Many patients who call their family practitioner on the weekends unfortunately receive only a generic answering machine message for their efforts. While this is fine in some cases, it can also mean the loss of a patient's business or, in the worst case scenario, an unaddressed emergency. A live answering service can help make sure that patients aren't left without the resources they need, even if they only need to know that there is a live person at the other end of the phone when they call their medical provider's office.

A live answering service that specializes in serving medical providers understands the basics of triage and patient care. For instance, if a patient calls in with a casual question after the office is closed, the operator can take a message and let the patient know that the doctor will be informed. If a patient calls in with a serious question, such as one regarding their medications and drug interactions, the operator will know that the call needs to get through to the doctor or, in some cases, that the patient needs to call emergency services to avoid a disaster. A voicemail box simply cannot do this.

Most patients are comforted by knowing that medical services are available, even if they don’t need those services at the time. A live answering service ensures that the patient knows that there is someone there to listen to their concerns and who can get through to the doctor if need be. If that patient only needs to leave a message, it's very easily done and they can rest assured that the doctor will get the message when the office opens and that their concerns will be addressed in a timely fashion. This is a great asset for any clinic.