When live answering services are tasked with getting calls to a particular destination – as opposed to taking messages or forwarding callers to a voicemail system – there are two primary ways of accomplishing the task: call routing and call patching. Both accomplish essentially the same thing. But the differences between them are enough to mean something in a medical setting.
As a medical answering service, Apello can handle incoming calls in whatever way is best suited to the client’s needs. This includes both routing and patching. We can also take messages, forward calls, assess call priority, and even provide entry-level triage. Contact us to learn more about our services. For now, though, let’s focus on call routing vs. call patching.
One Is Automatic, The Other Is Not
The key difference between call routing and patching is as simple as understanding that one method is automatic and the other is not. Call routing is automatic. It relies on a set of predetermined rules to get calls to specific agents or departments with no need for human screening. A good example is the automated menu. Callers listen to a series of choices before selecting one by tapping the corresponding number on the keypad.
Call patching involves a human operator answering the initial call, inquiring as to the caller’s needs, and then directly transferring the call to the appropriate line. In essence, call patching is a human-mediated handoff from initial reception to the intended party.
There are three types of patching:
- Cold – Cold patching involves a direct transfer with little to know human action. An operator simply answers the call and waits to be told of the agent or department the caller wishes to reach.
- Warm – Warm patching involves an initial greeting and a brief discussion to gather context. A minimum amount of human intervention is needed to get the call to the right destination.
- Hot – Hot patching involves a full-on introduction and inquiry before the call is transferred. The human operator asks questions and even engages in a discussion before transferring the call, if it is actually transferred at all.
In a medical setting, hot patching is often preferred because operators can handle some entry level tasks without having to patch the caller through to another agent or department. There is also the need for basic medical triage. Calls cannot be easily triaged with a cold or warm patching process.
Applications In a Medical Setting
There are applications for both types of patching in a medical setting. For example, call routing is fairly common at major hospitals. Callers are greeted by an automated system featuring menus that connect them to the billing department, admissions, etc.
Automated routing is ideal in settings with excessively large volume calls. Hospitals, group practice billing departments, and the like can be well served by automated systems. But call patching is appropriate when human interaction is more important than efficiency.
A good example is the family doctor’s office. It is better that patients speak with a live operator when calling, because their needs tend to be more complex than someone calling a hospital’s billing department.
Answering Services Can Do Both
The best thing about modern medical answering services is that they can offer both. They can set up automated systems where appropriate while still providing much needed human interaction in scenarios that demand it. In so doing, medical answering services offer the best of both worlds.
Call routing and patching are two different ways to get calls to their intended destination. Routing is automatic where patching involves direct human intervention. Both have their medical applications.
