Five ways to decrease call-backs

In a medical practice, phone calls are money pits, essential though they are. Doctors don't get paid for phone calls and the more calls a practice gets, the higher the costs. However, missing calls is even more costly, so the key is call management. Practices that manage phone calls well can benefit. Here are somes things you can do:

1: Track when calls come in and staff accordingly.
2: Track why calls are made and adjust operations accordingly.
3: Decrease call demand by use of e-Rx, printed materials, and an instructive website.
4: Manage patient expectations.
5: Use a patient web-portal.

While employing some or all of these tactics may not eliminate repeat calls, it will reduce them by 10 to 20 percent and free your time for more productive and pleasant pursuits.