Keep your number with call forwarding to an AI receptionist

If your practice is exploring an AI receptionist, you might wonder if it requires changing your phone number or provider. The answer is no—Catchsera lets you keep your existing number and phone company while forwarding calls to its AI voice receptionist, built with HIPAA safeguards. It’s a simple process that ensures every call is answered, whether during busy hours or after closing time.

Understanding call forwarding

Call forwarding is a feature that redirects incoming calls to another number. For example, when a patient calls your practice’s main number, the call can automatically forward to Catchsera’s AI receptionist after a few rings, during specific hours, or even immediately. This flexibility allows practices to customize how calls are handled based on their needs.

Catchsera makes the setup process straightforward. You don’t need to change your phone provider or number. Once call forwarding is activated, Catchsera answers every call in a natural voice, introducing itself with your practice’s name.

How it works, step by step

1. A patient dials your usual number. Nothing changes for them: the same number on your website, your appointment cards and their phone.
2. Your phone provider applies your forwarding rule. Depending on what you choose, the call rings your office first or goes straight through.
3. The AI receptionist answers. It uses your practice’s name, says it is an AI assistant and notes that the call may be recorded.
4. It handles the call. It answers your approved questions and takes the caller’s name, callback number, whether they are a new or existing patient, and the reason for the call.
5. Your team is notified. When the call ends, a summary goes to the right person and the call appears on the live dashboard with a full transcript.
6. A person steps in when needed. Urgent calls are flagged, and calls can be transferred to your front desk or an on-call number.

Unconditional, busy and no-answer forwarding explained

Phone companies use slightly different names for these, but most offer some version of each:

• Unconditional (always) forwarding: Every call goes straight to Catchsera and your office phones don’t ring at all. Useful after hours, on holidays, or if you want the receptionist to be the first answer on every call.
• No-answer forwarding: Your phones ring first. If nobody picks up within a set number of rings, the call moves to the AI receptionist. This is the most common setup, for example after the third ring.
• Busy forwarding: When your lines are already in use, the next caller goes to the AI receptionist instead of a busy signal or voicemail.
• Time-based forwarding: Forwarding switches on during set hours, such as evenings, weekends or holidays, when your front desk is unavailable.

Many practices combine no-answer and busy forwarding during the day, then forward everything after closing. On a cloud or VoIP phone system, these settings usually live in the provider’s online portal; on a traditional phone line, the phone company can set them up for you. Exact steps differ by provider, so ask yours which options your plan includes.

One detail catches many offices: voicemail. If your voicemail picks up after four rings and your forwarding is set for five, voicemail wins and the receptionist never hears the call. Make sure the forward happens before voicemail answers.

Questions to ask your phone company

• Which forwarding options does our plan include: always, no-answer, busy, or on a schedule?
• Can we choose the number of rings before a call forwards?
• How do we turn forwarding on and off ourselves, and how quickly does a change take effect?
• Is there any extra charge for forwarded calls on our plan?
• Does forwarding apply to every line, or only to our main number?

Most phone companies can enable these options quickly. Catchsera’s team will guide you through the process and test the setup to ensure calls are forwarded correctly.

Why keep your phone number?

Retaining your existing phone number is crucial for maintaining continuity with your patients. Changing your number could lead to confusion and missed calls. Call forwarding allows you to keep your number while improving how calls are managed.

Practices also value the flexibility that call forwarding provides. You can decide when Catchsera answers calls—whether during peak hours, after hours, or all day. This helps reduce the workload on your front desk while ensuring patients always receive prompt attention.

The same forwarding setup works whatever kind of practice you run. Our guides for dental practices in Boston and physical therapy clinics show what the receptionist does once the calls arrive, and HIPAA, call recording and consent covers what to check on the privacy side.

How Catchsera manages calls

Catchsera answers every call 24/7 in English or Spanish, starting with your practice’s name. The AI receptionist captures essential information, including the caller’s name, callback number, whether they’re a new or existing patient, and the reason for their call.

For emergencies, callers are instructed to dial 911. Catchsera can also answer common questions about your practice, such as hours, location, parking, providers, and accepted insurance. Sensitive details like dates of birth are never requested over the phone. Instead, Catchsera sends secure text links for forms or scheduling, but only with the caller’s permission.

Urgent calls are flagged for your team, and calls can be transferred to a designated number, such as your front desk or on-call staff. Your team can listen in or take over the call as needed.

What to test before going live

Catchsera builds and tests your receptionist first and gives you a number to call it before it answers a real patient. Once forwarding is on, run through these checks from a mobile phone rather than an office extension:

• The ring count: Call during business hours, let it ring, and confirm the receptionist picks up when you expect.
• A busy line: If you set up busy forwarding, call while another line is in use.
• After hours: Call after closing and listen to what the caller is told about next steps.
• A transfer: Ask for a person and confirm the call reaches your front desk or on-call number. Use a direct line for transfers rather than the main number you are forwarding, or the call can loop back to the receptionist.
• The record: Check that the summary arrives and that the call appears on the dashboard with the right callback number.

Setup takes under 10 minutes on your side, and we can set up the forwarding with you, in person if you prefer.

How to turn forwarding off

Because nothing is installed at your office, stopping is simple: remove the forwarding with your phone provider or in your phone system’s settings, and calls ring your office exactly as they did before. You can also change when forwarding happens, for example from all day to after hours only. There is no contract.

Catchsera plans and easy setup

Catchsera offers flexible plans starting at $129 per month, with all features included. There are no contracts, and you can cancel anytime. Monthly plans are tailored to your practice’s call volume: Solo for $129 (350 minutes, 250 SMS), Practice for $279 (1,000 minutes, 750 SMS), Clinic+ for $497 (2,200 minutes, 1,800 SMS), and custom Enterprise plans.

Setting up Catchsera is quick and easy, taking less than 10 minutes on your practice’s side. Calls are forwarded to Catchsera, which builds and tests the AI receptionist to ensure it meets your needs. We sign a BAA (Business Associate Agreement) with every practice, providing service built with HIPAA safeguards and hosted securely on Microsoft Azure.

Common questions

What is call forwarding?

Call forwarding is a feature from your phone provider that sends incoming calls to another number. Practices use it to send calls to Catchsera’s AI receptionist, for example after the third ring or after hours, without changing their number.

Can I keep my phone number?

Yes. Catchsera works with your existing phone number and phone company. Calls are forwarded to Catchsera, so patients keep dialing the number they already know.

How do I set up call forwarding?

Your phone company or phone system turns on call forwarding. Catchsera guides you through it, can set it up with you, and tests the setup before it goes live. It takes under 10 minutes on your side.

Will patients notice anything different?

They dial the same number as always. The receptionist answers with your practice’s name, tells callers it is an AI assistant, and helps them in English or Spanish.

How do I turn call forwarding off?

Remove the forwarding with your phone provider or in your phone system’s settings. Calls then ring your office as they did before. There is no contract.

Does Catchsera answer every call?

Yes. Catchsera answers calls 24/7 in English or Spanish, captures the caller’s details and notifies your staff with a summary when each call ends.