PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — When patients call Northern Light Primary Care offices in central Aroostook, they can expect a change in how the phone is now answered. Northern Light AR Gould Hospital has established a new call center to better serve patients.
“We know it is frustrating for our patients when they call one of our offices and are not able to have their calls answered,” said Vilma Craig, director of primary care.
“By starting a call center for these practices, those answering the phones can focus all of their attention on handling patient calls, making appointments and sending messages to providers,” Craig said. “Meanwhile, staff in the respective practices can better focus their attention on serving patients who are there for appointments.”
Nine employees staff the Gould Call Center, which is located in the hospital. This is more workers who were previously answering phones within the individual practices. Each was trained on the software and procedures in the practices before the call center opened.
The call center began operations on Feb. 15. According to Craig, the center is having a “phased in” start to make the transition easier for everyone, particularly patients. Calls for Northern Light Primary Care in Presque Isle (formerly Family Practice and Internal Medicine) began being answered by call center staff last week.
In the coming weeks, calls from the primary care practices in Caribou, Fort Fairfield and Mars Hill will also be added, as well as the Women’s Health Center in Presque Isle. The center will also be answering phones for Endocrinology and Behavioral Health services.
“No phone numbers have changed. Patients will call the same numbers they always have, those phones are just being answered in one centralized location now,” explained Craig. “We just want patients to have an easier time getting through and to be served more effectively.”
An added benefit, according to Craig, is that call center staff will have scheduling access to all of the primary care practices, so if someone needs to be seen that day and their provider is not available, staff may be able to get them into another location for same day care.
“So when someone from AR Gould Call Center answers the phone when you call your provider, don’t hang up,” she said. “We are here to continue to provide you the best care possible. We are just changing the way the phones are answered.”
Submitted by the Communications Office of Northern Light AR Gould Hospital.
