Forwarding your number
How to forward your existing practice number to 2care, which forwarding option to choose, and how to test it before go-live.
3 min read
How forwarding works
You keep your practice number. Patients dial the number they always have, and your phone system forwards calls to 2care at the times and in the conditions you choose. Nothing changes on your website, signage or listings.
During onboarding we give you a number to forward to. When a forwarded call arrives, 2care answers on the first ring, in under 2 seconds, as your practice.
Terms
- Conditional forwarding. Calls move to 2care only in conditions you set, such as no answer, busy, or after hours.
- Full forwarding. Every call to your number goes to 2care, at all times.
- Fallback number. A staff line at your practice that receives calls if the agent is unavailable.
Forwarding options
| Option | When calls reach 2care | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| No answer | A call rings for a set time without being picked up | Overflow when the desk is with a patient |
| Busy | Every line at the desk is in use | Overflow at the morning peak |
| After hours | Outside the hours you set, and over lunch if you choose | Evening, weekend and lunch cover |
| All calls | Every call, at all times | Practices that want 2care as the first answer |
Most phone systems let you combine conditional options, such as no answer and busy during the day plus all calls after hours. See after-hours and lunch cover and overflow during busy hours.
Setup steps
- Choose your options. Decide which conditions and hours send calls to 2care. Your onboarding specialist helps you match them to how your desk works.
- Find who manages your phone settings. This may be someone at your practice, your IT support, or your phone provider's support line.
- Set forwarding to the number we gave you. On most business phone systems this sits in the call forwarding or call routing settings, for the main number or for each line.
- Set the timing. For no-answer forwarding, choose how many rings before the call moves on. For after-hours forwarding, set the schedule, including lunch and holiday closures.
- Test each condition. Call your main number from a mobile at each chosen time and condition, and check the agent answers.
Your specialist joins the test calls before go-live, as part of the go-live checklist.
Caller ID
When a call is forwarded, 2care sees the caller's number. This helps the agent recognise a returning patient, who is then verified on their date of birth. See returning and new patients.
Fallback number
During onboarding we record a staff number for your practice as the fallback. If the agent is unavailable for any reason, calls go to that number, so callers always have a route to your team.
Switching on and off
Forwarding stays under your control. Turning it off returns calls to your desk, and turning it on sends them to 2care again. It helps to have one or two people at the practice who know where the setting is.
Several locations
Each location can have its own forwarding settings and hours. The agent knows which site a call came in for and offers times at that site first.
Questions
Do we need a new phone number?
No. Patients keep calling your existing number. The number we give you is only the destination your phone system forwards to.
Do we need to change phone provider?
No. Forwarding is a standard feature of business phone systems and works with the provider you already use.
What do patients hear when a call is forwarded?
Your greeting, with your practice name. See customising greetings and answers.
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