8 Myths About Physician Answering Services

Have you ever been in a situation where you need to speak to a doctor or a medical representative urgently, but you cannot make the trip to the clinic, or it is late at night, so the clinic will likely be closed? Physician answering services are what you need. 

Physician and doctor answering services are a telecommunications solution that allows you to call hospitals and clinics outside of office hours to speak with professionally trained answering service agents. You can make calls regarding medical needs like after-hours emergency services, appointment scheduling, appointment reminders, and pre-screening messages. 

Physician answering services can benefit customers and allow medical clinics to streamline their patients’ needs and concerns. However, there are many myths regarding these services that you should not believe. Let’s take a look at what some of these myths are. 

• Patients Prefer The Internet Over Phone Calls

While it is true that many patients use the internet to make appointments and look up specific medical needs, a majority of patients prefer to speak to an actual live representative. It is also important to note that not all patients have access to the internet or are tech-savvy enough to make their appointments online. Doctor answering services simply expand patients’ choices, and they can use the services or the internet as per their preference. 

• A Physical Exam is Always Necessary

Some physicians argue that a physical exam is always necessary and should be the first step for quality care. This is not true. For minor or urgent conditions, medical history and symptoms are enough to diagnose. Answering services are also good for emergencies where a physical exam can be performed later. 

• Physician Answering Services Do Not Care About The Urgency Of the Calls

It is a common misconception that answering service agents do not care about the urgency of patient calls. The truth is that physician answering services are mainly used for emergency and after-hours calls. The agents are trained to respond quickly and efficiently to each call and relay information to the concerned doctor or physician. 

• Patient Information Is Not Secure 

Doctor answering services ensure that strict HIPAA requirements are met and data breach prevention is put in place. This way, the information and medical history you share with an answering service agent are secure, and you do not have to worry about your information falling into the wrong hands.

• Doctor Answering Services Are Not Compatible With Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have become standard practice for most hospitals and clinics. In order to be compatible with EHRs, most answering services directly interface with EHRs or export your data and records to the physician EHR system.  

• Phone Calls Offer Poor Communication 

Some patients worry about a poor signal, call disruptions, or disconnected calls. While this can be a cause for concern, more often than not, patients are able to have clear, long, and detailed conversations over the whole with answering service agents. 

• Answering Service Agents Don’t Have the Proper Training

All agents undergo rigorous training and are much more experienced than mere telephone operators. They go through numerous mock calls and are made familiar with how the clinic or hospital customer service is run. 

• Answering Service Agents Are Not US Based 

One of the main reasons people do not like to use answering services is that they believe that customer support services are outsourced to countries outside the US. While this may be the case for some customer support services, it cannot be true for physician answering services because the agents have to be in direct and live contact with the clinic or hospital they are working with.  

Call 4 Health – Medical Answering Services 

The Call 4 Health Medical Answering Services have been providing top-quality customer care support for over 20 years. We partner with hospitals and medical clinics to design and manage call answering services that suit their needs. 

Our automated call center system distinguishes between urgent and non-urgent calls and delivers them to the appropriate location for immediate response or follow-up. Our Patient Care Representatives take calls and messages and manage your on-call schedule.

Call 4 Health provides services in various places in the US, including Delray Beach, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Maryland. Visit our website for more information https://www.call4health.com/. 

Our Final Thoughts

Physician answering services provide a huge array of benefits for patients, doctors, and staff. Although there are several myths regarding the services, most of these myths can be debunked and should not be taken seriously. Don’t worry about myths and benefit from doctor answering services at your clinic.