Obsoletion - noun: the act of becoming or condition of being obsolete.

Is that what phone training in a medical office has become?

The telephone is a patient’s very first personal contact with the practice. A vital communication tool responsible for practice building and management. Why, then, is it that doctors do not require professional training in proper phone skills and etiquette? Not just for their receptionist, how about the entire staff?

After years of consulting experiences (combined lately with crazy stories I’ve had with personal medical encounters), it is evident that not all physicians know what goes on at that front desk, particularly on the phone. That is, not until they overhear an uncomfortable conversation they wish they hadn’t. I can’t tell you how often a client has come to me sounding the alarm, saying, “I can’t believe what I just heard my staff say to a patient on the phone!” It is at that point that reality sets in.

Unfortunately, if new job applicants indicate they have experience as a receptionist on their resume, it is often mistakenly assumed that they possess excellent telephone skills. It might further be misconstrued that answering phones is “just another standard job” that receptionists have indeed mastered. However, that is rarely the case. Too many “receptionists” cannot pass that test, presenting an unpleasant first impression of the entire practice.

This leads me to wonder…

• Are doctors aware of the information their staff communicates (whether it is accurate or medically advised?)

• Do they assume that all their employees professionally conduct themselves on the phone by utilizing proper tone, volume, and attitude in their voice?

• Do they know whether (or not) staff SMILE and are courteous when they speak on the phone, or are they bothered by the interruption?

• Do staff (intentionally or unintentionally) abuse the hold button - losing patients, literally and figuratively, as a result?

• Can they diffuse angry, disgruntled, and abusive patient situations and take appropriate action to resolve issues?

• Do doctors know if staff remain focused on welcoming patients in or shutting them out because they feel stressed or overwhelmed?

• Do docs feel that sending new staff for proper training only unnecessarily delays their start date? Is the cost of professional training a deterrent factor?

It may appear I blame staff for all the transgressions – not so. Unless they receive specific “how to” instruction and official training, they will do what they do, right or wrong, good or bad – and believe there is no problem. It all goes back to management. The more self-made protocol that slips by uncorrected, the more they will trust that their way of (mis)handling things is okay.

Because of its impact on the practice, many successful doctors consider the office phone as relevant as the essential clinical equipment – x-ray, ultrasound, etc., ensuring that those tools are in optimum working order and professionally maintained. Telephone training is no different. Phone skills also need to be professionally maintained. I would even go so far as to say that annual training and refresh are necessary. Anyone in practice responsible for answering the phones and speaking with patients, other medical offices, hospitals, or vendors…must know how to handle those calls effectively. Mishandling is not an option.

If formal training is not currently possible, commit to a time that is. In the meantime, schedule and conduct in-house training sessions. These should include discussing common scenarios, role-playing, customer service etiquette, problem-solving, medical advice no-nos, opening and closing calls, and turning phone inquiries into appointments. If webinars are available, take advantage of this alternate resource.

Don’t wait until you overhear an uncomfortable conversation. It could be too late. Get staff the training they need now. And remember, you don’t have to train all your team – just the ones you want to keep!