How to Reduce Medical Answering Service Billing

Updated on February 21, 2025 by Jordan McGlone

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Managing a medical answering service is crucial for patient communication, but costs can escalate if not carefully managed. By choosing the right answering service plans, eliminating hidden fees, and streamlining call answering, your practice can reduce expenses without sacrificing service quality.

Top 10 Strategies to Reduce Medical Answering Service Billing

Medical answering services are essential for patient communication, but costs can quickly add up. Here are ten effective strategies to help your practice reduce expenses while maintaining quality service.

1. Understand Your Current Answering Service Pricing

Review your answering service invoice to understand how you’re being charged—whether by call, per minute, or through a flat-rate package. Identifying your usage patterns can help pinpoint areas where answering service cost savings can be achieved.
Critical Considerations:

• Request a detailed breakdown of your monthly bill
• Check for hidden fees, such as after-hours surcharges
• Compare your service package to actual usage to identify inefficiencies

2. Reduce Unnecessary Call Volume

Minimize non-essential phone calls by directing routine inquiries—like appointment scheduling or prescription refills—to online portals or automated systems. This helps reduce operator time and, in turn, lowers your answering service cost.
Critical Considerations:

• Encourage patients to use self-service options whenever possible
• Train staff to direct non-urgent calls to online resources
• Set up voicemail for general inquiries outside of emergencies

3. Choose the Right Answering Service Plans

Selecting a plan that aligns with your practice’s call volume and needs can prevent unnecessary spending. Some answering service providers offer tiered or custom plans that better fit fluctuating phone call volumes.
Critical Considerations:

• Compare flat-rate plans to per-minute or per-call models
• Look for providers that allow adjustments based on usage trends
• Avoid overpaying for features or services you don’t use

4. Optimize Call Handling Protocols

Ensure that phone calls are routed efficiently to avoid excessive hold times or unnecessary transfers. Having a clear protocol reduces time spent on the line, minimizing billable minutes and lowering your answering service cost.
Critical Considerations:

• Define clear guidelines for urgent vs. non-urgent calls
• Set up direct lines for common inquiries to bypass answering service providers
• Reduce excessive call transfers between operators

5. Leverage Technology for Cost Savings

Automated systems like chatbots, AI-powered call routing, and voicemail can significantly lower answering service pricing. These tools handle basic inquiries without engaging a live operator.
Critical Considerations:

• Implement an IVR (interactive voice response) system for routine phone calls
• Use AI-driven chatbots on your website to assist with FAQs
• Ensure technology complies with HIPAA and patient confidentiality requirements

6. Limit After-Hours Call Handling

Many answering service providers charge premium rates for after-hours calls. Reducing non-emergency after-hours call volume can cut costs without affecting patient care.
Critical Considerations:

• Use an automated message for non-urgent after-hours inquiries
• Set clear expectations with patients about after-hours phone call availability
• Define which after-hours calls should be escalated to on-call staff

7. Consolidate Answering Service Providers

Working with multiple answering service providers can lead to duplicate charges and inefficiencies. Consolidating services under a single provider often results in volume discounts and simplified answering service pricing.
Critical Considerations:

• Evaluate whether you’re using multiple vendors for similar services
• Ask your provider about volume-based pricing discounts
• Ensure the consolidated provider meets all compliance and service quality needs

8. Train Staff to Reduce Call Volume

Educating your in-house team on managing patient communication effectively can prevent unnecessary phone calls to the answering service. Proper training helps reduce costs while maintaining high-quality patient interactions.
Critical Considerations:

• Teach staff to resolve common inquiries in-office instead of relying on the answering service
• Improve front desk efficiency to minimize overflow call volume
• Use clear patient communication strategies to reduce follow-up calls

9. Regularly Audit Your Answering Service Plans

Periodic audits of your answering service plans can help you detect billing discrepancies and unnecessary expenses. Regular reviews ensure you’re only paying for services you actually use.
Critical Considerations:

• Request a detailed call log to identify unnecessary charges
• Analyze peak call volume times to adjust your answering service plans accordingly
• Review bills for unexpected rate increases or hidden fees

10. Negotiate Better Answering Service Pricing with Your Provider

If your answering service cost is too high, negotiating a better rate can lead to significant savings. Many answering service providers are willing to adjust pricing, especially for long-term clients.
Critical Considerations:

• Compare competitor pricing before negotiating
• Ask for discounts based on your call volume and contract length
• Consider bundling additional services for a lower overall service pricing

What Is the Difference Between a Voicemail and an Answering Service?

Both voicemail and an answering service help manage incoming calls when a business is unavailable, but they serve different purposes and offer distinct advantages. While voicemail is a simple message-recording system, a medical answering service—such as PatientCalls—offers real-time phone answering service that enhances customer satisfaction and improves patient communication.

1. Voicemail: A Passive Message-Recording System

Voicemail is an automated system that allows callers to leave recorded messages when no one is available to answer the phone. It provides a cost-effective way to collect messages but lacks real-time interaction, which can impact customer satisfaction in medical settings.

Key Features of Voicemail:

• Records caller messages for later retrieval
• No live interaction—patients must wait for a callback
• Often included with phone service at no extra cost
• Can lead to missed opportunities if callers don’t leave messages

2. Answering Service: A Live or Automated Call Handling Solution

An answering service involves live agents or automated systems that manage calls on behalf of a business. PatientCalls, a quality answering service designed for the healthcare industry, ensures patients receive timely responses, appointment scheduling, and urgent message triaging.

Unlike generic call centers, PatientCalls provides HIPAA-compliant call answering with trained medical receptionists who understand patient care protocols.

Key Features of an Answering Service:

• Live agents or AI handle patient calls in real time
• Provides immediate assistance, improving customer satisfaction
• Can triage urgent calls and escalate them as needed
• Available 24/7, even during holidays and after-hours
• Reduces hidden answering services charges often found in traditional call centers

Which Option Is Better for Your Practice?

Choosing between voicemail and an answering service depends on your healthcare facility’s needs. If you require basic message recording at minimal cost, voicemail may be sufficient. However, if you need real-time patient support, urgent call triage, and improved customer satisfaction, a quality answering service like PatientCalls is the better option.

Considerations When Choosing Between Voicemail and an Answering Service:

• Call volume. High-volume practices benefit from live call answering.
• Patient expectations. Patients often prefer speaking to a real person over leaving a message.
• Urgency of messages. Answering services can differentiate between routine calls and emergencies.
• Cost vs. service quality. Voicemail is cheaper, but an answering service offers better patient engagement.

While voicemail provides a low-cost, passive solution, an answering service like PatientCalls enhances patient experience and responsiveness—making it a valuable investment for medical practices looking to streamline communication without hidden fees.

What to Look for in a Cost-Effective Medical Answering Service?

Choosing the right medical answering service can improve patient communication while keeping costs under control. Here are the key factors to consider.

1. Transparent Pricing with No Hidden Fees. Many answering services charge per call or minute, but some add hidden fees for after-hours support or message forwarding. Look for a provider with a clear pricing model to avoid unexpected costs.
2. HIPAA Compliance for Patient Privacy. A quality answering service must protect patient data with HIPAA-compliant protocols, secure messaging, and trained operators to handle sensitive medical information.
3. 24/7 Availability for Patient Support. A phone answering service should be available on nights, weekends, and holidays. Providers that offer real-time call answering and emergency triaging help maintain customer satisfaction and patient trust.
4. Trained Medical Receptionists. Unlike general call centers, medical answering services should have trained medical receptionists who understand patient needs, appointment scheduling, and medical terminology.
5. Customizable Answering Service Plans. Practices have different needs, so flexible answering service plans let you scale up or down based on call volume. Avoid rigid contracts that lock you into unnecessary services.
6. Integration with Your Practice Management System. A cost-effective medical answering service should work with your scheduling software and EMR system to streamline operations and reduce administrative burden.
7. Call Recording and Reporting. Detailed logs help monitor customer satisfaction and service quality. Look for a provider offering secure call recording, reporting, and insights into your call answering trends.
8. Reliable U.S.-Based or Bilingual Support. Patients expect clear communication. Choose a provider with bilingual support and U.S.-based call answering for better accuracy and service consistency.
9. Strong Reputation and Customer Reviews. Research testimonials and provider ratings. A quality answering service should have a track record of reliability, professionalism, and high customer satisfaction.
10. Choose PatientCalls for Affordable, High-Quality Service. PatientCalls provides cost-effective answering service plans, transparent pricing with no hidden fees, and HIPAA-compliant call answering. With 24/7 availability and trained medical receptionists, PatientCalls ensures your practice delivers seamless patient communication without overpaying for unnecessary services.

Reduce Your Medical Answering Service Costs Without Compromising Quality

Managing a medical answering service is essential for patient communication, but the costs can add up quickly. By implementing smart strategies, your practice can reduce expenses while maintaining the high level of service your patients expect.

At PatientCalls, we specialize in cost-effective, HIPAA-compliant answering services tailored to the unique needs of medical practices. From optimizing call handling protocols to selecting the right service plan, we help you cut unnecessary costs while improving patient satisfaction.

Next Steps to Reduce Your Answering Service Bill.

1. Review Your Current Service Plan. Analyze your invoices for hidden fees and inefficiencies.
2. Implement Cost-Saving Strategies. Reduce unnecessary calls, use automation, and negotiate better pricing.
3. Partner with PatientCalls. Get transparent pricing, 24/7 support, and trained medical receptionists without overpaying.

Let us help you streamline communication while saving on costs. Contact PatientCalls today for a customized consultation.

About The Author

Jordan McGlone

Jordan has more than seven years of experience working for PatientCalls and a strong background in the healthcare answering service industry. He designs directive plans to fit the unique structure and activities of healthcare organizations, while ensuring that communications are efficient, compliant with HIPAA privacy and security regulations, and support optimal patient care.