The Highest Quality Telephone Answering Service in the United States

Centratel

Telephone Answering Service

hospice telephone answering service

Compassionate Customer Service in The Home Health and Hospice Industry

December 27, 2023
Home Healthcare & Hospice
By Centratel

The First Line of Comfort: How a Telephone Answering Service Brings Compassion to Home Health Care

As the first line of comfort, a telephone answering service plays a pivotal role in the home health care sector. At Centratel, we understand the importance of compassion in this industry. Our Hospice Answering Service is designed to provide not just a voice on the other end of the line, but a source of solace and support. We are not just a service; we are a lifeline for patients and their families navigating through the complexities of home health and hospice care. Our team is trained to handle every call with empathy, ensuring that your patients receive the care they deserve, even in the most challenging times. With our 24/7 availability, we guarantee that no call goes unanswered, and no concern is unaddressed. Our commitment to accuracy and efficiency, backed by our 40 years of experience, makes us a trusted partner in the home health and hospice industry. Our service is a testament to our belief in the power of human interaction and its ability to bring comfort and support in times of need.

Empathy Through Every Call — Transforming Customer Service in Home Health and Hospice

At the core of this transformation is the profound understanding that every phone call is more than just a routine inquiry; it’s a vital touchpoint for someone who may be facing life’s most challenging moments. Whether it’s a distressed family member seeking comfort or a patient in need of immediate assistance, the quality of empathy in these interactions is paramount. This approach goes beyond the traditional metrics of customer service; it’s about creating a connection that acknowledges and addresses the emotional, physical, and psychological needs of each caller.

Our specialized telephone answering service is designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families during their most challenging times. We are not just a voice on the other end of the line; we are a lifeline, a source of reassurance, and a beacon of hope. Our team is trained to handle every call with sensitivity, understanding the unique needs and concerns of each caller. We are committed to transforming the customer service experience in home health and hospice care, ensuring that every interaction is handled with the utmost respect and consideration. Our stringent screening process minimizes interruptions, promptly alerting you to urgent calls. 

The Challenges of Delivering Compassionate Care in Home Health

Delivering compassionate care in the realm of home health and hospice presents a unique set of challenges. The very nature of home health and hospice care demands a delicate balance between providing medical assistance and maintaining the comfort and dignity of the patient. This is where our telephone answering service steps in, acting as a crucial link between patients, their families, and healthcare providers. Our service is not just about answering calls; it’s about providing support during the most vulnerable moments, offering reassurance when it’s needed the most. 

Our team is trained to handle sensitive conversations with empathy and professionalism, ensuring that every interaction adds to the quality of life of the patients and their families. We understand the importance of privacy and confidentiality in this field, which is why our message delivery systems are HIPAA compliant and 100% encrypted. This ensures that confidential information remains just that – confidential. With Centratel’s telephone answering service, you can focus on what you do best – providing quality home health and hospice care – while we take care of the rest.

Building Stronger Patient Connections in Hospice

In the realm of hospice, building stronger patient connections is not just a goal, it’s a necessity. Our telephone answering service at Centratel is a vital tool in fostering these connections. We understand that in the face of terminal illness, every interaction matters. Our approach goes beyond mere message-taking; it’s about providing a responsive, empathetic ear to those reaching out for help. Trained professionals who understand the nuances of hospice care can make a world of difference in how patients and families perceive the support they receive.

Furthermore, this consistent and caring communication helps build a deeper emotional bond. Patients and their families often feel vulnerable and isolated during the hospice journey. Knowing that they can reach out at any time and be greeted by someone who is familiar with their situation and ready to help can make a substantial difference in their overall experience.

Our team is trained to handle each call with the utmost sensitivity and professionalism, providing comfort and support to patients and their families. Moreover, a telephone answering service ensures that no call goes unanswered, no matter the time of day. This 24/7 availability means families can rest assured that they can reach out for support whenever they need it, reinforcing the feeling of constant care and connection. It also significantly eases the strain on hospice staff, allowing them to focus more on providing direct patient care without the added pressure of managing incoming calls.

How Home Health and Hospice Answering Service Can Improve Patient Experience

Improving the patient experience in the home health sector is a multifaceted endeavor, and a key component of this is the utilization of a home health answering service. A key aspect of enhancing patient experience is ensuring accessibility and responsiveness. When patients or their family members call for assistance or information, a quick and empathetic response can significantly alleviate stress and anxiety, while accurately relaying their requests to your on-call staff. A telephone answering service that operates round-the-clock ensures that patients feel connected and supported at all times, not just during regular business hours. This constant availability is especially crucial for patients who may experience sudden changes in their condition or have urgent needs after hours.

At Centratel, we provide a service that goes beyond simply answering calls. We act as a bridge between patients and healthcare providers, ensuring that communication is clear, accurate, and timely. Our team is trained to handle each call with the utmost sensitivity and professionalism, providing comfort and support to patients and their families. Our stringent screening process minimizes interruptions, promptly alerting healthcare providers to urgent calls. 

Experience the Efficiency and Reliability of Centratel’s Services

Experience the efficiency and reliability of Centratel’s services, a leading telephone answering service in the U.S. Our commitment to accuracy and speed is unmatched, thanks to our 40 years of experience in the industry. We are proud to offer 24/7 professional live answering services, ensuring that your patients and their families receive the attention they deserve. 

Our Hospice Answering Service is a seamless extension of your compassionate services, providing support during the most vulnerable moments. We handle sensitive conversations with empathy and professionalism, adding to the quality of life of the patients and their families. 

Our HIPAA compliant message delivery systems are 100% encrypted, ensuring that confidential information remains confidential. We are so confident in our services that we offer a 30-day free trial and no long-term contracts. Our services have been praised by clients for their efficiency and reliability. We are proud recipients of industry awards, further cementing our credibility. If you’re looking for a partner who can handle your calls with the same level of care and compassion that you provide to your patients, Get a Free Quote today and experience the Centratel difference.

Image by Freepik

A Telephone Answering Service Representative taking calls at Centratel

Centratel, based in Bend, Oregon, is a leading national telephone answering service with a specialized focus on the Home Health and Hospice sector. This service offers unmatched support to a wide range of healthcare businesses throughout the United States, ensuring effective and seamless communication solutions around the clock. Renowned for its exceptional quality and reliability, Centratel is recognized as the top answering service in the Home Health and Hospice industry, consistently outperforming competitors in both performance and client satisfaction.

Taking the Next Step

For more specifics on cost, to start the onboarding process, or to just talk to us, fill out this form with your basic information and if it’s during regular working hours (M-F 8am to 8pm EST or 5am to 5pm PST), we’ll get back to you within minutes. Or, during the above hours, you can simply call us at 800-664-7159 or send us an email to inquiry@centratel.com.

(And note: for a quick orientation on how we operate, take a moment to review one or more of the key points listed below.)

For more specifics on cost, to start the onboarding process, or to just talk to us, fill out this form with your basic information and if it’s during regular working hours (M-F 8am to 8pm EST or 5am to 5pm PST), we’ll get back to you within minutes. Or, during the above hours, you can simply call us at 800-664-7159 or send us an email to inquiry@centratel.com.

(And note: for a quick orientation on how we operate, take a moment to review one or more of the key points listed on the right.)

Terms of Service

Why Choose Centratel

BY SAM CARPENTER
September 1, 2024

1.CENTRATEL’S UNIQUE 30-DAY FREE TRIAL

Why is this important? Because it will provide you a truly accurate estimate of cost (we bill monthly), it will demonstrate our quality, and it gives both sides of this equation—you and Centratel—the necessary time to refine and perfect operational details.

Here’s a testimonial from a new medical client that had just finished their 30-day trial: “Of course, I love the cost as it is close to the amount I was allowed by the president of the company. I told him that if we did not continue with Centratel, I would resign as the Director of Customer Service, and I meant it. It’s a great fit. We have had NOT ONE complaint from a patient or in-house which, as you know, we received daily with our former answering service. I love you, Centratel, and the price. I’m ready to sign whatever documents you require. Thanks for the great service, and the free month! To a great partnership! -KB, Phoenix“

2.STATISTICALLY, THE BEST IN THE U.S.?

Answering service quality is 100% dependent on human action and reaction, and in the course of a single day a multitude of human decisions are made by the people who process the calls: Telephone Service Representatives, or TSRs. (Some answering services refer to them as “agents.” Others, “operators.”)

Like any other answering service, at Centratel we’re dealing with real live human beings and so human errors occur. But within this labor intensive service industry that is historically known for marginal quality, Centratel’s error rate is light years ahead of established standards. Our most recent Customer Reported Error Rate (April through June, 2024) was 1 customer-reported error for every 6,491 message transactions processed. That statistic is unmatched.

There’s no artificial intelligence manipulation, we do not offshore calls, and we were founded and have always operated within the United States. (Note that since early 2020, the COVID six-foot social distancing mandate drove thousands of small-to-medium sized answering services out of business. Large, foreign-owned multi-nationals, often disguised by the name of the local answering services they acquired, now thoroughly dominate the industry. Hence, an even further decline in general service quality. See this analysis.)

3.CUSTOMER SERVICE EXTRAORDINAIRE

Your concerns and requests will be instantly acted upon. It’s a work ethic that stands out in stark contrast from the general quality decline in human-to-human business-customer communications. You’ve seen it yourself, all around. At Centratel you will know the customer service people you’re working with by name, appreciating their special listening abilities as well as their take-action-now comportments i.e. see the testimonial in point #1 above. ‘Nuff said!

4.GETTING STARTED: IT’S SIMPLE AND FAST

Getting your new Centratel answering service 30-day free trial started is accomplished within 24-48 hours. From the start, your “onboarding” customer service representative will be with you every step of the way, listening carefully to your concerns, answering questions, and offering suggestions.

5.NEW TO USING AN ANSWERING SERVICE?

A majority of our current answering service accounts switched to us from another service because of quality problems. However, if you have not used a service before, you are not familiar with the options, benefits, and pitfalls. As noted, our 30-day free trial provides you—and us—plenty of time to precisely refine your desired message-taking and delivery protocols; to get things exactly the way you want them to be without any financial risk, undue pressure, or obligation. 

6.PRICING

Starting at $89 per month, our rates rank in the mid-range of the industry. For call processing, we charge by the “transaction unit” rather than the duration of time spent handling calls. The three “mega-services” in operation in the U.S. prefer time billing because it ensures the company is compensated for lower-paid/high-turnover —and thus slower— agents. In any answering service, it takes a long time for a new agent to become fast, efficient, and stable. At Centratel, we have always sought to retain experienced agents (via higher pay and great benefits) and, therefore, engender low staff turnover. Needless to say, experienced agents make fewer errors than trainees who learn on-the-job.

7.ACCURATELY COMPARING ANSWERING SERVICE PRICING IS COMPLICATED

It’s apples and oranges. There isn’t an industry standard for billing, and each answering service has its own formula. Also, as noted above, some services charge by “time” while others charge by “work units.” Others combine the two. At Centratel, we charge for the work we do, not by the time we spend. The raw truth is that the only reliable way to determine monthly cost for a new service is to use that service for a solid month. Most answering services offer a 7-day free trial or no trial at all.

8.BEWARE: MONTHLY OR 28-DAY BILLING?

Important! At Centratel, we use a “monthly” billing cycle in which invoices are compiled from the first day of a month to the last day of that month. When soliciting quotes from other services, be sure to ask if the base-rate charges are billed monthly or on a “28-day billing cycle.” There is no good reason for a 28-day billing cycle! It’s bait-and-switch: customers billed on a 28-day cycle actually receive thirteen billings per year and therefore the overall cost is higher.

9.NO CONTRACT AND SIMPLE TERMS OF SERVICE

We do not require a yearly contract for service because we believe you should have the opportunity to evaluate us real-time, without restraint. Our terms of service are simple and straight-forward.

10.VALUABLE FREE GIFT FOR CONTACTING US

If you take the time to discuss answering service with us, on the same day we will ship you a hardcover copy of Sam Carpenter’s bestselling book, Work The System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less, now in its 4th edition…but soon to be released in a 5th edition (August 2024). We’ll send you a copy of this 5th edition, too, when it’s released. (Sam is the founder and President of Centratel. December 1st 2024 marks his fortieth year of ownership.)