medical practices is one of the main reasons dedicated medical call centers evolved. Today there are also very specific rules and regulations regarding how communications with patients are carried out and managed.
HIPAA and other state and federal laws outline specific regulations regarding patient privacy, confidentiality and call recording among other things, and every medical practice's call answering center must comply with all regulations.
Operators trained to text a plumber with an emergency or take a message for a locksmith aren't likely to be trained in HIPAA compliance, while those at a medical call answering service will. This is a very important reason why medical practices and doctors' offices should insist on specialized call centers for handling after hours phone calls.
Every business that hires an answering service wants every client to receive prompt, professional service when their business is called. Doctors' offices and medical practices must also ensure their patients' safety and privacy are protected each time their call center is contacted. Relying on anything less than a specialized,
professional medical call answering service may jeopardize much more than a practice's reputation.
Why a Specialized Medical Call Answering Service Matters
