Hosted Virtual Receptionist System Vs. An On-Premises Version, What Are The Differences?

If you're a medical practitioner, then you probably have already heard of the term virtual medical receptionist. It's something that most people in the business of medical practice have found to be very beneficial and useful. Think of the virtual medical receptionist as your front-desk receptionist except that it is web-based or solely accessible via a computer with internet connection.

In this day and age where almost everything revolves around technology, this welcome addition to the world of medical practice is a must-have. If you don't want to get left behind by your peers and colleagues, then it's time to make your medical office automated as well.

However, there are a few things you need to know before finalizing your decision. A virtual medical receptionist with an online appointment scheduler actually comes in two options.

The first option is to use the virtual medical receptionist system of your service provider as a hosted web service, more commonly known as "software as a service" (SAAS) model. The second option is to acquire a dedicated server with the online appointment scheduler installed in it. There are a lot of pros and cons between the two which will be laid out to make your decision making easier.

Acquiring the hosted appointment scheduler would mean very minimal overhead expenses for your medical practice. Since there is no need for you to purchase a separate software or hardware, you are relegated to practically no up-front expenses. Also, when your virtual medical receptionist is hosted by your service provider, you wouldn't have to worry about service inaccessibility or downtimes. Upgrades are also free since all software will run on your service provider's web server. Also, most service providers offer a free 1-month trial to prospective customers so you can test the waters, so to speak, without spending money.

Now if you choose to purchase a dedicated server and have the online appointment scheduler installed in it, everything will be on-premises (in your medical office) and will be accessible to your medical staff even when there isn't any external internet connectivity. Also, since the server is used by your clinic and your customers only, the system wouldn't be too slow, thus leading to high responsiveness rate. The dedicated server version is also more customizable than the hosted web version so it can be tailor-made to meet the specific needs of your clinic and your patients.

You might want to take note though of several reasons why it is often advisable to have the virtual medical receptionist hosted by your service provider. If it is located in their system, they can perform all upgrades seamlessly and the virtual medical receptionist will run continuously, uninterrupted 24/7, something that your patients will appreciate. System security is also well taken care of. But when the system is on your computer, upgrade performances might interfere with some of the programs installed in your computer.

So keep these in mind when you finally decide to acquire a virtual medical receptionist for your medical office.