Emerging Roles in Telehealth: Who Are Call Answering Service Agents?

You’re usually the one providing medical assistance to others. But let’s flip the roles and ask you this: As a patient, have you ever called your healthcare provider only to be frustrated with long waiting times or second-rate phone service? 

You're not alone. Recent stats reveal that a whopping 49% of patients aren't satisfied with their provider's customer service, whether online, offline, or via the phone.

It's a wake-up call for the healthcare industry to improve its game. Traditional call centers have been the go-to, but it's clear that just answering phones isn't cutting it anymore.

That's where EHR-trained call-answering service agents come in. These professionals are not your average phone handlers. They don't just take calls; they ensure seamless integration with digital records, significantly advancing patient care coordination and satisfaction and improving your bottom line.

The Emergence of EHR-Trained Call Answering Agents

EHR-trained call-answering service agents are professionals with expertise in Electronic Health Record systems. This means they can do much more than just answer phones. They know how to navigate these systems to smooth patient interactions and handle administrative tasks more efficiently while your core personnel focus on more specialized tasks.

These agents' comprehensive understanding of medical terminology, procedures, and workflows distinguishes them from traditional call center personnel. Unlike regular call handlers, they provide informed responses, offer personalized assistance based on individual medical histories, and seamlessly integrate digital records into conversations. All in a timely, high-touch, and professional manner.

How EHR-Trained Agents Enhance Healthcare Services

Call answering services boost patient care in various ways. EHR-trained agents lighten staff workload, simplify administrative tasks, and provide personalized interactions tailored to patient history. They're also great at managing appointments smoothly, ensuring the practice runs efficiently and maximizes revenue. Here's how live answering services help maintain top-notch patient care:

1. Decreased Administrative Burden: Healthcare providers spend an average of 15.5 hours per week on administrative tasks. EHR-trained agents take care of front-desk duties, giving medical staff more time for in-person patient care. 
2. Personal Touch: Call answering services enhance patient satisfaction by providing personalized interactions. Research indicates that 61% of patients are more willing to visit their healthcare provider when the communication experience feels more personalized. Scheduling agents utilize EHR data to tailor each interaction to patients' needs, addressing their medical history and preferences.
3. Reduced No-Shows: With approximately 67,000 no-shows costing the healthcare system an estimated $7 million, the impact of missed appointments is significant. However, a compelling call-answering service can mitigate this issue by reducing no-shows by 30%, increasing booked appointments, and optimizing revenue streams.
4. Improved Care: Training in EHR systems reduces errors in handling patient information. By ensuring agents are proficient in using electronic health records, they can confidently navigate the system, verify patient details accurately, and update records securely. This helps minimize errors in data entry and ensures the reliability of patient information.
5. Streamlined Workflows: Call answering service enables direct appointment scheduling and updates within the EHR, simplifying the management of patient care. This streamlined process eliminates unnecessary steps, making it more efficient for healthcare providers to schedule appointments and update patient records faster and more precisely.
6. Fewer Errors: With electronic health records failing to detect up to 33% of medication errors, healthcare facilities can rely on specialized live answering services to mitigate risks. These EHR-trained agents undergo rigorous training to handle patient information accurately, reducing the likelihood of errors and ensuring data integrity.
7. Increased Profitability: Medical practices can streamline appointment scheduling and patient inquiries by leveraging a call answering service, improving efficiency and resource allocation. This increased operational efficiency translates to cost savings and enhanced revenue generation. Moreover, seamless communication and timely responses to patient needs increase patient satisfaction and retention.

A professional call-answering service can reduce no-shows by up to 30%.

What Should You Know Before Starting With EHR-trained Call Answering Agents?

With the above key benefits, it's only natural that you might want to try EHR-trained call-answering agents. And starting with the service is effortless; all you need to do is to jump on an introductory call and get all the details sorted to get you started. But if you still have some questions to address, here are a few details that may give you that nudge to onboard the agents and make your patient service smoother and more efficient:

How do the EHR call answering agents get trained?

EHR-trained agents undergo specialized training to deliver top-notch call-answering services. This entails mastering EHR systems, adhering to HIPAA regulations, and honing data annotation, labeling, and transparent customer communication skills. Through this comprehensive process, agents become adept at accurately interpreting medical records, safeguarding patient privacy, and effectively executing tasks like documentation and clinical decision support within healthcare environments.

What privacy and security measures are in place to protect my patients' data?

EHR answering service agents adhere to stringent privacy and security measures to safeguard patient information. They follow strict HIPAA regulations, using unique IDs and strong passwords to control access and secure methods to communicate patient info. Agents also undergo federal background checks and get regular training on privacy and security.

How does the service integrate with my existing hospital/clinic practices?

Live answering service agents fit into hospital or clinic routines by ensuring they're compatible with the institution's systems and adapting their call handling to match existing workflows. With thorough training, they learn the hospital's rules and procedures, which helps them efficiently manage incoming calls while keeping patient information secure and following all the necessary regulations.

They stay in touch with hospital staff, asking for feedback to improve operations. They're always ready to tackle any issues. Working with the hospital team, these agents help improve communication, streamline processes, and ensure patients get the best care possible.

What is the cost-benefit analysis of engaging such a service?

By partnering with a medical call answering service, healthcare facilities can eliminate technical costs associated with building their own system and avoid additional expenses such as training new hires and staff downtime. The service provides access to the latest software, network, and communication systems at a fraction of the cost, ensuring reliable call handling even during peak volumes without additional investments in telephone lines, voicemail systems, or expensive phone plans.

Additionally, Employing EHR agents reduces extra costs such as new hire training expenses, staff downtime, sick leave, and operating costs associated with maintaining a larger workforce.

Ready now? Support Your Patients with EHR Call Answering Service

Your patients' expectations constantly evolve, so why not exceed them by offering the most attentive call-answering service? Putting their needs first and delivering personalized experiences, even beyond your practice walls, is a surefire path to patient satisfaction and loyalty.

Ready to win over the 49% of unsatisfied patients? Let's transform your customer service and business success together! ➡️ Just give us a call!