Taking after hours phone calls can wreak havoc on a doctor’s personal life. It is no wonder so many bring in a medical answering service. An answering service taking calls after hours can save a doctor’s sanity. But what about during office hours? If a doctor chooses to not utilize a medical answering service 24/7, the only other choice is to hire receptionists with the right skills.
That may be easier said than done in today’s tight labor market. So many people lack the essential skills for participating in any kind of phone conversation, let alone answering calls in a medical setting. It is just hard to find people who know how to talk on the phone in a professional manner.
We believe hiring a medical answering service is the best choice for most GP and primary care practices. But if doing so is impractical, it is important to hire receptionists who can demonstrate the following skills:
1. Articulate Speech
Effective communication is at the heart of every successful phone call. In a medical office, a big part of effective communication is articulate speech. Medical receptionists must be able to speak clearly and concisely. They need to avoid using medical jargon that patients do not understand.
Hand-in-hand is the art of effective listening. Medical receptionists should be careful to listen to every detail before formulating a response. They should also know how to ask questions designed to elicit information a patient is not freely offering.
2. The Ability to Display Empathy
Patients tend to call their doctors when they are sick. Therefore, the ability to display empathy over the phone is an essential skill for medical receptionists. Between symptoms and the natural anxiety of being ill, patients expect a compassionate voice on the other side of the phone. They expect empathy and understanding.
3. The Ability to Remain Calm
It is not unusual for medical receptionists to encounter patients who are angry, frustrated, or stressed out. Conversations with agitated patients can spiral out of control if medical receptions do not have the ability to remain calm. In light of that, receptionists with a stable demeanor and a healthy dose of patience tend to do better in medical settings.
4. Attention to Detail
Another essential skill for answering phone calls in a medical setting is attention to detail. Being able to elicit and record details is a critical aspect of capturing patient information correctly. On most days, details are necessary mainly for administrative purposes. But on some days, understanding the details of a call could significantly impact the person’s life.
5. Professionalism
As a company that provides medical answering services, we have observed a notable lack of professionalism among receptionists in recent years. It is not good. When receptionists lack professionalism, they give patients the wrong impression. They might even give patients a reason to doubt the quality of care they might receive.
6. General Knowledge
Finally, medical receptionists could possess a general knowledge of all things related to the office. If a practice concentrates on family medicine, receptionists should understand the basics of that specialty. They should also be well versed in billing practices, scheduling, and anything else that could impact phone discussions.
How phones are answered in a medical setting directly impacts the doctor-patient relationship. That is why medical offices should take no chances with their phones. One of the best ways to guarantee patient satisfaction is to work with a medical answering service. Why not consider Apello? We have a long history of providing quality medical answering services that practices rely on, and patients appreciate.
