How to Properly Take a Message
In most practices, voice mail is used to provide callers with the ability to leave messages for unavailable staff members. However, there are times, such as those involving urgency, when it is necessary to short-circuit the normal voice mail system and take down and relay a message directly to someone in the practice.
In those situations, there are four key pieces of information that you need to collect, which are:
- The date and time of the call
- The caller’s first and last name
- The reason for the call
- The best number to return the call
So the exchange would be similar to the following example:
“Can I speak to Dr. Jones? I’m experiencing some pain/discomfort since leaving the practice this morning.”
“Dr. Jones is currently with a patient. However, I can take a message and pass the information along to her as soon as she is available.
Can I have your name, the best number to reach you, and any specifics you can share with me on the pain you are having, so I can pass this on to Dr. Jones?”
Having gathered the information, repeat the name and number back to the caller to ensure that you have written it down correctly. Note the date and time on the message for your recipient and mark it “urgent” or “important” as appropriate.
At that point, the message should be communicated in total as quickly and efficiently as possible, depending on the availability of the recipient.