Call Guard MAY be Blocking a Medical Appointment Registration Site's Phone Confirmation

Satch

Hey Guys,

This will take some explaining. For several years this has not been an issue, and until only recently has this problem occurred, We have family members that use a medical website that is used by our local hospital in connection with Ascension Health Care. The site is the following:

https://www.phreesia.com/

At any rate, a relative of mine had to make an appointment with her doctor at our local hospital. About a week before, she got a "Check in on-line for your appointment to save time." I have helped her with the registration process for the last couple of years with no problem. The phone rings, the confirmation goes through and I can start the registration process. That is until recently:

She had an appointment for November 8th, and got the registration notice in her email to save time by doing it online about November 3rd. Her user name and password went through. We get to the "Send a Voice Message to confirm who you are prompt." (Part of the two step authorization process) The number is correct, I select "Voice" and submit the data. No phone ring response. I try again and again and again and again. Nothing.

This was on a Saturday, so I said, "Let's wait til Monday, the system might be down." We wait til Monday, repeat the above steps, and nothing, The confirmation message ring where you pick up the phone and get your security code, the phone does not ring. Cut to the chase, we had to call the hospital to set up her appointment because the two-way authorization did not go through. Since there were no messages about the site being down and since the phone did not ring at all, I am suspecting that Call Guard is blocking the verification number.

Now, because this is a big medical outlet there are different numbers connected with the confirmation process to confirm appointments, or get medical information. This is not one number. The site in question is the URL above.

Unfortunately, I can not go back to the sign up page because that data has long since expired and it is not possible for me to re-do the sign in steps for an expired appointment. I have not needed to do any two-step authorization at any other sites so I don't know if this is a problem with the relay of data between the Phreesia Intake Software,or if Call Guard got an update recently and is blocking more two-way authorization sites than it should be blocking. The phone works great, and the blocking works great.

My request is for Spectrum's team responsible for Call Guard design, submit this problem site and run tests on it with on Call Guard if that is even possible? This is the first time in several years that the two-way phone authorization phone ringing for the code does not work (at that site). after multiple attempts.

Satch

William_M

Hey @Satch, I'm sorry those calls aren't coming through.

Have you tried disabling Spam Blocking to see if the calls come through then? That would be the easiest way to verify if Call Guard is what is causing the issue. You can submit a request to have numbers unblocked by going to https://reportspam.spectrum.com/charter/.

Satch

Hi @William_M,

No I haven't. Next time I have an issue with a two-way website authentication service that requires a phone number that doesn't ring the phone, I will try this! The strange thing is that for several years I never had to do this.

Satch

HT_Greenfield

Hey, Satch, in addition to being able to report improperly identified calls, this article seems to suggest that you should be able to determine if a call was heuristically hard-blocked and, if so, how you may "Allow Number."

🔗 https://www.spectrum.net/support/home-phone/block-robo-callers

↳ Option A: Unblock Calls From the Blocked Calls Section

↳ FAQs ↳ How do I know if Call Guard is blocking malicious calls?

In any case, i'd be wary of any text message versus phone call selection methodology of that Phreesia system.

Satch

The problem is though,

We have to use that system because that is our hospital's online appointment management system.

Satch

HT_Greenfield

Heard that, Satch. I was just wondering if it's possible that they tried texting instead of calling. My bad.

Alt. ref.: 🔗 https://www.jacksonclinic.com/patient-info/pre-visit-check-in/ ↳ Pre-Visit FAQs for Patients ↳ Q: The phone numbers that are listed do not receive text messages, how do I receive a 6 digit code over the phone?

Satch

@HT_Greenfield ,

I don't have a cellphone and the family member in question never uses hers. I need a quality phone service and a speakerphone. I wear hearing aids and my hearing aid buzzes when I use a phone's headset. I also have limited fine-motor skills, and would have trouble manipulating a cellphone. I need something that sits on a base/stand that I can turn on/off and use speakerphone. I love Spectrum Voice and Caller ID on TV and would hate to see either discontinued!

Text Message is an option at that site. But my feeling is that Call Guard should be smart enough to know that this is a medical site and should not be blocking a two-way authentication process. (That is the point of security anyway.) That site worked for years with Call Guard active. I should not have to go in and turn off a security feature from any company, to get two-way phone authorization activated for a medical company that is used by one of the biggest health insurance providers and carriers in the United States. It wasn't a problem for Call Guard years ago, so it shouldn't be a problem now.I should add that nothing at the sign up page for patient registration has changed. Spectrum's Call Guard design team should still investigate why Call Guard may be blocking this site when it was fine in the past.

Satch

HT_Greenfield

Heard that, Satch. I think you missed my point (but who wouldn't since my hair covers it so well.)

I'm a moron and i apologize profusely for chiming in on such of a personal matter. It won't happen again. ☘️

tmpoint

I had a similar problem with a financial site's dual verification process and got around it by changing the Call Guard level from "high" to "medium". The Call Guard info pop-up says the difference is that "high" blocks robocalls in addition to the things "medium" blocks but since I also use NOMOROBO I figure I don't need "high".