Customer service is typically at the heart of every business, especially for businesses who sell their products and services directly to customers such as healthcare. Even in healthcare business-to-business interactions, customer service is essential. There is just too much competition to ignore it or to fail to serve customers with excellence. The healthcare contact center is a department in a healthcare business or organization that manages customer interactions through multiple channels and technologies. Contact center agents are tasked with solving customer problems, answering customer questions, and generally meeting customer needs through effective communication and follow through. This course provides learners with foundational contact center knowledge and skills so that they can pursue their customer service career.

Healthcare contact center agents must understand the healthcare environment and the language of healthcare including basic anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology. They must also understand the basics of common diseases and disorders, especially chronic conditions, in order to fully understand how to meet the needs of patients. Though agents never give medical advice, understanding basic healthcare topics is essential to healthcare system problem solving. Additionally, healthcare contact center representatives must understand healthcare laws, insurance basics, billing and reimbursement, basic psychology aspects of aging and illness, and how to use computers and customer relations management (CRM) technologies.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Dissect a medical term to determine its meaning.
• Define basic anatomical and physiological terminology related to each body system.
• Define common diseases and disorders related to each body system.
• Identify common health and healthcare beliefs and values.
• Discuss the healthcare delivery systems in the U.S. including their challenges and benefits.
• Identify healthcare services, professionals, and settings.
• Identify the components and processes of the retail pharmacy.
• Explain common health services for special populations.
• Discuss medical law and ethics.
• Explain how to maintain compliance with HIPAA.
• Explain how healthcare services are financed and paid for.
• Discuss medical data, the healthcare record, and supporting technologies.
• Define high-quality technical customer support.
• Explain the basic role of the contact center in business and excellent customer service.
• Describe the unique needs of different types of customers.
• Explain the role and expectations of the contact center agent.
• Use multiple technologies and communication channels in customer communication. Effectively handle numerous types of difficult customers and situations.
• Effectively apply problem-solving and critical thinking concepts to customer care.
• Apply sales strategies when the opportunity arises in customer communication.
• Explain basic business concepts needed as foundational knowledge for meeting customer needs.
• Discuss the current trends and issues related to various aspects of contact center operation and success.
• Complete a self-evaluation for personal traits and communication skills related to successful contact center communication and customer care.
• Identify psychology factors, theories, and concepts that can be used to understand the healthcare patient/customer in order to provide the best customer service possible.

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the opportunity to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Call Center (Contact Center) Associate

Optional Volunteer Externship Opportunity

Students who complete this program are eligible to participate in an optional volunteer externship opportunity with a local company/agency/organization whose work aligns with this area of study in order to gain valuable hands-on experience.  As students progress through their eLearning program, an Externship Coordinator will reach out to coordinate placement.

Note: Additional documentation including health records, immunizations, drug-screening, criminal background checks, etc. may be required by the externship facility.