Transferring a call

Always announce the transfer before you hit the button. Cold transfers feel rude and lose context.

The handoff

"Thank you {patient name}. I'm going to put you through to {colleague} in {department} — they handle this. Please hold for just a moment."

Then to your colleague (still on the line, before connecting the patient):

"I have {patient name} on the line, calling about {topic}. They've already given me {relevant facts}. OK to put them through?"

This 10-second context handoff is the single biggest reason patients don't have to repeat themselves.