subject: Hints To Pick A Medical Answering Company [print this page] Although it does take time to pick the right one, choosing a medical answering service shouldn't be a hardship. There are lots of good choices on the market these days and there are a few good ideas to help you find the service that's best for you. The types of service available are message and live services and they are the mostly likely to be chosen for your patients.
First, you must decide what type of service that your medical facility requires. Do you need a twenty-four hour pick up of your calls while your office is closed? Do you need the option of having messages relayed to you while you are at lunch or on vacation? Do you need coverage for your office if your phones are very busy? Making a list of the options you require will save time and money while searching for a service for your business.
Decide on the services that you require and then do some looking at the companies that might be available to you. With all of the companies out there, you won't have much trouble finding the right one. Check to see if the company you pick is involved in an organization. Most larger companies are and it's a great way to check if they have been doing a good job.
Does the company have enough employees to cover your needs? You want your patients to be able to speak to someone right away when you hire an answering service. Make sure that the company you choose has enough people working to cover your business. You might also want to see if they can answer simple questions about your office location and scheduling of appointments.
Are the operators trained to work specifically with your type of business? Since you have a medical office, it might be good to find an answering service that has nurses on staff who can answer calls and triage them for you when your staff is not available. Training can make all the difference in providing excellent customer service for your business. Find a company that has good training programs for their operators.
Make sure the call center is in an away from the area where your office is located. This way, in case of a natural disaster, like a hurricane or a tornado, your calls can still be taken. Since you're in the medical profession, your patients will expect you to be available to them during a disaster. If your service is not local, it's more likely they will be able to work while your area is recovering.
Regardless of the type of medical answering service you choose, take your time to investigate each company thoroughly. Remember that these people that you've hired are going to represent your office when you are not able to. Choosing a service carefully will not only help your business but will also give you great peace of mind.
