The 24/7 Practice: Extending Patient Access Without Extending Staff Hours

• The Benefits of Always-On Accessibility
• Steps to Seamlessly Implement 24/7 Support
• FAQs‍
  

In today’s fast-paced world, patients expect flexibility and access to care outside traditional hours. Yet, asking your team to work around the clock is neither sustainable nor fair. When calls go unanswered after hours, it can lead to patient frustration—especially for those in pain or feeling anxious—and missed appointments that impact your clinic’s revenue. With medical offices missing an average of 42% of incoming calls, the challenge is clear: how can you offer the accessibility patients need without overextending your dedicated staff?

The Benefits of Always-On Accessibility

Extending your practice’s availability isn’t just about answering more calls; it’s about enhancing patient care and operational efficiency. By ensuring someone—or something—is always available to respond, you address core issues that affect both patients and your team:

• Improved Patient Satisfaction: Offering 24/7 call handling means patients can book appointments, ask questions, or reschedule at their convenience. This reduces the perception of neglect and builds trust, as 85% of callers won’t redial if they don’t reach someone promptly.
• Revenue Protection: Each unanswered call risks a lost appointment, costing roughly $200 in revenue. With always-on answering, you capture these opportunities, filling slots that might otherwise go empty and reducing the $150 billion in annual losses linked to missed calls in healthcare.
• Reduced Staff Burden: By automating routine inquiries and after-hours calls, you free your allied health assistants and practice managers from voicemail backlogs and extended hours. This allows them to focus on meaningful tasks during the day, lowering stress and turnover.

An AI phone answering service like Lyngo, built with 💜 for healthcare, makes this possible by acting as a virtual receptionist that never sleeps, handling calls instantly and integrating with your practice management system to keep workflows smooth.

Steps to Seamlessly Implement 24/7 Support

Introducing round-the-clock access doesn’t have to disrupt your clinic’s rhythm. A thoughtful, phased approach ensures a smooth transition that supports your team:

• Start with After-Hours Coverage: Begin by deploying the AI service outside business hours. This allows you to test its performance with less critical calls and review how it handles common queries, without affecting daytime operations.
• Customise for Your Clinic’s Needs: Work with the provider to tailor the AI’s responses, booking rules, and escalation paths. For instance, set up FAQs about clinic hours or preparation instructions, and ensure it recognises returning patients for a personalised touch.
• Integrate with Existing Systems: Ensure the service syncs with your practice management software, such as Cliniko, so appointments are booked directly into your calendar. This avoids double-booking and maintains your scheduling policies.
• Train Your Team on Escalation Procedures: Make sure staff know how the AI escalates complex calls to humans, and practise handling these transitions. This builds confidence that patient needs are always met, even when the AI is the first point of contact.
• Monitor and Adjust: Regularly review call transcripts and feedback to refine the AI’s performance. This iterative process helps align the service with your clinic’s evolving needs, ensuring it remains a supportive tool.

This methodical implementation minimises disruption and empowers your team to embrace the technology as a reliable partner in patient care.

FAQs

Q: How does Lyngo handle calls outside of normal business hours?
Lyngo operates 24/7, answering every call instantly—whether it’s during the day, at night, or on weekends. It can book appointments, answer FAQs, and take messages, all while following your clinic’s specific workflows. If a query requires human attention, it escalates the call or captures detailed notes for your team to follow up.

Q: Is patient data secure with an AI answering service after hours?
Yes, Lyngo employs bank-level 256-bit encryption and complies with privacy laws like Australia’s Privacy Act (APPs) and GDPR. Your patient information is protected with the same rigour as during business hours, ensuring security and compliance around the clock.

Q: Can we use Lyngo only for after-hours calls to start?
Absolutely. Lyngo offers flexible deployment, so you can begin with after-hours coverage and expand to full-time use once your team is comfortable. This phased approach helps integrate the service without overwhelming your workflow.

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