Phone system
Get a MedicalGrow number, route calls to your team, and set up call recording and voicemail.
3 min read
With the MedicalGrow phone system you can get a local number in your patients' country, route incoming calls to the right coordinator and see every call on the patient's record. For patients from the UK, for example, a +44 number feels far more trustworthy, and is cheaper for them to call, than an Istanbul number.
Before you start
- You need the Admin role to buy and configure numbers.
- Calls and SMS may be charged by usage. Keep an eye on your balance on the Billing page.
- Some countries require identity and address documents before a number is issued (see below).
Buying a number
- Open Settings → Phone System, and on the Phone Numbers tab click + Add Number in the top-right corner. Choose the option to add a phone number.
- Select the number's country from the Country list (e.g. United Kingdom).
- Use Filter to tick the capabilities you need: Voice, SMS, MMS and the number type (Local / Toll-free). You can also search for specific digits.
- Select a number and click Proceed to Buy. Complete any identity/address details if asked.
Country availability and regulatory documents
Not every type of number is available in every country. Some countries (e.g. Germany, France, the Netherlands and many other EU countries) require an approved address or regulatory bundle before a number is issued, such as company documents, a local address or ID for an authorised person. Approval can take a few days.
Note
If the number list comes back empty or the document request is unclear, message our support team on WhatsApp. The documents required depend on the country and number type, and our team will work through the process with you.
SMS limits on international numbers
Not every number can send and receive SMS. In many countries local numbers support voice only, and SMS-capable numbers may need extra registration or sender approval. Sending SMS from US numbers also requires A2P 10DLC registration.
Tip
Run most of your conversations with patients abroad on WhatsApp, and use the phone number mainly for calls. For setup, see WhatsApp Business API.
Number settings
Decide how your new number handles incoming calls. Open Edit Configuration from the three-dot menu on the number's row.
- Forward calls to: enter the phone that should receive incoming calls (e.g. the mobile of your English-speaking coordinator), including the country code.
- Call Recording: switch on recording. Recordings can be played back in the patient's conversation history.
- Voicemail: choose the greeting played out of hours or for missed calls. Record it in the patient's language.
- Inbound call timeout and Assigned user: set how many seconds the call rings before going to voicemail, and which user owns the number.
Click Save to apply your changes.
Important
If call recording is on, many countries (including the UK and the EU) require you to tell the caller. Add a line such as "Calls may be recorded for quality purposes" to your greeting. See the Data privacy FAQ for more.
Routing inbound calls to users
When a number is assigned to a user, they can answer calls in their browser while logged in to the panel, or on the forwarding number. A separate number per market works well:
| Number | Market | Assigned user |
|---|---|---|
| +44 … | United Kingdom | Zeynep Arslan (English) |
| +49 … | Germany | Can Yıldız (German) |
Each user's own phone preferences (e.g. calling from the browser) are on the My profile page. To see how calls appear in the inbox, read Calls and voicemail.
Common issues
I can't buy the number. The country may require documents, or your usage balance is too low.
Calls never ring and go straight to voicemail. The inbound call timeout may be too short or the forwarding number is wrong.
SMS isn't sending. The number may not support SMS; check its capabilities in the number list.
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