Call Back Success Tactics

One of the most common reasons I see patients get upset with medical offices is that they don’t get a call back when promised (this is especially true when I’m the patient and don’t get my call back!). So here are a few practical tips you should consider:

Confirm: Always read back the information the patient gives you. This will make sure everything is correct. Also, it shows the person you’re really paying attention and taking her message seriously.

Multiple Phone Numbers: Obtain multiple phone numbers for the doctor or nurse to call the person back. This is important because the patient may want to give you his work number when he calls to speak to the provider who will actually be calling him back at home later that evening.

Follow Up: Be sure to get back to the patient if your physician isn’t able to call back at the agreed-upon time. For example, you might call the patient and say, “All of your test results aren’t going to be in today, so we need to reschedule your chat with the doctor”.