Are you a business owner or office manager tasked with creating a medical receptionist course to train new reception hires? It’s easier said than done. The trick is breaking it down in to manageable chunks; this makes concepts easy for new hires to grasp, and it makes the entire process easier for you to pull off. You’ll even be able to create a receptionist training plan template for use in the future. Let’s take a look at what should be included in your medical receptionist course.
Phone Training
Much of your receptionists’ time will be spent on the phone, talking with potential clients and existing customers. That’s why phone training is an essential part of any medical receptionist course! Receptionists must use a friendly, inviting tone at all times, and never put callers on hold for more than a minute at a time. Callers should always be encouraged to schedule an appointment—otherwise, time is simply being wasted. A final tip: have receptionists practice smiling during client calls. Even over the phone, a smile is contagious!
In-Person Skills Training
Of course, receptionists also interact with customers in-person at your office. In-person skills training should be the next section of your medical receptionist course. Again, a smile goes a long way; customers greeted with a friendly smile and a pleasant “hello” are more likely to mirror that behavior. Include training on dealing with customers who are frustrated or stressed, and be sure to include a section on proper time management and multi-tasking. Always remember that a great receptionist is a great multi-tasker!
Administrative Training
Don’t forget to include administrative training when building your medical receptionist course. In the medical world, things like billing, insurance, co-pays, patient histories, medical records from other facilities, and much more will play a role at the front desk. A great receptionist will know how to handle these things with ease. With a great medical receptionist course to arm new hires with the proper knowledge, your front desk will run like a well-oiled machine!
Medical Training
It’s entirely up to you to decide how much medical information and advice you want your front-desk staff to pass along to clients, if any at all. If you do decide to have your receptionists impart the basics of your medical specialty to clientele, include a small section in your medical receptionist course. You can always amend this area in later versions of your receptionist training plan template.
Building a medical receptionist course isn’t an easy task. Do it thoroughly and properly, though, and you’ll see dividends paying off for years to come!
