Select a Medical Answering Service that Takes HIPAA Guidelines Seriously
Too many answering services put their healthcare clients at risk when it comes to following HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) guidelines. Some aren’t aware of HIPAA, others assume it doesn’t apply to them, and more than a few think they can take shortcuts and not get caught. But it’s not only […]
Holiday Aftermath: Let’s Review How Your Medical Answering Service Did
We often fall into a different mode during the holidays. As much as we try to keep business as usual between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, it’s hard to do so. With holiday parties, treats, and events to distract us and steal our time, many people give into the season, with a plan to emerge […]
5 Tips to Improve Patient Phone Access
In healthcare, communication with patients is key. This starts with doctor-patient communication and extends to interactions between medical staff and patients. However, one thing that’s often overlooked is relating to patients over the phone. In too many cases patient phone access is a weak link in the communication chain of healthcare providers. Here are five […]
Use a Medical Answering Service that Doesn’t Send Calls Offshore
If your answering service answers your calls, do you really care where those calls go? You should. Medical answering services that send calls offshore struggle with challenges that could hurt your organization and alienate your patients. It’s too big of a risk to take. To realize the best results, only use a medical answering service […]
Is Your Answering Service Ready for Winter Weather? Are You?
Winter is coming. Winter is here. Is your answering service ready? If you use a professional medical answering service, of course they’re ready. Being ready to serve you is what they do, regardless of what the winter weather might throw at us. The bigger question is, are you ready? Make sure you provide your answering […]
Is a Medical Answering Service an Investment or an Expense?
A common element among healthcare providers is having a medical answering service take calls after office hours and even provide office-hours support. Some business managers view their doctors answering service as an expense that they must seek to contain or even eliminate, if they get overly aggressive. Other business managers cite their medical answering service […]
What Are Common On-Call Scenarios for Medical Practices?
The healthcare industry is an around-the-clock effort that never closes. This is because people’s health concerns don’t follow a convenient nine-to-five, Monday-through-Friday schedule. That’s why most medical practices tap the services of a professional medical answering service. They want to be available to their patients 24/7, whenever a need arises, but they must also guard […]
Tips to Lower Your Medical Answering Service Bill
Healthcare providers are stuck between rising costs and lower reimbursement rates. This can trigger a cost-cutting initiative. When considering this, remember that the cost of a medical answering service is a small fraction of what it would take to hire an office receptionist. It’s a veritable bargain with a high-value return that patients appreciate. Yet […]
Should You Go with a Local Medical Answering Service?
With today’s advanced technology it doesn’t really matter where your answering service is located. They can be next door, across town, or in a different state. They can even be in a different country. But is that what you want? Should you hire a local medical answering service instead? Though it’s feasible for your answering […]
Why Medical Answering Services Matter
Some doctors don’t care who’s answering their phone, as long as it’s answered. This view is shortsighted, as the doctor’s career and their practice’s success are at stake. That’s why it’s critical to hire a quality answering service. But beyond hiring a quality answering service is to hire a quality medical answering service. Here’s why […]