Short answer
Yes. Your clinic keeps its own phone number, the one your patients already know and trust, and your current phone system. Linea works through call forwarding: every Linea AI agent gets its own phone number, and your phone system forwards calls to it whenever you choose, whether that's all the time, after hours, when nobody picks up, or when the line is busy. It works with RingCentral, Nextiva, Quo (formerly OpenPhone), Podium and traditional phone companies like Bell, SaskTel, AT&T and T-Mobile. There's nothing to port and nothing to install.
Book a DemoKey Takeaways
- Your clinic keeps its own number. It's the number your patients already know and trust, and it stays on your website, your Google listing and your appointment cards.
- Every Linea agent has its own phone number. Your phone system forwards calls to that number, and Linea answers.
- You decide when Linea answers. Forward every call, only after hours, only when nobody picks up, or only when the line is busy.
- It works with almost any phone system, from cloud systems like RingCentral, Nextiva, Quo and Podium to traditional lines from Bell, SaskTel, AT&T and others.
- You can switch it off any time by turning forwarding off. There's no porting and no lock-in to a new phone provider.
What Happens to Your Clinic's Phone Number? Nothing.
This is the first question most clinics ask us, so let's be clear: your clinic keeps its own phone number, the number your patients already know and trust. You don't give it up, you don't move it to us, and you don't change it anywhere.
Patients keep dialing the same number they always have, the one on your website, your Google listing, your signage and the appointment card on their fridge. Behind the scenes, your phone system forwards the calls you choose to your Linea agent's own number. Callers never see or dial the Linea number. To them, they called your clinic, and your clinic answered.
And because the number stays yours, you're never locked in. Turn forwarding off and your calls ring exactly where they did before.
How It Works: Call Forwarding to Your Linea Number
- We set up your AI agent with its own phone number. Each Linea agent, one per clinic location, gets a dedicated number, trained on your services, providers, hours and policies.
- You forward calls from your clinic line to that number. This is a standard feature on virtually every business phone system and phone line.
- Linea answers. It greets the caller as your clinic, answers questions, and books, reschedules or cancels appointments directly in CounselEar, Blueprint OMS or Suno, and supports Sycle clinics.
- Calls that need a person go to your team. Linea transfers the call or flags it for a callback, with the full context. (Here's how escalations work.)
- You stay in control. Forwarding lives in your phone system, so you can change when Linea answers, or turn it off, whenever you like.
Choose When Linea Answers Your Calls
Because forwarding is set in your own phone system, you choose how much of the phone Linea covers:
| Forwarding option | What happens | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| All calls | Every call goes straight to Linea, which answers, books and transfers to staff when needed | Busy clinics that want every call answered instantly, with no hold times |
| After hours | Your phone system's schedule sends calls to Linea outside business hours | Evenings, weekends and holidays |
| No answer | Your staff's phones ring first; if nobody picks up after a few rings, the call goes to Linea | Clinics that want staff to answer first, with Linea as backup |
| Busy | If the line is already in use, the next caller goes to Linea instead of a busy signal or voicemail | Overflow during the Monday morning rush |
| Manual on/off | You switch forwarding on when the desk is empty | Lunch breaks, sick days, staff meetings and vacations |
Many clinics start with after-hours and no-answer forwarding, then move to all calls once they hear how Linea handles their patients. (One CounselEar clinic used this to close its lunch, sick-day and vacation gaps.)
Setting Up Forwarding on Popular Phone Systems
Every phone system words it a little differently, but the idea is the same: forward your clinic line to your Linea number. Our team walks you through it during onboarding and tests it with you.
RingCentral
RingCentral lets admins set call-handling rules for your main number, including forwarding to an outside number and separate rules for business hours and after hours. Point the rule you want (all calls, after hours or no answer) at your Linea number.
Nextiva
Nextiva supports forwarding calls to an external number, along with business-hours schedules for routing calls differently after hours. Set the forwarding destination to your Linea number for the calls you want Linea to take.
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
OpenPhone is now called Quo. Its call flows let you forward all calls to an outside number, or add a business-hours step that rings your team during open hours and forwards to another number when you're closed. You can use either to send calls to your Linea number.
Podium
Many clinics use Podium for texting, reviews and phones. If your clinic's calls run through Podium, forward them to your Linea number from your Podium phone settings. If you don't see the option, Podium's support team can turn forwarding on for your account.
Traditional phone companies: Bell, SaskTel, Rogers, Telus, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and more
Traditional landlines and business lines from carriers like Bell, SaskTel, Rogers, Telus, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile (which now includes former Sprint lines) support call forwarding too. On many North American lines, you dial *72 followed by the forwarding number to turn on forwarding for all calls, and *73 to turn it off. Forwarding only when the line is busy or nobody answers uses different codes that vary by carrier and line, or may need to be added to your account by the carrier. We'll confirm the exact steps for your line during setup.
Menu names and codes change over time and can vary by plan. If you're not sure where your forwarding settings live, send us the name of your phone provider and we'll help you find them.
Tips for a Smooth Setup
- Transfer to a line that isn't forwarded: When Linea passes a caller to your team, the call should go to a direct line, an extension or a staff cell phone, not back to your main number if that number forwards everything to Linea.
- Test from a cell phone: Once forwarding is on, call your clinic number from a phone that isn't on your system and make sure Linea picks up.
- One number per location: Multi-location practices get a Linea agent and number for each location, so each clinic's calls are answered with the right hours, providers and services. (More on multi-location practices.)
- Plan for holidays: If your phone system uses schedules, add holiday closures so those calls go to Linea automatically.
What You Don't Need
- No new phone number. Your clinic keeps the number patients already know and trust, so your marketing, Google Business Profile and patient cards stay the same.
- No number porting and no switching phone providers.
- No new hardware or software to install at the front desk.
- No long setup. Linea can be fully configured and answering calls within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my clinic's phone number when we start using Linea?
Nothing. Your clinic keeps its own number, the one your patients already know and trust. Patients keep calling that same number, and your phone system forwards the calls you choose to your Linea agent's dedicated number behind the scenes. Callers never see or dial the Linea number, and you don't need to update your website, Google listing, signage or appointment cards.
Do I need to change my phone number or phone system to use Linea?
No. You keep your clinic's phone number and your current phone system. Linea works through call forwarding: every Linea AI agent has its own phone number, and your phone system forwards calls to it. There is nothing to port and no new hardware to install.
Does Linea work with RingCentral, Nextiva, Quo (OpenPhone) and Podium?
Yes. Linea works with any phone system that can forward calls to an outside number, including RingCentral, Nextiva, Quo (formerly OpenPhone) and Podium, as well as traditional phone companies like Bell, SaskTel, Rogers, Telus, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile (including former Sprint lines).
Can I choose when Linea answers my clinic's calls?
Yes. You control forwarding from your own phone system. You can forward every call, only after-hours calls, calls nobody answers after a few rings, calls that come in while the line is busy, or switch forwarding on manually for lunch breaks, sick days and holidays.
Can Linea transfer a caller back to my staff?
Yes. Calls that need a person can be transferred to your team or flagged for a callback with the full context of the call. Transfers should go to a direct line, extension or cell phone that isn't itself forwarded to Linea, which we set up with you during onboarding.
How long does it take to set up call forwarding to Linea?
Turning on forwarding usually takes a few minutes in your phone system's settings or with a short star code on a traditional line. Linea can be fully configured and answering calls within 24 hours, and you can switch forwarding off at any time.
Sources: Quo help center on call forwarding and business hours; Bell Business, how to use call forwarding. RingCentral, Nextiva, Podium, Quo, Bell, SaskTel, Rogers, Telus, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are trademarks of their respective owners; Linea is not affiliated with them.
Keep Your Number. Answer Every Call.
Book a 30-minute demo and we'll show you how Linea answers your clinic's calls through the phone system you already have, and help you set up forwarding.
Book a DemoRelated: How Does the AI Know About My Clinic? · What Happens After the Call Ends? · How a CounselEar Clinic Covers Lunch, Sick Days & Vacations · AI Receptionist for Audiology Clinics