Separate reception and telephone staff (If you can)

No matter what sort of technology you use to keep communications flowing efficiently, some days it seems the phones never stop ringing in your practice. Callers require appointments the same day they call, want to know about ongoing treatments or medications, or even need immediate emergency attention.

If your receptionist answers all these calls, how can she or he properly greet and register patients and parents? Different medical practices have different styles. In general, try to have separately dedicated telephone and reception staff. And resolve that never the twain shall meet.

Teach your telephone staffers how to answer the phone properly. Also, help them learn how to deal with more than one call at a time. Don't expect this phone person to sign patients in or out on top of that. Too much will fall through the cracks during harried times.