- Dental clinicA patient in pain calls the first number they find, and pain does not wait for opening hours.
- Physiotherapy clinicPhysiotherapy lives or dies on the patient coming back twelve times, not once.
- Psychiatry practicePeople call about mental health at the hour they feel worst, which is rarely between ten and six.
- General physicianVolume.
- Paediatric clinicA worried parent at 11 pm is not going to wait until morning to find out if this is serious.
- Gynaecology clinicAppointments that must be kept to a date, and callers who will not leave a message with a stranger.
- Dermatology clinicHalf your callers want a procedure price before they will book anything at all.
- Orthopaedic clinicPatients who cannot easily travel to ask a question that could have been answered on the phone.
- ENT clinicSeasonal surges that arrive faster than you can staff for them.
- Eye clinicCataract and refraction work that depends on the patient coming back for the second half.
- Multi-speciality clinicOne phone number, several doctors, and a caller who does not know which one they need.