TAMC patients better able to ‘connect’
with North Street Healthcare
PRESQUE ISLE — Patients and prospective new patients wanting to connect with Family Practice and Internal Medicine at TAMC’s North Street Healthcare facility will now have greater ease in reaching the practice.
In response to patient comments regarding difficulty contacting the practice due to the large volume of incoming calls, North Street Healthcare is transitioning to a phone tree system that will triage calls and connect patients to the staff member that can most effectively and efficiently address their needs.
North Street Healthcare was designed using feedback from TAMC patients, the community and health care providers. In recent months, patients and community members expressed that, at times, it was difficult to get through to the practice. Call volumes average over 4,000 per month. In April alone, TAMC Family Practice/Internal Medicine received an average of 240 calls per day.
Jamie Chandler, manager at North Street Healthcare, said the new phone system will help direct calls. The initial selection made by the caller, using the phone tree system, will help direct the call so that the patient connects with the most appropriate person to schedule an appointment or assist them in some other way.
“A phone upgrade was needed to better serve our patients. Patients are the reason we practice,” said Chandler. “TAMC Family Practice/Internal Medicine strives to provide the right care, at the right place, at the right time, and if patients are unable to reach us, we are not able to accomplish this. The upgrade will improve the patient experience by routing their call appropriately.”
According to Chandler, the new phone tree system will answer all calls coming in with an automated prompt then, depending on the option the patient chooses, the call will be routed to either a scheduler, a voice mailbox or a receptionist. Chandler said this should alleviate the number of patients receiving a busy signal and provide better routing of calls.
According to John O’Neal, TAMC network services lead, the phone tree system is easy to navigate. When a patient calls in to the clinic, they will either receive a business hours greeting or an after-hours greeting. Following the greeting, the system will prompt the caller to choose between three options.
“Triaging calls will improve the rate of successful contact, and positively impact patients attempting to reach the office. The upgraded system is designed to handle this call volume,” said O’Neal.
To contact staff regarding scheduling needs, the caller will be prompted to:
• Press 1, which will send them to a staff member that can answer their questions or schedule an appointment.
• Press 2, for medication refills, which will send them to a voice mailbox instructing them on what is required to fulfill their request.
• Press 3, for all other needs and questions, which will send them to a knowledgeable receptionist that is trained to address patients’ comments or questions.
The new phone system upgrade will officially go into effect Aug. 28 at noon. Patients and community members who are looking for a primary care provider are encouraged to contact TAMC Family Practice/Internal Medicine by calling 764-3142.