Why do medical offices need virtual medical receptionists?

With the rise of new technologies and automation throughout the medical profession, it’s not just telemedicine that’s making waves. As the healthcare field looks to streamline as many systems as possible, the latest element in need of an update is the traditional, in-house, medical receptionist.

In medical practices, communication is key. And communication errors can be frustrating for all concerned. As the first point of contact with any patient, a medical receptionist has a huge responsibility to manage any number of unpredictable situations. Each new call should be treated with the compassion, care and professionalism that only a well trained receptionist can provide. To improve both patient care and overall efficiency, more and more practices have turned to virtual medical receptionists who can stay on top of incoming calls round the clock.

While outsourcing your reception may seem daunting, there’s a whole set of reasons why it works. From reduced staffing costs and efficient appointment scheduling, to freeing up doctor’s time to spend with patients, we look at some of the key reasons medical offices need virtual receptionists.

What is a virtual medical receptionist?

Virtual medical receptionists (or answering services) serve as the first point of contact for your medical practice. They work by outsourcing the jobs usually taken on by an in-house receptionist (traditionally placed at the front desk) to remote workers. These virtual assistants answer incoming calls, schedule appointments and generally help improve efficiency for medical professionals.

Many different medical professionals are turning to virtual receptionists, be that primary care providers, dentists, dermatologists, chiropractors, optometrists, or aesthetic clinics. Why are so many medical offices turning to them? Let’s get into it.

Improve patient care with a real person on the line

There’s nothing worse than being kept on hold when you’re feeling sick, or explaining your problem to a pre-recorded answering service. In fact studies show that three-quarters of consumers prefer to have their customer service inquiries handled by a live agent.

But with a high volume of incoming calls, small clinics can find it hard to speak to every new patient. Virtual receptionists not only reduce wait times, they also ensure patients are able to speak to a real human.

The result?

Your patients feel well looked after, having received the genuine compassion they needed in a difficult moment.

Be available 24/7

Patients call at times that work for them. That means ‘office hours’ can be limiting, with potential patients going elsewhere for their healthcare needs.

Virtual receptionists can be available 24/7, over weekends and during national holidays, so you can provide support to patients out-of-hours. No more missed calls and many more happy patients.

This round the clock availability is particularly important when patients have more urgent healthcare questions or non-traditional work schedules.

Automate your admin systems

Virtual assistants make paperwork a breeze. They can schedule appointments, easily make changes and take the load off your doctors and medical assistants.

A huge chunk of the workload can be automated to eliminate errors and improve efficiency: from scheduling appointments and managing calendars to optimizing patient intake, maintaining patient files, and organizing referrals from primary care.

The best bit?

The reduced admin frees up more time to concentrate on what matters: your patients.

Reduce your costs

Hiring full time medical receptionists can be costly, especially for small clinics and group practices. Not to mention the time spent recruiting and training new employees. Virtual receptionists offer a cost-effective solution to manage your workload, while also increasing availability.

Build trust as you scale

Looking to grow your practice? It’s hard to build up a client base without staff on hand to deal with a new influx of phone calls. That’s where receptionist services come in; a trusted solution that can impress and reassure new patients as you scale up your business. With each new enquiry, potential patients can speak to a real person who will let them know they’re in safe hands. Whether your new lead comes in during office hours, in the evening or at the weekend, there’s always someone to take the call.

Reach more people with bilingual services

Don’t underestimate the impact of speaking to your patients in the language they are most comfortable with. With the right virtual care you can offer bilingual support to your patients so they feel heard and understood.

Most medical professionals agree; the best part of their job is helping people. In those face to face moments when they can put someone at ease, provide their expertise and change lives for the better. But with all the admin of running a clinic, that time often gets sacrificed. With more health professionals experiencing burnout than ever before, it can be hard to prioritize. Amongst all the paperwork, both doctors and patients can suffer. That’s where we come in.

Better systems, more time with your patients

WellReceived is so much more than a virtual medical receptionist. We can help your practice scale by improving efficiency and access, scheduling appointments and so much more.

Most of all, we want to help you help your patients get the care they need. By embracing the power of technology, you can refocus your time to do what you love: providing the best possible care for your patients. To find out more about the different services we offer and see our plans and prices, click here.