How to Secure the New Patient Appointment

When you are on the phone with a caller, the person calling always begins the conversation with questions. Some of the more common questions you will have presented to you on the phone are:

• How much does it cost? (We will address how to handle this in Chapter 5)
• What happens at the visit?
• Is there any pain involved?
• Do you take my insurance?
• Are you in my network?
• Do you offer financing?

Irrespective of the questions being asked, the important thing to remember is this: the person asking questions controls the conversation. This means that your conversation with the caller begins with the caller being in control.

Your first priority is to change that dynamic! Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to do.

When answering the caller’s questions, look for your first opportunity to combine your responses with scheduling an appointment, and end your response with a question. This puts you back in control of the call and greatly increases the likelihood of a successful scheduling with the visitor. 

Here is an example of how this technique is executed:

Caller: What happens at the first appointment?

Front Desk Professional: (Caller name), the first step in this process is to have you and your daughter come in for a complimentary evaluation, at which time (doctor) will conduct an exam, tell you what needs to be done, and provide all the information you need to make a decision……this takes about an hour.

Now, in looking at our schedule, I have availability next Tuesday at 10:00 am and I also have an opening on Thursday at 4:00 pm. Would either of those times work for you and (daughter name)?

At this point, the front desk is asking the questions – and has taken control of the conversation. Note also how, by maintaining a leadership role, the front desk has made it easy for the caller to say “yes” to the suggestion of scheduling.