The Path to Paperless

Choosing a Phone System: Part 2

Why we made the choice to go digital.

By Peter J. Polack, M.D., F.A.C.S.

In my last column, I discussed some of the issues facing a practice when choosing a phone system. Now, we will go through the actual decision-making process that we used for a building we recently added to our own practice. So, let's revisit the key questions you must address:

You need to know how many lines will be used concurrently at any given time. These include all inbound and outbound voice calls, as well as any other device which uses a phone line — fax machines, modems, credit card machines, postage machines and your security system.

You don't want to limit the number of lines you have, leaving patients unable to get through. This will also help you determine if you need to have an actual call center set up.

For a large practice with one location, you may only need a few public numbers but the ability to handle many phone calls. You might need many internal numbers, depending on the number of employees. A smaller practice with more locations may need more external numbers but relatively fewer internal numbers.

Next, how many physical phones do you need at each location? And how many will be in use at the same time? At peak times?

If you are a small or solo practice and do not foresee the need for any more than a few lines, then you will have less upfront costs with an analog phone system. In addition to purchasing (or leasing) the phone system, you will pay a monthly fee for each phone line coming into your office as well as monthly charges for add-ons such as caller ID, call forwarding, conference calling and other features.

Once you reach the need for approximately 14 lines, it will be more cost-effective to pay for a digital phone system — the upfront expense will be higher but you will not pay for individual phone lines or their associated features (the cost of which can negate any initial savings).

Digital Was Best for Our Needs

In our case, the decision was a no-brainer. In our new administrative and retina building, a digital phone system is the most cost-effective solution for handling the close to 3,000 calls we receive a week.

A single T1 line coming into our building, known as a PRI (primary rate interface), contains 22 "channels" which function the same as incoming phone lines. A second PRI effectively gives us 44 concurrent lines. We calculated that there would be up to 35 lines in use at peak times.

Our digital system allows us to have 100 internal phone numbers, known as "soft" numbers, so every employee can have his or her own private number.

We have been able to eliminate almost 20 analog phone lines in an older location, at a savings of more than $50 each per month. Our digital system also has advanced features that allow us to track and distribute calls. These features, which can be expensive if purchased separately, are especially important if, like us, your practice runs call centers.

A little planning now can save you big headaches (and money) later. Let your local phone company give you a proposal for a system that best fits your needs. Then, let a factory-certified independent phone vendor have an opportunity as well. You can then make an informed decision. OM

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