Phones
A medical phone system that links every call, text and fax to the patient chart
A chart-linked phone system is a medical practice’s phone, text and fax service in which every call, message and fax is matched to a patient and recorded on that patient’s chart, so staff don’t re-type the contact into the EHR afterward. The EHR remains the system of record.
What "linked to the chart" means
Four things have to be true.
- The call finds the patient. The system matches the caller to a patient before anyone speaks.
- The record lands on the patient. The call, the text or the fax is attached to that patient, not to a phone number.
- The work gets done in the EHR. The booking, the reschedule or the cancellation is saved where your schedule lives.
- The follow-up lands in the same place. The reminder text, the confirmation and the fax that comes after the call join the same record.
A phone system that does one of these is a phone system. One that does all four is linked to the chart.
Where ordinary phone systems stop
Most medical practices run a phone system, a texting tool and a fax service as three products. Each one carries a message to a person. The person opens the EHR, finds the patient, and types in what happened.
That typing is the cost. It is why the call that ended at 4:55 is still a sticky note at 8:30 the next morning.
Phone and messaging vendors publish integrations with EHRs. The useful question is narrower: after a call ends, what is on the patient's chart that a person did not put there? Ask each vendor to show you on a live call.
What Caesar's phone does today
Caesar Health runs the phone as an agent that finishes the call.
- Answers every call, day or night. It identifies the patient, then books, reschedules or cancels against real open slots in athenahealth, ModMed and EZDERM.
- Keeps a record of every call it handles. Recording, transcript and summary, attached to the patient.
- Hands the caller to a person when one is needed. A warm transfer to the number your practice sets, with the patient's own number shown on the phone that rings.
- Texts the patient back. The SMS agent books, reschedules and cancels by text. Reminders and no-show follow-up go out on their own, and a dropped call gets a follow-up text.
- Works through a list. Outbound call campaigns with do-not-call filtering, retries, business-hours rules and a logged outcome for every attempt.
- Files the fax. Inbound faxes are read, classified and filed to the right patient's chart. Filing to athenahealth is live today.
- Follows each location's rules. Hours, providers and routing are set per location.
Each of these is on the Phone Agent, SMS Agent and Document Inbox pages, with the detail.
The staff phone, in pilot
Caesar's own staff phone is the part that replaces the desk system. It is in pilot.
- In pilot: a softphone for staff, extensions, ring groups, voicemail boxes, hold, blind and warm transfer between staff, and a live-call screen that shows the patient's chart when a known patient calls.
- Coming: number porting and desk handsets.
If you want to replace Dialpad, Spruce or Klara, tell us which of these you need first. That order sets the pilot.
Two ways to start
Keep your phone system and forward calls. Forward all calls, after-hours calls or the calls nobody answers to the Caesar number. Your carrier and your number stay where they are. You can reverse the forwarding at any time.
Move the phones. Join the pilot for the staff phone, and plan the port with us. This is the path for practices leaving a phone vendor.
Most practices start with the first and decide on the second after the agent has proved itself on one line.
How it compares
Each of these pages states what the vendor publishes, with sources and dates, and says when to choose them.
- Dialpad alternative for medical practices
- Spruce alternative for medical practices
- Klara alternative for medical practices
- Weave alternative for medical practices
- Caesar Health vs RingCentral
Caesar runs alongside these products as well as in place of them. The pages say where buying both is the right call.
A demo worth running
Use your own EHR and a patient who needs an appointment moved.
- Call the line. Does the system know who is calling before it asks?
- Ask for a new time. Does the slot come from your live schedule?
- Hang up. Open the patient's chart. What is there that nobody typed?
- Send a fax to the same patient. Where does it land?
- Ask to see the call and the text on one patient record.
Run the same five steps with every vendor on your list.
Frequently asked questions
What is a medical phone system that links to the patient chart?
A chart-linked phone system matches every call, text and fax to a patient and records it on that patient's chart, so staff don't re-type the contact into the EHR afterward. The EHR remains the system of record.
Does Caesar Health replace Dialpad, Spruce or Klara?
For the calls, texts and faxes, yes, and the staff phone that replaces the desk system is in pilot. Many practices run Caesar beside their current tool first and move the phones once the agent has proved itself. Each comparison page says where keeping the other product is the right choice.
Do I have to port my phone number?
No. You can forward calls from your current system to Caesar and keep your number with your carrier. Porting to Caesar is coming with the staff phone.
Which EHRs does the phone link to?
Booking is live in athenahealth, ModMed and EZDERM. Where an EHR has no scheduling API, Caesar's browser agent works through the EHR's interface, and the available actions vary by system. See integrations.
Is it HIPAA compliant?
Caesar runs on HIPAA-compliant, encrypted infrastructure and signs a Business Associate Agreement at contract signing. SOC 2 Type II is in progress. The HIPAA-compliant phone system guide covers what to ask any vendor.
Does the AI answer every call?
You choose the lines and the hours. It can take every call, after-hours calls or the calls nobody answers. When a caller needs a person, it transfers the call.
What happens to faxes?
Inbound faxes are read, classified and filed to the right patient's chart. Filing to athenahealth is live today.
How do I start?
Book a call, or start a pilot. Tell us your current phone vendor and your EHR.
Run the five-step test on your line
Tell us your phone vendor and your EHR. We set up a line you can call and a chart you can open.