Waiting in a doctor’s office is bad enough, you don’t want patients waiting on the phone as well! Fortunately, there are many leading business phone systems that provide a more convenient, hassle-free experience that gets patients to the healthcare they need faster. In this piece we’ll take you through the top phone systems and which is the best choice for a doctor’s office.
What are the business phone systems?
Patients are constantly having to get in touch with doctors’ rooms to book appointments, reschedule appointments, enquire about prescriptions, get over-the-phone advice… and much more! Likewise, receptionists are having to liaise with service providers, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists, fellow medical practitioners, hospitals, and the like to provide the best healthcare for their patients. With so many inbound and outgoing calls, it’s important that the phone system can match the demand. Here are the top three:
1. PBX On-Premise
This is a traditional phone system that many of us have come into contact with at some point. The device relies on analogue telephone wires to make and receive calls. It does have a number of key features, but because it uses what is now considered the older phone lines, it can be a little more unreliable than the modern counterparts.
2. VoIP PBX
The next step up from the PBX on-premise phone system, the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) PBX uses a broadband or data link to make and receive phone calls which is much cheaper than traditional phone lines. It also allows for better quality voice calls, free calls between users and a host of innovative features.
3. Hosted VoIP
This is the most modern, portable business telephone system which takes all the innovation and features of the VoIP PBX and takes them to the cloud. This means that all calls and text are converted into digital bytes which are transported to the cloud through to the other end of the call. Users benefit from lower costs, improved call and video quality, lower maintenance and implementation costs, and mobility.
Why VoIP is best for a doctor’s office
Whether you go with the VoIP PBX or Hosted VoIP phone solution, this is definitely the best system for a doctor’s office. Here’s a look at some of the features that work so well with the needs of a medical practice.
VoIP features
- Call routing: Transfer all incoming calls to multiple extensions, whether this is a desktop phone or smartphone. This is beneficial when a doctor is on call and needs to be accessible at all times.
- Auto attendant: Your VoIP phone has a virtual receptionist who can answer calls when the in-person receptionist is busy or after hours. The auto attendant can even transfer calls to the specific department through a menu option or take a message.
- Fax to email: This is very useful as fellow medical practitioners can send through a patient’s notes or prescriptions via fax which then transfers this to the email inbox.
- Voicemail to email: Similarly, the VoIP system can convert a phone message so that it’s sent as an email, allowing the doctor to attend to patient’s messages quickly.
VoIP benefits
Using these features – and more – the VoIP phone system offers many benefits to a doctor’s office. These include:
Simplifying call routing
Where a doctor’s office consists of a number of locations, or where the doctor operates from a number of locations, then getting hold of them in case of an emergency can be tricky. Not with VoIP! The system transfers calls across a number of locations without the doctor having to disseminate his or her personal phone number.
Attends to high call volumes
Anyone who’s waited in a doctor’s office can vouch for the busyness that goes on with incoming and outgoing calls constant. This can be overwhelming for staff who are also having to deal with in-person patients, administrative duties and urgent requests. The VoIP system, with all its abovementioned features, takes the pressure off staff and allows them to deal with queries in their own time.
Better holding experience
Even with all the VoIP solutions, patients will have to be placed on call hold for some of the time. However, VoIP improves this experience with customised music, or useful health-related messages for patients to listen to.
Some of the other benefits of the VoIP solution, include:
- Allowing doctors to consult with patients remotely;
- Allowing medical practitioners to collaborate in real-time;
- Enabling secure phone calls between medical staff;
- Massive cost-savings; and
- Connecting medical practitioners globally.
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To find out more about the best in VoIP options for doctors’ offices, contact the leading voice solutions provider, ECN!