Frequently Asked Questions

We can typically begin answering calls for your medical practice within 24-48 hours of completing your service agreement. Our rapid implementation process starts with a detailed review of your practice's specific needs and call handling protocols to ensure seamless integration. We work closely with your staff to understand your scheduling system, emergency procedures, and communication preferences during the setup phase. Our team then creates customized scripts and protocols specific to your practice, tests all systems, and provides you with all necessary documentation and access credentials. We also offer a transition period where we can work alongside your current system to ensure everything... Read The Rest

When a patient calls with an emergency, our operators follow carefully documented emergency protocols specific to your practice. We immediately assess the situation using your prescribed screening questions and follow your established procedures for different levels of urgency. Our operators are trained to gather essential information quickly and efficiently, while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor that helps reassure distressed patients. For life-threatening emergencies, we can connect patients directly with emergency services while simultaneously notifying your on-call staff. We maintain detailed documentation of all emergency calls and can provide immediate notification through multiple channels including phone, text, or email based on... Read The Rest

Our operators are thoroughly trained to work with various medical scheduling systems and can seamlessly schedule appointments directly in your practice's system. We ensure accurate scheduling by following your specific guidelines for appointment types, duration, and provider availability. Our team receives comprehensive training on your scheduling software, whether it's common platforms like Epic, Athena, or Practice Fusion, or proprietary systems unique to your practice. We maintain detailed notes of all scheduling interactions and can handle complex scheduling requirements, including insurance verification and pre-appointment instructions. Additionally, we can manage appointment confirmations, reschedules, and cancellations according to your practice's policies, ensuring your schedule remains... Read The Rest

Our comprehensive medical call handling training program combines classroom instruction, hands-on practice, and continuous monitoring to ensure excellence in medical communication. Each operator undergoes extensive HIPAA compliance training, medical terminology education, and practice-specific protocol instruction before handling any calls. Our training process includes learning about different medical specialties, understanding common patient concerns, and mastering emergency protocols for various situations. We regularly update our training materials to reflect current best practices in medical office communication and conduct ongoing quality assessments. Additionally, our operators receive specialized training in empathetic communication, active listening, and professional phone etiquette to ensure they represent your practice with the... Read The Rest

We provide comprehensive 24/7/365 coverage for your medical practice, ensuring your patients always reach a live, professional operator regardless of the time or day. Our service never closes - we maintain full staffing during holidays, weekends, and after hours to guarantee consistent coverage for your practice. We adapt our staffing levels based on historical call patterns and your specific needs, ensuring adequate coverage during peak hours and maintaining rapid response times during slower periods. Our round-the-clock service includes full access to all our capabilities, from appointment scheduling to emergency protocols, maintaining the same high level of service quality regardless of when... Read The Rest

We manage prescription refill requests according to your practice's specific protocols, ensuring all necessary information is collected and properly documented. Our operators gather essential details including the patient's full name, date of birth, medication information, pharmacy details, and any relevant symptoms or concerns. Each request is carefully logged with a timestamp and processed according to your specified urgency levels and procedures. We can either queue non-urgent requests for your staff's review during business hours or contact on-call providers for urgent needs based on your guidelines. Our system maintains a complete audit trail of all prescription-related communications, and we can integrate with your... Read The Rest

Yes, we have extensive experience integrating with numerous medical scheduling platforms and practice management systems used by healthcare providers. Our technical team works closely with your staff to ensure seamless integration with your existing software, whether it's a popular system like Epic, Athena, or AllScripts, or a custom solution. We invest significant time in understanding your software's specific features and requirements to maintain data accuracy and workflow efficiency. Our operators receive thorough training on your specific system, including appointment types, scheduling rules, and any custom fields or requirements. Additionally, we regularly update our integration protocols to accommodate software updates and can adapt... Read The Rest

Patient privacy and confidentiality are at the core of our service, with multiple safeguards in place to protect sensitive information. Every interaction is protected by industry-leading security measures, including encrypted communications, secure data storage, and strict access controls that exceed HIPAA requirements. Our operators undergo rigorous privacy training and follow detailed verification protocols before discussing any patient information. We maintain comprehensive audit trails of all interactions and regularly conduct security assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. Each call is handled in a private environment, and our systems automatically log and monitor all access to patient information. Additionally, we implement... Read The Rest

We serve a diverse range of healthcare providers, from single-physician practices to multi-location medical groups across various specialties. Our experience includes working with primary care physicians, specialists, mental health professionals, urgent care centers, and surgical practices. We have particular expertise in serving practices that require complex call handling protocols, such as OB/GYN offices, pediatric clinics, and psychiatric practices. Each type of practice receives customized service protocols tailored to their specific needs and patient population. Our extensive experience in the medical field allows us to understand and accommodate the unique requirements of different specialties, from managing emergency protocols for cardiology practices to handling... Read The Rest

Our HIPAA-compliant medical answering service implements multiple layers of security to protect patient information. We maintain strict protocols for data handling, including encrypted messaging systems, secure servers, and regular security audits to ensure complete compliance with all HIPAA regulations. Our operators undergo extensive HIPAA training and follow detailed procedures for patient information verification and documentation. We maintain detailed access logs, use secure messaging platforms, and ensure all communication channels meet federal privacy standards. Additionally, we sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with all medical clients and regularly update our systems to address emerging security requirements.... Read The Rest

Urgent messages are delivered through multiple secure channels based on your practice's preferences and escalation protocols. We can immediately relay urgent communications via phone, secure text message, email, or your preferred messaging platform, ensuring critical information reaches the right person quickly. Our system includes built-in escalation procedures if the primary contact is unavailable, following your specified chain of command. We maintain detailed delivery confirmation logs and can provide status updates on message receipt and response times. Additionally, our operators are trained to distinguish between different levels of urgency and can adapt their communication method based on the situation's severity, ensuring that truly... Read The Rest

We excel at implementing and following customized call handling protocols tailored to your practice's exact specifications. During our onboarding process, we work closely with your team to document all your protocols in detail, including specific questions to ask, information to gather, and actions to take in various scenarios. Our operators are thoroughly trained on your unique protocols before handling any calls for your practice. We can accommodate complex decision trees and multiple scenarios, ensuring that each call is handled exactly as if it were answered by your in-house staff. Regular quality monitoring ensures consistent adherence to your protocols, and we can quickly... Read The Rest

We understand that medical practices need flexibility in their call handling procedures, and we make it easy to update your instructions at any time. Changes can be implemented quickly through our secure client portal or by contacting your dedicated account manager who will ensure all updates are properly documented and communicated to our team. Our operators receive immediate notifications of protocol changes and undergo brief training sessions when significant updates occur. We maintain version control of all protocols and can track changes over time for quality assurance purposes. Additionally, we can help you evaluate the effectiveness of different call handling approaches and... Read The Rest

Our sophisticated staffing model and call distribution system ensure consistent service levels even during peak periods or unexpected call volume spikes. We maintain excess capacity and can quickly scale our staffing levels based on historical patterns and predicted busy periods specific to your practice. Our operators are cross-trained to handle multiple types of medical practices, allowing us to flex resources as needed to manage high call volumes efficiently. During busy periods, we prioritize calls based on urgency while maintaining rapid response times for all patients. We also provide detailed reporting on call volumes and response times, allowing us to continuously optimize... Read The Rest

We collect essential information from callers according to your practice's specific requirements while maintaining an efficient and professional call flow. Our standard information gathering includes patient name, contact details, reason for call, and any specific details your practice requires for different types of calls. We can customize our data collection protocols to match your practice management system's requirements and your preferred workflow. Our operators are trained to gather information naturally during the conversation while maintaining a professional and caring demeanor. We understand the importance of accurate data collection and have quality control measures in place to ensure information accuracy. Additionally, we can... Read The Rest

Our medical answering service pricing is customized based on your practice's specific needs and call volume, with flexible plans starting at competitive rates. We offer transparent pricing with no hidden fees, and you only pay for the services you actually use. Each plan includes access to our full range of features including HIPAA-compliant messaging, custom call protocols, and detailed reporting. We can scale your service plan up or down based on your actual usage patterns, ensuring you're always on the most cost-effective plan for your needs. Additionally, we offer special pricing for new practices and can create custom packages that combine... Read The Rest

We believe in earning your business every day, which is why we offer flexible month-to-month service agreements without requiring long-term commitments. While we do offer additional benefits for practices that choose annual agreements, you're never locked into a long-term contract. Our focus is on delivering consistent, high-quality service that makes you want to stay with us, not contractual obligations. We understand that medical practices need flexibility, and our agreement terms reflect that understanding. Additionally, we provide transparent cancellation policies and will work with you to ensure a smooth transition if you ever need to make changes to your service.... Read The Rest

Yes, we offer a risk-free trial period that allows you to experience our medical answering service firsthand before making a long-term commitment. During the trial period, you'll have access to all our features and can thoroughly evaluate how well we handle your calls and integrate with your practice. Our team will work closely with you during the trial to ensure proper setup and provide any necessary adjustments to call handling protocols. We understand that selecting an answering service is an important decision for your practice, and we want you to be completely confident in your choice. Additionally, we provide detailed reporting... Read The Rest

We provide comprehensive bilingual support to ensure effective communication with Spanish-speaking patients and their families. Our team includes fluent Spanish-speaking operators who can handle calls with the same level of professionalism and attention to detail as our English-language service. We understand the importance of clear medical communication in a patient's preferred language and ensure nothing is lost in translation. Our bilingual operators are trained in medical terminology in both languages and understand cultural nuances that can be important in healthcare communication. Additionally, we can customize bilingual protocols based on your patient population's specific needs and preferences.... Read The Rest

Since 1985, Voice With A Smile has specialized exclusively in medical answering services, developing deep expertise in healthcare communication that generic answering services simply can't match. Our focus on medical practices has allowed us to develop sophisticated protocols and training programs specifically designed for healthcare providers. We maintain a perfect record of HIPAA compliance and have built our reputation on helping medical practices grow through exceptional patient communication. Our operators undergo extensive medical-specific training, including medical terminology, emergency protocols, and empathetic patient communication. We've maintained long-term relationships with many of our medical clients, some spanning decades, due to our consistent quality and... Read The Rest