Medical Call Center Industry News

October/November 2009

AnswerStat Magazine Adds Webinar Listing Online

AnswerStat magazine recently launched a new Webinar section online at www.answerstat.com/info/webinars.html.  The page will list upcoming industry Webinars, as well as links to recordings of past Webinars, if they are available.

“Since most Webinars do not have a long lead time, it is difficult to have sufficient notice to publish them in the magazine,” stated Peter DeHaan, publisher of AnswerStat magazine.  “Adding this information to our Website, as an online exclusive, is an ideal use of the immediacy of the Internet.”

Webinars relevant to medical call centers should be submitted to dehaan@answerstat.com.  

A similar page has been designed for Webinars relevant to teleservices industry at www.connectionsmagazine.com/info/webinars.html.

TeamHealth Announces Protocols and Preparation for Swine Flu

TeamHealth Medical Call Center (THMCC) announced its preparation strategy for increased calls related to H1N1 influenza or “swine flu.”  The call center’s patient triage protocols specific to influenza have been enhanced, and new symptom-based guidelines have been implemented.

“Information is the first line of defense in H1N1 and providing a communications resource is not only important for patients and a concerned public, but can also relieve the increased demands placed upon healthcare providers,” stated Alan Taylor, senior vice president of operations for THMCC.

THMCC’s enhanced protocols were developed in accordance with the National Strategic Plan for Emergency Department Management of Outbreaks of Novel H1N1 Influenza for Health Information Call Centers.  New symptom guidelines have been incorporated into the telephone triage process and are being distributed to the healthcare clients of THMCC.  A fact sheet is also available to callers upon request.

THMCC is one of only 34 medical call centers in the nation accredited by the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission, an independent, nonprofit organization that is well known as a leader in promoting healthcare quality through its accreditation and certification programs.

From more information, call 888-203-1118.

1Call Introduces Infinity IS Appointment Scheduling

1Call introduced Infinity IS (Intelligent Series) appointment scheduling, a comprehensive and efficient way for handling complex appointment schedules for physicians, resources, clinics, locations, and equipment.  The Infinity IS appointment-scheduling module:

• Allows customized appointment scheduling for each physician or clinic
• Includes flexible scheduling options with varied appointment durations, depending on appointment/procedure type
• Provides easy-to-follow operator scripts to simplify the scheduling process
• Furnishes accurate scheduling information, as schedules are saved and updated as soon as appointments are scheduled
• Synchronizes with Microsoft^® Outlook^® calendars for physicians and staff
• Offers a Web interface for easy access from anywhere
• Allows appointment confirmations to be sent to physicians, patients, and staff
• Features a tight integration with the IS on-call scheduling module

Amtelco’s Director of R&D Software, Kevin Beale, said, “Infinity IS appointment-scheduling gives healthcare call centers another powerful tool.  This addition complements the IS on-call scheduling and enterprise-wide and mobile applications, giving healthcare organizations a complete scheduling package.  We look forward to working with existing and new customers on the powerful scheduling opportunities now available to them.”

For more information, contact 1Call at 800-356-9148 or info@1call.com.

Carenet Named to Inc. 500

Inc. magazine recently announced its annual Inc. 500 ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the country.  Carenet, a leading healthcare services company, ranked 487^th, with over 537.4% growth since 2005.

“It is an honor to be named to the Inc. 500 list and a testament to the hard work of all our associates and team members,” said John Erwin, president of Carenet.  “As the need for quality healthcare information and support grows, Carenet expands with it to help more people solve their health issues quickly, efficiently, and with the guidance of medical professionals, who average more than 15 years clinical experience.”

“We are proud to provide our valued clients and their members with quality healthcare support on 24/7 basis,” said Carenet Executive Vice President Vikie Spulak.  “Each client is a partner in the mission to make a dramatic difference in their members’ lives.  Our team of healthcare professionals inspires and supports millions of people on their journey toward better health.” 

To learn more, call 800-226-6200.

Significant Enhancements Added to RED Alert System

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced a number of significant new enhancements for the RED Alert Emergency and Event Notification system.  RED Alert gives organizations a fast method for notifying the appropriate people in emergencies, along with sending meeting and event reminders.  The latest RED Alert features include:

• A new streamlined screen appearance
• An enhanced map-based interface for triggering alerts by geographic location, using mapping applications such as MapPoint^®, Google^® Maps, or ESRI^®
• The ability to trigger an RSS feed when an alert is activated
• RSS integration with 1Call’s MiteyMite desktop soft phone dashboard application, providing another convenient notification option sent directly to the recipient’s desktop
• Enhanced security with optional new log-in “challenge questions”
• Expanded functionality for custom database fields on the alert and recipient set-up screens

RED Alert saves time, reduces errors, and speeds an organization’s overall response time.  A few of the many uses for RED Alert include staff shortages, code calls, campus lockdowns, contingency planning, scheduled – and unscheduled – events, evacuations, weather emergencies, countywide drills, and much more.

For more information on RED Alert, contact 1Call at 800-356-9148 or redalert@1call.com.

FCC Limits Robo Calls

Effective September 1, pre-recorded marketing calls (robo calls) to consumers require written authorization if they are to be made legally.  Even having an existing business relationship does not negate the need to obtain prior approval in writing.  According to the FTC, calls of an “informational” nature are not affected, as are political calls, fundraising efforts, and “certain healthcare messages.”

The earlier December 2008 regulation, aimed to curb abuse and public outrage, required an opt-out option on all pre-recorded calls, which was deemed cumbersome and ineffective in curtailing their use. 

Fines for non-compliance with the requirement of written authorization are up to $16,000 per call.

TeamHealth Awarded URAC Health Call Center Accreditation

TeamHealth Medical Call Center (THMCC), a division of TeamHealth, has received its third Health Care Call Center certificate of full accreditation from URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based healthcare accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the healthcare industry.

THMCC provides comprehensive medical call center services, including nurse triage, customer/member services for health insurance providers, outbound clinical call campaigns, and physician referral/class scheduling.  By earning the URAC accreditation, THMCC demonstrates its commitment to quality services and a dedication to continually improve business processes through benchmarking against nationally recognized standards.

“By applying for and receiving healthcare call center accreditation, THMCC has demonstrated a commitment to quality healthcare,” said Alan P. Spielman, URAC president and CEO.  “Quality healthcare is crucial to our nation’s welfare, and it is important to have organizations that are willing to measure themselves against national standards.”

“We are proud to be awarded our third consecutive URAC accreditation,” said Alan Taylor, senior vice president of operations for THMCC.  “Obtaining accreditation from URAC signifies our commitment to delivering the highest quality medical advice and referrals based on gold standard clinical guidelines.”

For more information, call 888-203-1118.

Quality Contact Solutions Earns Certification

Quality Contact Solutions (QCS), a business specializing in telemanagement and call center consulting services, received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Development Center/Chicago, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

WBENC’s national standard of certification implemented by the Women’s Business Development Center/Chicago is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection.  The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women.

By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier/vendor diversity programs.

Angela Morris, president of QCS, commented, “Since forming the company in 2007, the company has been 100% woman-owned.  We became aware of the opportunity to become certified, and it made sense to participate in the process because we already met each of the requirements.”  Ms. Morris went on to say, “We’ve already received positive feedback from numerous clients that QCS’s new certification will help meet their supplier diversity goals.”