How should I ask for a patient’s phone numbers on an intake call?
Assume they have all of them and take them all. Never say “Would you like to give me a number?” That hands the patient an exit. Instead, state it. “What is your home phone number? And your work number? Good. And your cell?” You are not asking permission, you are gathering what you need to take care of them. Then close it with the smart one: “Out of those numbers, which is the easiest for me to reach you when I need to?” Now you have three ways to find this person and the one they actually answer. People who call three to five practices and never answer their phone slip through the cracks. Assumptive, warm, and complete beats polite and half-empty every time. Get it all on the first call.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.