What Usually Happens to Holiday Calls
The usual options are an extended voicemail greeting, forwarding the line to whoever is on call, or paying an answering service's holiday rate.
A voicemail greeting doesn't book anyone: callers hang up and call the next practice. Forwarding every call to the on-call surgeon means every refill question rings the same phone as the genuine emergency. A traditional answering service takes a message, then adds surcharges for nights and holidays, exactly when your patients call.
Either way, the first morning back starts with a stack of messages. Compare the 6 after-hours coverage options.
How ClinicFlow Covers a Holiday Closure
Scheduling Calls End with a Booked Appointment
Patients can book, reschedule, cancel, or confirm appointments on your live schedule while you're closed, so the call ends with a confirmed slot instead of a note for the front desk.
Urgent Calls Reach the On-Call Surgeon
ClinicFlow recognizes symptoms that meet your practice's urgency criteria and texts your on-call surgeon a secure link to the call summary with the caller's information.
Routine Calls Wait for You in the EMR
Non-urgent clinical calls are summarized with the caller's information and sent to the right clinical team through EMR messaging, ready when the office opens.
Your Protocol Decides What Escalates
The escalation thresholds were designed by ClinicFlow's founder, a practicing spine surgeon, and are tuned with each practice during onboarding.
No Holiday Rate
ClinicFlow bills the same $0.20 per minute of call time around the clock, on top of the plan fee. There are no after-hours surcharges and no holiday rates.
- 24/7 coverage: $100 per provider per month, plus $0.20 per minute.
- Nights and weekends only: $50 per provider per month, plus $0.20 per minute.
See pricing for current plans.
Hear It Answer a Holiday Call
Call the live demo line at (415) 962-4019 and pretend you're a patient: book a visit, describe a post-op symptom, ask to move an appointment. Then imagine it on your practice's number.
Planning your holiday phone coverage now? Our medical office phone scripts include after-hours voicemail and urgent-escalation scripts your team can use.
Common Questions
Does ClinicFlow Charge Extra for Holidays?
No. ClinicFlow bills the same $0.20 per minute of call time around the clock, on top of the plan fee: $100 per provider per month for 24/7 coverage, or $50 for nights and weekends only. There are no after-hours surcharges and no holiday rates. See pricing for current plans.
What Happens When a Post-Op Patient Calls with an Urgent Symptom While We're Closed?
If the symptom meets your practice's urgency criteria, ClinicFlow texts your on-call surgeon a secure link to the call summary with the caller's information. ClinicFlow never makes the clinical decision; your team does.
Can Patients Book Appointments While the Office Is Closed?
Yes. ClinicFlow books, reschedules, cancels, and confirms appointments on your live schedule during the call, so the call ends with a confirmed slot instead of a note for the front desk.
Will It Replace My Front-Desk Staff?
No. It's built to run alongside your team, covering the call volume and hours they can't get to, so the first morning back starts with booked appointments and documented calls instead of a voicemail backlog.
How Can I Hear It Before the Holidays?
Call the live demo line at (415) 962-4019 and pretend you're a patient, or book a demo and we'll walk you through it.
Who Is Answering Your Phones This Holiday Season?
Call the live demo line and hear how it handles a holiday call, then book a demo.
Or call the live demo line: (415) 962-4019