Phone etiquette is very important for medical receptionists as their job deals with emotions and feelings. May it be in the hospital, laboratories or clinics, a medical receptionist plays a vital role as they are the frontliners of the organization. They do not only set appointment schedules or give information to customers but they also help in addressing the emotional needs of the patient.

As a frontliner of a medical institution, a receptionist gives impact to the image of the organization by the way they answer the phone, greet the patients, and handle sensitive situation like confidentiality and emotions of the patient. Practicing proper phone etiquette helps increase the productivity of the organization and provides customer satisfaction.

Find out below what the proper phone etiquettes for medical receptionist are:

1)    Answer phone calls in a pleasant and professional manner. Speak clearly for the caller to understand you. Listen to what they have to say and it’s better to repeat the information back to verify if you get it correctly. Don’t forget to note it down if you are taking a message. Be patient and helpful at all times especially when you’re handling sensitive or emergency calls or when the guy on the other line is hard to understand. Always have focus on the call and end it in a polite manner.

2)    Keep confidentiality on patient’s record or medical history. Your role as a virtual medical receptionist is to keep confidential of any information regarding the patient’s medical records. Never disclose any information even to a family member without the advice of the patient. If a caller would insist to get any information about the patient’s medical records, just apologize and be firm that you cannot give out those information.

3)    Never keep your caller waiting. Answer the phone as quickly as possible. Never keep them waiting especially during emergency cases. You have to consider that you are handling callers who not only have an appointment to schedule but also have sensitive issues that need immediate attention from their physicians. Don’t be shy to put your caller on hold if the need arises but be sure to get back and thank them for staying on the line right away. If possible, offer to take a message.

4)    Avoid giving out medical advice. As a medical receptionist, your role is to be of assistance to your boss or to the organization you work for and to their patients. However, you are not authorized to give medical advice or answer any queries regarding medication or recommend treatment or prescription if the doctor is out and your caller would ask help from you. Offer them to schedule an appointment with the doctor or transfer the call to an authorized medical practitioner that could best answer their inquiries.

5)    Have presence of mind at all times. The best phone etiquette for medical receptionists is having presence of mind at all times. Proper transferring of calls to the right department and switchboard operation are two essential medical receptionist duties. Further, getting all the necessary information when taking a message is important, so the need to be mentally present is always high.  And lastly, the tone of voice should always be in a polite and professional manner as this gives impact to the totality of the organization.

As a remote receptionist, you may make or break the image of your organization with the way you handle calls. And by learning and doing the proper phone etiquette, you can help your organization be the best among the rest. This helps create a good first impression and provides customer satisfaction.