One of the things that sets us apart from other medical answering services is our commitment to speed. We keep our staffing at a level that allows us to answer calls in 30 seconds or less. Speed is crucial to good customer service regardless of the industry. But for medical calls particularly, speed is extra important.
There is no universal regulatory requirement that calls be answered so quickly. Nonetheless, 30 seconds or less is a widely recognized standard for medical answering services. It is a different ball game for 911 emergency calls.
Speed Makes a Difference in Healthcare
We all know that speed makes a difference in healthcare. The more quickly a person’s medical needs are addressed, the better the expected outcome. But even with something like billing, where a patient’s health is not in danger, answering calls quickly is a key part of quality customer service.
The thing to remember is that there are different standards based on the types of medical calls a service is dealing with. Here are just a few examples and the industry standards that generally apply to each one:
- 911 Emergency Calls – Emergency calls made via 911 services demand the fastest response times. Industry standards dictate that calls be answered within 10 seconds 90% of the time and within 20 seconds 95% of the time.
- Non-Emergency Calls – Non-emergency calls, which would be calls made to a medical office rather than 911, should be answered in 10-15 seconds as often as possible. For high-volume call centers, 20-30 seconds is considered acceptable. Keeping it under 20 seconds his best.
- Health Plan Calls – Calls placed to health plan service centers are significantly less urgent from a medical standpoint. But to maintain good customer service, industry standards suggest answering such calls within 30 seconds. If calls need to be returned, 30 minutes is the standard.
- After-Hours Calls – Industry standards for after-hours calls vary based on the nature of the calls themselves. Receiving a response within 30 minutes is pretty standard. Routine requests associated with such calls should be handled in a single business day.
Our industry looks at 30 seconds as the benchmark for answering non-emergency medical calls. Here it Apello, our promise is 30 seconds or less. We strive to make it less as often as possible through proper staffing and training.
Your patients Don’t Like to Wait
As a medical answering service with many years of experience behind us, we know firsthand that your patients don’t like to wait when they call your office. Putting them on hold for minutes at a time just isn’t an option in the 21st century.
Answering calls in a timely manner tells your patients that you care about them and their time. It ensures that they don’t have to set aside a large block of time just to call in to ask about a billing question or make an appointment.
Answering Services You Can Trust
We go out of our way to provide medical answering services you can trust. Whether you’re looking for first time answering services or hoping to replace your current provider, we invite you to learn more about Apello. Our answering services are second to none.
Everything about Apello answering services is fully customizable. From the words we use to how calls are dispatched, you can set up every detail of your service to align with your office’s unique needs. Along the way, a dedicated account representative will assist you with professional advice and answers to all your questions. It’s the way medical answering services should be.
