Thinking Of Joining a Doctors Answering Service?

Working in a doctors answering service can be a great career option if you are inclined towards helping people. These services are in effect extensions of the medical community in the sense that they help provide advice and emotional support as well as actual medical guidance and patient care in the time that the patient cannot reach his or her own doctor for some reason. While people can require medical assistance 24/7, it is not always possible for the doctor to respond to every single question at any time of the day or night. This could be due to various reasons both personal and professional. Investing in a doctor's answering service ensures that a doctor's patients are attended to regardless of where the doctor might be. By becoming a part of this community, you are helping the medical fraternity in discharging their duties better.

Qualifications Required

Contrary to popular belief, employees in a doctors answering service do not need to be qualified doctors themselves or hold great knowledge in all medical subjects. This is because the idea is not to replace the doctor but direct the patient in his absence. For this purpose, even a basic understanding of medical science and the human body suffices adequately. Having a background in nursing or as an assistant in a medical facility are pluses but not necessary. What is important is the ability to listen patiently, think logically and be compassionate. The patient on the other end of the telephone line needs sympathy and emotional support as much as medical advice. There will be people within the staff that you can refer the call to in case of doubt or recommend a trip to the nearest hospital to be absolutely safe. You can also get in touch with the doctor in the meantime, who will put calls from the doctor's answering service on priority and be more likely to take it than a patient's call. This rationalizes the calls that the doctor needs to take in favor of the most urgent and also controls the flow of traffic to the hospital. Most of all, it gives the patient confidence to hold on and not go into a panic situation.

Things To Consider

Working in a doctor's answering service does not make you a real doctor but gets you as close to the profession as you can. How much you learn is up to you. Being part of this growing community lets you reach out and help many more people than a doctor can. At the most basic level, you can be just a message-taking service - a go-between for the patient and the doctor; or you can choose to make a difference to people's lives and in the process enrich your own. Make sure to consider your own temperament and desires before you opt for a career in these services.