Are you looking for a new medical phone system? If so, this guide is for you! Keep reading to learn more about the features and pricing for the best hospital phone systems.

Medical Office Phone System Pricing

So, how much does it cost to set up a phone system for a medical office or hospital?

Small Practice (5 employees)

• Traditional landline system: $5,000 upfront for hardware and installation, $150/month service fee
• VoIP system: $500 upfront for handsets, $250 setup fee, $50/user/month = $250 monthly fee

Medium Practice (25 employees)

• Traditional landline: $10,000 upfront hardware/install, $300/month service
• VoIP system: $2,500 upfront for handsets and setup, $50/user/month = $1,250 monthly fee

Large Hospital (500 employees)

• Traditional landline: $100,000+ upfront, $2,000+/month service
• VoIP system: $20,000 upfront, $30/user/month = $15,000 monthly fee

Key factors determining costs:

• Number of users/extensions needed
• Traditional landline vs VoIP system
• Upfront hardware, installation, wiring costs
• Ongoing monthly service fees per user
• Advanced features like auto-attendants, reporting, call recording
• Integration with medical software, EHR systems
• Training and support costs

Real Pricing for Medical Phone System Purchases

We interviewed several doctor's offices and healthcare providers to find out how much they paid for their phone systems.

• A small doctor's office in California bought a 4-line phone system from TelcoDepot for $2,500. It included call routing, auto-attendant, and messaging features they need.
• A clinic in Ohio purchased an 8-line phone system from Nextiva for $5,000. It integrates their main and back office lines with customized call flows.
• A large practice in New York installed a cloud-based phone system from RingCentral for $12,000/year. It seamlessly connects their 30+ extensions across 3 office locations.
• A healthcare provider in Florida switched to a NEC hybrid phone system that cost $8,000 upfront with $1,500/year for support. It improved call quality and redundancy.
• A surgery center in Texas upgraded to an Avaya IP Office system for $15,000. It links 50 staff extensions and includes call recording for compliance.
• A physical therapy office bought a used phone system on eBay for $1,200 and hired a consultant to program it for $500. It met their basic call routing needs on a tight budget.
• A community hospital in Illinois installed an Allworx phone system for $45,000. It connects 200 staff across multiple buildings.
• A large regional hospital upgraded to a Cisco Unified Communications system for $350,000. It links 1,500 extensions with advanced call center features.
• A major university medical center implemented an Avaya Aura system for $850,000. It unified communications for 5,000 staff across more than 50 locations.

VoIP Costs for Telehealth

Small Practice:

• Upfront costs: $500 for phones and headsets
• Monthly service: $25 - $50 per provider

Large Hospital System:

• Upfront costs: $2,500 -$5,000 for hardware
• Monthly service: $15 - $30 per provider

Software-based Options:

• Monthly fee: $100 - $300
• Per minute fee: $0.01 - $0.05 per minute

Key Factors in VoIP Telehealth Costs:

• Number of providers needing service
• Minutes of use per provider
• Features needed like video, screen sharing
• HIPAA compliant encryption
• Emergency calling capabilities

Top Medical Phone System Companies & Costs

Nextiva

• Cloud-based VoIP system
• Plans from $20/mo per user
• Popular with small to midsize practices

RingCentral

• Leading cloud phone provider
• Plans from $30/mo per user
• Scales to large hospital systems

Cisco

• Robust on-premise and hybrid options
• Systems from $15,000 for a clinic
• Up to $500,000+ for a large hospital

Avaya

• Top provider of on-premise IP PBX
• Systems from $10,000 for a clinic
• Up to $1 million+ for large medical centers

NEC

• Leader in hybrid telephone systems
• Systems from $5,000 for a clinic
• Up to $250,000 for a large hospital

Desired Medical Office Phone System Features

• Auto attendant - An automated greeting and call routing menu that directs patients to the right department or person.
• Call forwarding - Allows seamlessly transferring calls between staff extensions. Important for handling patient calls efficiently.
• Voicemail - Leaving messages for staff that can be accessed remotely is crucial for prompt callbacks.
• Overhead paging - Intercom paging to notify staff of incoming calls or needed assistance.
• Call reporting - To analyze call volume, abandoned calls, wait times to improve patient service.
• HIPAA compliance - Secure communication and storage of protected health information.
• Redundancy - Backup options in case of outages to avoid missing critical calls.
• Remote connectivity - For staff to make/receive calls remotely during off-site events or telehealth.
• Waiting room TV integration - Display educational videos and notifications while patients wait.
• Appointment reminders - Automated calls/texts to reduce no-shows and remain accessible.
• Mobile integration - Call forwarding to cell phones to stay connected on-the-go.

Cloud vs On Premise Medical Phone Systems

Cloud Based VoIP

• Hosted offsite by the provider
• Scalable - Easy to add extensions
• Lower upfront costs - Pay monthly fee
• Automatic updates and maintenance
• Accessible anywhere with internet access
• Integrates communications - phone, fax, video

On Premise

• Equipment installed onsite
• Large upfront investment
• Maintenance and updates done in-house
• Dedicated hardware - Less reliant on internet
• Full control and customization
• Works with existing wiring and analog phones

Key Considerations

• Available budget - Ongoing costs vs large upfront expense
• Existing infrastructure - Can existing wiring be used?
• Staff mobility needs - Onsite only or remote access required?
• Compliance - Any impact on HIPAA or regulatory compliance?
• IT resources - Availability for maintenance and management

Questions to Ask Medical Phone System Providers

• What experience do you have designing systems specifically for healthcare organizations?
• How will you ensure the system is HIPAA compliant in securing patient information?
• What training and support is included for staff to learn the new system?
• How easy is it to add, remove, or modify extensions if we need to scale up/down?
• What redundancy and backup options are available in case of outages?
• Can you integrate with our EHR/practice management software?
• What call reporting features are available to analyze performance?
• Can you customize call flows and auto attendants for our specific needs?
• What mobile integration capabilities are offered?
• What options are there for nurses stations, overhead paging, and interfacing with mobile devices?
• How are software updates and feature upgrades handled?
• What do maintenance, service charges, and warranties include?
• Can we see a demo and talk to any of your current medical clients?
• What is the total upfront investment and ongoing operating costs?

Best VOIP phone systems for medical practices. (VOIP for telehealth & healthcare services)

Watch the video below to find out what the best VoIP phone systems for medical practices are.

References:

• Summary of the HIPAA Security Rule
• Best Medical & Dental Office Phone System Comparison

Last Updated: Sept 23rd, 2023