1. HIPAA coverage
Voicemails, call recordings, text messages and faxes often contain patient information. Your phone vendor is then a business associate and should sign a Business Associate Agreement. Ask how calls and stored messages are encrypted, and whether voicemail and fax arrive as secure links or as plain email attachments.
2. Everything on one number
Patients expect to call and text the same number. Look for calling, two-way texting, fax and voicemail on your main office number, with appointment reminders and missed-call text replies.
3. Reliability
- Does the service run in more than one datacenter, and how long does failover take?
- What happens if your office internet goes down? Calls should roll to mobile apps or another location.
- Does the vendor own its network, or resell another company's service?
4. Emergency calling
Federal rules apply to multi-line phone systems. Under Kari's Law, anyone must be able to dial 911 directly without a prefix, and someone on site must be notified when a 911 call is made. Under RAY BAUM's Act, the call must carry a dispatchable location, such as the suite or floor. Confirm how the system handles both, including for staff working from home.
5. Call handling for a busy front desk
- An auto attendant that is easy to change yourself
- Call queues with callbacks so patients do not wait on hold
- Reports on missed calls, wait times and peak hours
- Paging and intercom between rooms
6. Integration and AI
Ask whether the phone system connects to your EHR or practice management software, so a caller's record appears when the phone rings. If the vendor offers an AI receptionist, check that it can book and confirm appointments, speaks the languages your patients speak, writes a summary of each call and transfers to a person whenever the caller asks.
7. Moving over
You can keep your existing numbers; the new vendor handles the transfer, called porting. Ask who installs and trains, and whether replacement phones are stocked locally.