The right business phone system for a healthcare company will make all the difference for the team, as well as their patients. But, if it’s time for an upgrade, exactly what features should a business be looking for? And how can you find the best business phone system for your unique wants and needs? We’ll cover all that and more in this article.

What Are Must-Have Features for Business Phone Systems?

When it comes to healthcare, strong communication is vital. Delays or misunderstood messages can lead to serious problems with patient care. That’s why it’s so essential to have the right features in a business phone system.

So, when it’s time to shop around for your new VoIP phone system, what should you look for? Healthcare systems generally need:

A virtual assistant that can handle calls when no staff is available
Call routing to ensure patients are sent to the correct department and staff member
Encryption features that help ensure patient confidentiality, but don’t hinder team collaboration
Voicemail to email, transcription features, and fax to email
Group paging that allows team members to make mass announcements to a department or several departments, including in emergency situations
Features that remain HIPAA compliant
CRM integration
SMS alerts for patients
Reliability and security
Disaster recovery if your phone system should go down

Is It Time for an Upgrade?

While many take the approach of “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” this mindset can actually have devastating consequences for productivity, security, and efficiency. Healthcare companies could have a business phone system that works “for now,” but delays and mistakes in communication add up.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, among others, it may be time to look into an upgrade:

Your existing phone system is constantly going down or dropping calls.
Patients and other callers are not getting routed to the correct departments or people.
Voicemails are going unnoticed and/or unread.
There are transcription problems with faxes, voicemails, or emails.
Departments are not getting some or any of the notifications you’re sending out, including weather emergency notifications, hazardous condition warnings, and celebration alerts.
The wrong people are getting access to medical documents, resulting in possible HIPAA issues.
You’re lacking encryption and you’re not HIPAA complaint.
Your existing system doesn’t work seamlessly with SMS or your CRM.

A “good enough for now” VoIP in a healthcare setting can result in serious problems for patients, including delayed care that puts them at serious risk. And frustrating round-about phone call experiences can cause customers to go elsewhere and make you lose your top employees.

Business Phone Systems Healthcare Systems Can Benefit From

Knowing what features you need when it comes to a business phone system for your healthcare organization is half the battle – now you need to find the right vendor that fits all your needs.

Below is a list of some of the top vendors you can choose from for your phone system and a few of their benefits that have them above the rest:

8×8

See when staff members are available and online
Connect seamlessly with 3rd-party applications
Collaboration and security top of mind
Voicemail, fax, and email features
Auto attendant for call routing and transfers

RingCentral

Mobile app availability, meaning teams can work from their phones
Scalable as your healthcare organization grows
Call routing, collaboration tools, and ongoing customer support
Easy to set up and manage
HITRUST/CSF certified

Which Business Phone System Is Right For You?

With plenty of options, including top-notch ones, it can be difficult for healthcare organizations to choose. At Affiliated Communications, however, we can go through the needs and wants of your business and also examine the gaps in your current phone system. We know the systems listed above (as well as others) inside and out and, after a few conversations, can tell you which would be the best for your organization and why. Working with us helps save you from headaches, as well as wasted money on features you simply don’t need.

Ready to upgrade your business phone system? Start the conversation today.