You may not know this, but your medical practice could be losing a lot of money without your knowledge. This will definitely happen if you don’t have a 24/7 answering service. Such a solution is very crucial in the current world.
The main reason behind this is that people are busy and competition is quite stiff. Therefore, individuals expect prompt and immediate responses. Failure to this, they will go to your competitor who will receive them without delay.
With this in mind, you should contemplate investing in a 24/7 answering service. This article gives 7 ways your medical practice could be losing money without this kind of a solution.
Missed New Patient Opportunities After Hours
Customer Support 24/7 Services
As a medical practice owner, you probably already know that not all people will reach out during normal working hours. In fact, there is a good percentage who call after hours. If no one is available to pick up these calls, callers end up frustrated and disappointed. At this point, they will have to go to your competitors.
Once this happens, you end up losing on some valuable opportunities. Since you don’t want this, you need to look for a way to capture these inquiries.
Inefficient Scheduling and Last-Minute Cancellations
You need to have efficient appointment coordination. Failure to this, you will end up experiencing drained revenue. This is especially true when calls go unanswered after regular office hours.
Your patients should be able to book, confirm, and reschedule promptly. If they aren’t able to do this, open slots go unfilled. This ends up making same-day cancellations quite common.
To avoid this, you need to invest in consistent customer service. With such a solution, you can manage any changes in real time. You’ll also be better placed to discover gaps in the calendar and recover them on time.
Overworked In-House Staff
Without a dedicated team to handle callers, existing employees are forced to engage in patient communications. Bearing in mind that they have other responsibilities, this ends up dividing their attention. The end result here is longer response times and increased errors. This issue frustrates patients and leads to reduced loyalty.
Overburdened staff may also experience burnout. This lowers their productivity and increases overall turnover.
Missed Urgent Calls That Could Prevent Escalated Care
Some patients could be experiencing some very minor health issues. If they don’t find any assistance once they reach out, that small challenge could end up escalating into an emergency. Such a shortcoming will definitely require more intensive treatment. This ends up attracting higher costs and potential liability for the clinic.
Apart from this, any gaps can damage patient trust and satisfaction. Therefore, there will be fewer return visits.
Negative Online Reviews
If you don’t have a 24/7 answering service, people will definitely complain about slow responses and missed communications. This will not be good for your business. The main reason behind this is that individuals now often research providers online prior to committing. As they do this, they could come across one or two unfavorable comments. These might not look much. However, they can negatively influence their decision to seek healthcare from you.
Lost Revenue from Billing Questions and Payment Calls
Some individuals may have questions about bills. Others may need assistance with payments outside regular office hours. If you don’t offer immediate support, they will postpone resolving their concerns. This ends up causing delayed or missed payments.
Such a shortcoming affects cash flow and increases administrative work. At this point, your staff will now have to follow up on inquiries that could have been previously addressed.
Lack of Professionalism Compared to Your Competition
Missing calls shows a lack of professionalism. When patients reach out and get no response, it creates the impression that your team is disorganized. This negative reputation will not be very good for your business. This is especially true when you think about your competitors and the incredible service they could be offering.
Every missed call or delayed response for your medical practice can lead to lost revenue and dissatisfied patients. These are challenges that you don’t want to experience. To ensure this, consider investing in professional 24/7 answering services. By doing this, you get to enhance patient satisfaction and retention.
Looking for an exceptional 24/7 answering solution? Consider partnering with AB Universal Messaging. We offer an incredible service that protects revenue and strengthens patient relationships. With our assistance, you can ensure long-term success for your medical practice
