The Value of Healthcare Call Centers to Patients and Physicians

What is a Healthcare Call Center?

Healthcare call centers help patients to have a more significant number of options depending on their necessity. Though technology is now the trend, many people still prefer to hear caring human interaction that will accommodate their needs. Health care call centers are responsible for managing appointments and providing information about services offered, healthcare resources, illnesses, and the vital information necessary to a patient's care plan. 

When patients call their doctor's office, they expect someone courteous to answer all their questions. However, this is not always the experience of patients. There are times that they were responded to by a cranky receptionist on the other end. Or worse, some had been on hold for an extended amount of time, resulting in irate patients. 

There are different levels of convenience when health care providers use call centers as part of their practice. There is also an assurance that patients will always have continuous access to care. 

Responding to calls is part of hospital management, so the hospital must ensure that there is a system that functions efficiently, which can be tedious. Hospitals are often encouraged to hire a call center so hospital staff can best focus on their work. 

Importance of Healthcare Call Centers 

Healthcare call centers are not just a casual inquiry phone number for patients. Their role in health management is significant for the patients and the healthcare providers. 

Effective Care of Patients 

Customer satisfaction has always been the most critical issue for the business. That is also the case for healthcare providers. They should provide accurate information about the patient, especially when it needs to be added to their health record. 

On the other hand, the hospitals should know the representative who answers their patients' calls. The representative should be familiar with patient needs, well informed to answer questions, and handle different scenarios raised during the phone call. 

Maintain Administrative Records 

Maintaining administrative records of prescriptions and patients is not as easy as it seems. Often, it isn't easy to manage. That is why a patient call center is vital in the process. The call center can distribute the work in the organization to ensure that all the needs of the patients are handled correctly.

Payment and Collections 

Payment and collections are essential functions of a healthcare service provider. The call center for healthcare is designed to streamline collections and improve the collections department. The payment through the phone is an automated practice that will be convenient for the patients and the clinics without any hassles.

Training 

Nowadays, there are so many providers that patients can transfer their care to, so healthcare facilities staff must know how to handle patient needs. But this is not an easy task, and it will require valuable time to train staff. However, if you purchase the services of a call center for healthcare, an on-demand trained staff is provided. 

The agent is already well-trained to provide customer service on every call. These agents know how to deal with a patient whose interest is preventive care or a patient coping with stage 3- cancer. Agents know precisely how to connect with patients with empathy and understanding.

Communication

Patients want to connect and be comfortable with their healthcare provider. That connection is established by clear and consistent communication. The active participation of the patient to engage will aid in clarifying what their needs are and what is the best care they would get for themselves. 

Communication can also help the trust between the patient and the care provider. The patients will feel that they are not alone in their health care journey. 

Caring 

The essential function of a healthcare call center is to let the patients feel that their provider cares for them. Beyond money and appointments, the most important factor that a healthcare call center provides is a desire to meet the patients' physical and emotional needs. Caring agents strive to listen and help each patient they interact with by addressing their concerns and easing their worries. After all, patients need to be heard for quality care. 

Patient Satisfaction 

Often, patient complaints are related to customer service. It highlights how important the call center is to healthcare providers. Customer service interaction is the first journey of the patient. If they feel that the representative did not serve them well, they could potentially transfer to another healthcare provider. So, agents who answer patients' queries must know how to connect them to the correct department and always treat them with respect. It's the first of many journeys that may last long term if the patients feel they were respected, cared and served well. 

Partner with DrCatalyst! You will find that hiring a call center for healthcare will help you manage your patient needs without adding additional stress to your office. DrCatalyst will help you focus more on the healthcare services and your patients. 

Partner with DrCatalyst

DrCatalyst is ready and well trained to handle clinical call centers. Send us an email or call us to schedule your appointment with DrCatalyst today.

Subscribe to DrCatalyst blog now.