(Note: As we mentioned last week, we were recently asked to provide some tips on working the front desk. Part one of this series was posted last week and, if you missed it, you can click here to read it! Our hope is that you and your team can use this as a resource to better serve your patients. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know! Also, if you would like quick reference guide on the procedures outlined in these two pieces, click here to download a copy!) Identifying New Patient Calls and Keeping a Goal in Mind Here is the number one sign you have a new patient on the line: Questions! Out of the call types listed above, new patients will have unique questions that let your team know someone important is on the line. (See the box below for some common new patient questions.) Common New Patient Questions:
Where is your office located? What are your office hours? Do you take ______ insurance? Can you tell me if I qualify for ______? Can you help me with ______? What is your earliest appointment time? Do you have an online application? I am having trouble with _________. Can your office help me? Answering a potential new patient's question is important, but it is not your team's primary concern. At the end of the day, they are on the phone to schedule an appointment. In some ways, you can think of this as a sale. (And like sales, these numbers should be tracked!) Here are a few things for your team to keep in mind when taking calls:
This will likely be a new mindset for your front desk team. Yes, they are there to serve patients, but they are also there to help new patients get in the door. A few key components in this process are etiquette, consistency, and the greeting on the phone. Etiquette, Consistency and the Greeting Remember that the phone should never be answered mindlessly. This is an intentional process that impacts the well-being of the practice. Phone etiquette is all about awareness and effort. How do I sound on the phone? Am I actively listening to the caller? Here are some quick reminders for your team when they are working the front desk:
This focus sets the stage for the greeting and it should be the same every time the phone is answered in your practice. Simply put, here is the appropriate greeting for a phone call to a medical practice: "(Practice Name), this is ____________. How may I help you?" There are two reasons to use this greeting:
After asking the client how they can be helped, your team's focus should be on their response in order to determine what kind of caller they are. Again, for the sake of consistency across the board, it is important that the greeting never changes! This process is something that can't be set and forgotten about. Your team will need to be monitored and reminded frequently of the proper way to handle phone calls in your practice. Conclusion At the end of the day, answering the phone at a medical practice is a combination of serving the patient and growing the practice; it can't be seen as less. This will likely be a true shift in mindset for most front desk employees, but it is a necessary one. Your practice's ability to grow and thrive is directly linked to how well your team handles incoming and follow-up phone calls. If you have questions on this topic or would like to share an approach that has worked well for your practice, please let us know! We would love to hear from you!
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AuthorThe staff and doctors at VisionAmerica are committed to providing relevant information for you, your patients and your practice. We hope you find the information in our blog post helpful. Archives
August 2019
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