Medical Offices

Specialized Medical Answering Service: A Voice on the Other End of the Line

API has developed an answering service program specifically designed for the medical profession. In addition to traditional answering services, we offer a highly effective Emergency Dispatching service and a hospital / doctor confirmation feature.

A medical answering service is essential for on-call physicians. Patients need to know doctors can be reached 24 hours a day in the event of an emergency. A highly organized answering service not only makes the initial call to the doctor on call, but also places a follow-up call to the patient to ensure someone has responded. You can set up a protocol for those times when the on-call physician does not respond, which may include paging another doctor.

A medical answering service allows patients to speak with a live operator 24 hours a day. One of the key benefits of hiring a company to handle your after-hours calls is voice mail screening. Many calls that come in after 5 p.m. are non-emergency calls. An operator can direct the patient to call back the next day and may be able to provide basic information like appointment times and office locations.

When dealing with personal health issues, confidentiality is essential. The right answering service hires operators who understand the Hippocratic oath and follow the principles when taking messages. Under no circumstances should an operator offer medical advice or provide any diagnostic opinions. If you're looking for phone support, make sure you discuss privacy policies, confidentiality agreements and emergency procedures thoroughly.

The bonus of the Emergency Dispatching service is that it also controls your answering service expense. The majority of calls answered after hours on medical service provider accounts are from patients who are trying to schedule appointments, have billing inquiries or need a prescription refill. Once they realize they have reached the answering service, they request what time your office is open and say they will call back. This results in what we call a non-message for which your account is charged. By using the emergency service program, these non-messages will never reach an operator - and your account will not be charged! Please contact our office at 480-921-1300 or 877-921-1300 to provide furth