How onboarding works
The steps from a signed BAA to your first live call, who at your practice does what, and how long going live usually takes.
3 min read
The three stages
Onboarding has three stages, in this order. Your onboarding specialist runs each one and your team joins at a few clear points.
- Authorise the connection. Your EHR or practice management administrator approves access for 2care. Nothing is installed on your computers, and nothing changes about how your team uses the system.
- Map your rules. We set up your providers, locations, appointment types, booking rules and escalation paths: the things that make your schedule yours.
- Test, then go live. We run your real scenarios with your team watching, fix what surfaces, then switch the line over and watch the first calls closely.
Timeline
Most practices are live in about 5 business days once the BAA is signed and the system connection is approved. Most of that time goes on mapping your rules and testing them.
Who does what
| Step | What happens | Who is involved |
|---|---|---|
| BAA | The Business Associate Agreement is signed before any patient data moves | Practice owner or manager |
| Connection | Your system administrator approves 2care's access | Your system administrator, with our specialist on the call |
| Practice details | Providers, locations, hours, visit types and booking rules are collected | Practice manager |
| Escalation paths | Who receives urgent calls, clinical questions, refill and result requests | Practice manager and clinical lead |
| Greeting and answers | How the agent introduces itself and answers common questions | Practice manager |
| Testing | Test calls and a test booking, checked in your schedule | Your front desk and our specialist |
| Go live | Your number forwards to 2care at the hours you choose | Practice manager |
The full list of what we ask for is on what we need from you.
Rule mapping
Mapping is what makes the agent book the way your front desk would. We map four things:
- Providers and locations. The agent offers times with the right person at the right site.
- Visit types. A new patient visit is booked as a new patient visit, and a follow-up as a follow-up, each at its own length.
- Booking rules. These cover things like which providers see new patients and which visit types your staff prefer to arrange.
- Escalation paths. Emergencies, clinical questions, refills and result requests each reach the right person or queue.
See visit types and provider templates for how the mapping is used on a call.
Testing
Before any patient reaches the agent, we test it against your own scenarios, including the calls your team is most worried about. We book a test appointment, your team finds it in your schedule, and we cancel it again. Escalation paths are tested by placing calls that should reach a person and checking they arrive.
The go-live checklist lists every item we confirm.
Switching the line over
You keep your existing practice number. You choose when calls reach 2care: after hours, over lunch, when the desk is busy, or all the time. Your phone settings then forward calls at those times, as described in forwarding your number.
After go-live
Your specialist stays close through your first week. Together you review calls and adjust answers and rules as real traffic comes in.
Questions
How long does onboarding take?
Most practices are live in about 5 business days once the BAA is signed and the system connection is approved.
Does our team need training?
Very little. Bookings appear in the schedule your team already uses. Your specialist shows your team where escalations, refill requests and call summaries arrive.
Can we start with after hours only?
Yes. Many practices begin with after-hours and lunch cover, then add busy-hour overflow once they have seen how calls are handled.
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