What is VoIP?
VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol." It allows your practice to make and receive phone calls using an internet connection instead of a traditional telephone line.
Your practice still has a regular business phone number. Patients can call that number as usual.
How Incoming Calls Work
When someone calls your practice:
The caller dials your practice's business number.
Prospyr follows the practice's call-routing rules.
The call is sent to the assigned team member, phone, extension, or configured receptionist.
If nobody answers, the call follows the practice's backup or voicemail route.
The exact call path depends on how your practice administrator configured the phone number and routing rules.
A simple routing setup might work like this:
A call comes in and Prospyr checks it against the practice's business hours.
During open hours, the call rings the assigned team (for example, the front desk). If nobody answers, it's sent to voicemail.
During closed hours, the call goes straight to voicemail.
Once a voicemail is recorded, the call ends.
Note: This is just one example. Your practice's actual routing may look different depending on how many destinations, schedules, or backup steps your administrator has set up.
Example: A basic call flow
What Are Call-Routing Rules?
Call routing determines where incoming calls go. Your practice may route calls:
To one phone or extension
To several team members
To different destinations in a specific order
Differently during business hours and after-hours
To voicemail or another backup destination
To an AI receptionist, if your practice uses one
Call-Routing Options
Your practice administrator can choose how incoming calls are distributed among your team:
Forward — Sends the call to one destination, such as a team member or phone number.
Parallel — Rings multiple destinations at the same time. Whoever answers first gets the call.
Sequential — Rings destinations one at a time, in a chosen order, until someone answers.
Sequential routing is often used when a practice wants calls to try one person before moving to the next. For example, a call might ring the front desk first, then the office manager, and finally go to voicemail if nobody answers. This is different from parallel routing, where multiple phones ring at the same time.
A destination can be a team member, an external phone number, or a configured desk phone. Your administrator also controls how long each destination rings, and can turn voicemail, call recording, and transcription on or off.
How Team Members Use VoIP
Depending on their role and the practice's setup, team members may use VoIP to:
Make and receive calls
Place callers on hold
Transfer calls to another person or extension
Review recent or missed calls
Listen to voicemail
Return patient calls
Send or receive text messages, if enabled
Available features and controls may vary depending on the device and configuration.
Using a VoIP Desk Phone
A configured VoIP desk phone works similarly to a standard office phone. Team members can use the handset, speakerphone, or a connected headset to make and receive calls.
Each phone may be assigned to a specific business number, person, location, or extension.
Making an Outgoing Call
To place a call:
Confirm that your phone is connected and online.
Dial the complete phone number.
Start the call using the phone's call or send button.
The practice's assigned business number should appear to the person receiving the call, based on your phone configuration.
Receiving an Incoming Call
When a call reaches you:
Answer using the handset, speakerphone, or headset.
Confirm the caller's identity when appropriate.
Help the caller or transfer the call according to your practice's process.
End the call normally when finished.
Transferring a Call
If another team member needs to assist the caller, use your phone's transfer controls to send the call to the correct person or extension.
Missed Calls and Voicemail
If nobody answers, the call follows the backup route configured by your administrator. This may send the caller to voicemail or another destination.
Your practice should have a process for:
Reviewing missed calls
Listening to new voicemail messages
Returning calls
Recording necessary notes
Assigning messages to the correct team member
Escalating urgent messages
Text Messaging
If texting is enabled for your practice's phone number, authorized team members may use Prospyr's communication tools to send and receive messages.
Follow your practice's privacy and communication policies. Avoid including sensitive medical information unless your practice has approved that communication method.
Business Hours and After-Hours Calls
Your practice may handle calls differently based on the time of day.
During business hours, calls may ring team members or desk phones. After-hours calls may be sent to voicemail, another number, an on-call team member, or an AI receptionist.
Note: Practice administrators are responsible for keeping business hours and routing rules current.
Troubleshooting
What affects call quality?
Because VoIP uses the internet, call quality depends on a stable connection. If a call sounds delayed, broken up, or unclear:
Confirm that the phone is connected to the internet.
Check whether other devices are experiencing internet problems.
Try ending and returning the call.
Restart the phone, if permitted by your practice.
Report repeated problems to your administrator or Prospyr Support.
What should I do if calls are not ringing?
Check the following:
Is the phone powered on?
Is it connected to the internet?
Is the ringer volume turned up?
Is Do Not Disturb turned off?
Are other phones receiving calls?
Is the issue happening during business hours or after-hours?
If the phone is online but calls are still going to the wrong destination, a practice administrator may need to review the routing configuration.
Need Help?
When reporting a calling issue to your administrator or Prospyr Support, include:
The affected phone number or extension
The approximate date and time of the call
Whether it was incoming or outgoing
What you expected to happen
What happened instead
Whether one or multiple phones were affected