Voicemail and callbacks

Voicemail is a queue, not a resting place. Check it at least twice per shift — once early, once mid-afternoon — and more often if you've been on the desk or away from the phone.

Callback order

Work through the queue by priority, not arrival time:

1. Urgent or distressed callers first, no matter when they called
2. Then oldest to newest for routine messages
3. Anything flagged by a colleague as follow-up gets slotted in with urgency

Target response

• Routine — within 2 business hours
• Urgent or anxious caller — within 30 minutes, and escalate if you can't reach them

When the patient doesn't pick up

One try, then leave a short voicemail (see script below). Try again later the same day if it's routine, sooner if urgent. Log each attempt in [placeholder: practice message system] with time and outcome so nothing falls through the cracks.

Script for your callback voicemail

"Hi {patient name} — this is {your name} from United Radiology in {your site}. Please give us a call back on {your site's main line}. Thanks."

That's it. Short, no detail, no reason for the call.

Privacy on the callback itself

When they ring back, confirm you're speaking to the patient (name + DOB) before you discuss anything. If someone else answers and asks what it's about, say only that you're from United Radiology and ask them to pass on the message.