Maintaining strong internal and external communication is important for businesses of every kind. Whether to schedule appointments, answer queries, or collaborate between different departments, having a strong communication system is essential to the successful running of healthcare services. Global Call Forwarding offers resourceful communication solutions that can help increase sales and enhance customer relations.
Communication Solutions: Why Healthcare Services Must Pay Attention to Their Communication System
Callers—patients, users, doctors, nurse practitioners, and more—often connect with a healthcare service for a variety of reasons. Healthcare services such as clinics, hospitals, therapy and rehabilitation, online and virtual patient care, medical insurance businesses, and pharmaceutical companies need a well-built communication system to:
- Handle and store patient information
- Schedule appointments
- Maintain communication between doctors, patients, and pharmacies
- Provide caller switch drug information to users and medical professionals
- Screen for clinical trial
- Fill and refill prescriptions
- Register complaints and concerns
- Provide recall hotlines
- File insurance claims
- Collect feedback, and more.
Let’s have a look at four core communication solutions—toll free numbers, call recording software, outbound calling, and IVR—that can reinvent how your healthcare service communicates.
1) Toll Free Business Numbers
Toll free business numbers are one of the most popular communication solutions available. They help further solidify a reliable means of communication and support incoming call volumes. Calls made to such numbers are free for the caller as they charge the receiver instead. This makes it easy and free for callers to quickly get in touch with your business and not have to worry about paying high long-distance fees.
Furthermore, you can use extensions to demonstrate professionalism. Callers can then instantly connect with the right department or professional for their needs. You can have extensions for different activities such as scheduling appointments, drug information, complaints and suggestions, prescriptions renewal requests, etc.
2) Call Recording Software
A call recording software, offered by virtual phone service providers, enables you to record and review calls. You can choose to record all incoming and outgoing calls or only certain types of calls. In fact, businesses offering phone therapy prefer recording calls for documentation purposes.
Call recording for healthcare services ensures your service is HIPPA and MIPPA compliant while also keeping records of important transactions and payments. Additionally, it lets you collect customer data quickly and with fewer errors, as opposed to manual note-taking. This data can then be used to review patient files, clinical trial screening, and collection of feedback. Another reason why a call recording software is beneficial to healthcare service is that it helps reduce liabilities based on false claims and misunderstandings by acting as evidence.
An additional benefit is that you can review recorded calls for quality assurance purposes and to study consumer behavior and preferences. This can give you insights into better ways to serve your customers.
3) Outbound Calling
An outbound calling service is generally used by sales and customer support teams. This service encourages and supports outbound sales and enhances customer support efforts. Your healthcare service can use outbound calling to connect with customers regarding recent visits, renewal and payment reminders, recalls, or to inform them of company updates and promotions.
What outbound calling does best is it gives you a means to building strong relationships with callers by letting you follow up with them and increase satisfaction. Such interaction can go a long way in increasing confidence and trust in your business.
Global Call Forwarding also offers outbound call recording software that lets you review and study outgoing calls to identify areas of strength and weakness.
4) Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
An interactive voice response (IVR) is an automated response that answers incoming calls and presents callers with a set of menus. A common example of IVR is a prerecorded voice asking callers to “Press 1 for [insert language preference], 2 for [insert language preference].” The next level can target more specific categories or departments. For example, “to make an appointment, Press 1. For billing and payments, Press 2. To renew your prescription, Press 3,” and so on.
Having an IVR system integrated within your communication system can help your employees handle incoming call volumes by distributing them. Callers are able to complete simple tasks by interacting with the automated voice and prerecorded messages. And if their case or concern is too complex, they can be transferred to an employee or agent. Having your system set up this way only strengthens the image of your service as an established one that takes customer care seriously. Learn more about how to create a perfect IVR system for your business.
Consider Investing in These Communication Solutions
The best way to know what works for you and your business is to research and give the service or product a chance to work. You can get these communication solutions from the world’s most trusted provider, Global Call Forwarding for a reasonable price. Sign up or call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to learn more.
