subject: Medical Answering Services – 3 Reasons Why They're So Important [print this page] Medical Answering Services 3 Reasons Why They're So Important
Being a doctor is tough. After all, patients don't just get sick during normal business hours. They can have emergencies and questions at all hours of the day and night. You can't be expected to answer the phone at all hours, though. That's why medical answering services are so common.
If you're a doctor who hasn't gotten a call answering service, here are 3 reasons why you need to:
1. Sick patients don't want to get a voice mail in the middle of the night
Nothing is worse than being sick and scared in the middle of the night and not being able to reach your doctor. If you don't have a call answering service, your patients have no one to turn to when you leave the office for the day. If there is a legitimate problem, your patients will be left to fend for themselves.
But having a phone answering service means that your patients won't feel ignored if an issue pops up in the middle of the night or the middle of the weekend. Good medical answering services can give them some basic information, then patch you into the call if the problem is serious enough. Having that type of reassurance is something that will keep your patients coming back instead of sending them off to find a doctor that they can count on 24/7.
2. You don't need to personally take every call
Right up front, you can tell your phone answering service when to get you involved and when not to. Not all after-hours issues are emergencies. In many cases, a good answering service can provide a few simple solutions that will hold patients over until they can see you in the morning. There's no reason for you to be awakened over every stuffy nose or high fever. Good medical answering services are trained to handle routine problems.
3. A phone answering service lets patients know that you care
After all, isn't that one of the most important things that doctors can provide? Medical answering services show patients that you really are dedicated to their comfort and well-being. They show that you are willing to go the extra mile. In fact, a knowledgeable call answering service can set you apart from your competitors. If patients know they can depend on you, they won't have any reason to look elsewhere.
