Returning and new patients
How the agent recognises a returning patient, registers a new one without creating a duplicate chart, and what each caller is asked.
2 min read
Terms
- Returning patient. A caller who already has a record in your practice system.
- Verification. Confirming a caller is who they say they are before the agent discusses or changes their appointments.
- Duplicate chart. A second record for the same person, which this process is designed to prevent.
Returning patients
When a call comes in, the agent looks for the caller in your practice system by the number they are calling from. It then confirms who they are before going further.
- Recognise. The caller's number is matched to the patient records on file.
- Verify. Identity is verified on date of birth, or on the strongest detail your practice system holds for that patient.
- Help. Once verified, the agent can read back upcoming appointments, book, reschedule or cancel, and update contact details.
A verified returning patient is booked into their existing record, so their history stays in one chart.
Shared phone numbers
Families often share a phone, and some patients call from a care home or a workplace. When the number matches more than one patient, or none, the agent asks for the patient's name and date of birth. It then finds the right record before booking.
New patients
A caller with no matching record is treated as a possible new patient. The agent collects the details your practice system needs to register them:
- full name
- date of birth
- phone number
- email address, where your system requires it
- any other fields your practice system marks as required
Before a new record is created, the details are checked against your existing patients. If a match is found, the existing record is used rather than a second chart.
New patients are booked into your new patient visit type, whatever they first ask for. See visit types and provider templates.
Insurance details
When a caller reads out new insurance details, the agent saves them as a draft for your staff to review. Your team decides what is applied to the patient's record.
Enquiries from people who are not yet patients
Some callers want information before they book, such as a prospective patient asking about a service. The agent captures their details and reason as a lead in your 2care CRM, so your team can follow up. See the lead pipeline.
Questions
What if a returning patient gives a different date of birth?
The agent does not discuss or change appointments until the caller is verified. If verification does not match, the caller's request is passed to your staff with the details captured.
Can a parent book for a child?
Yes. The agent asks for the child's name and date of birth and books into the child's own record.
Do new patients appear straight away in our practice system?
Yes. New registrations and their first booking are written to your practice system during the call.
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