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Business phone system for physician practices in Boston, MA-NH

Physician practices in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area: 1,974 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 20-person team.

Establishments
1,974CBP 2023
Employees
39,098mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
39.3U.S. 60.2
Rank
19th of 911areas by count

Physician practices in Boston, MA-NH by the numbers

There were 1,974 physician practices in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 621111, Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists)). They employed 39,098 people in mid-March and paid $5.9 billion in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 19th out of 911 areas with published figures for physician practices.

Measured against its 5.0 million residents (2024 estimate), the area has 39.3 physician practices per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 60.2, so Boston, MA-NH is 34.7% below the national figure. The average establishment here has 19.8 employees, compared with 13.2 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $150,705, 42.6% above the national $105,652.

Physician practices: Boston, MA-NH compared with Massachusetts and the U.S., 2023
MeasureBoston, MA-NHMassachusettsUnited States
Establishments1,9742,562204,617
Mid-March employees39,09855,9662,706,297
Annual payroll$5,892,274,000$8,013,728,000$285,925,593,000
Employees per establishment19.821.813.2
Payroll per employee$150,705$143,189$105,652
Establishments per 100,000 residents39.335.960.2

Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

How big physician practices in Boston, MA-NH are

Of the physician practices in Boston, MA-NH that had employees in March 2023, 41.9% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 52.7%). 61.5% had fewer than ten. For a business of a few people, phone coverage is a staffing question as much as a technology one: someone has to be free to pick up, or the call needs somewhere sensible to go.

Physician practices in Boston, MA-NH by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees82741.9%52.7%
5–9 employees38719.6%18.7%
10–19 employees35618.0%14.7%
20–49 employees28614.5%9.8%
50 or more employees1175.9%4.2%

Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.

Calls a medical practice in Boston, MA-NH has to catch

Physician offices field a steady stream of scheduling, prescription refill and test-result calls, and the same few staff members usually answer all of them. Routing calls to the right person and capturing clear messages keeps the waiting room and the phone lines moving.

A few of the calls that come in to physician practices in Boston, MA-NH:

What physician practices text about

Practices typically text appointment reminders, arrival instructions and requests to call the office, keeping clinical details for secure channels.

Team texting on Callata runs from your business number, so replies come from the practice or shop rather than someone's personal phone. It turns on after the one-time $49 carrier registration (10DLC) is approved.

Phone system pricing for a 20-person medical practice

The average medical practice in Boston, MA-NH has 19.8 employees, so a 20-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 20 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $600.00 a month and 20 on Ooma Office Pro cost $499.00. Callata comes to $399.00 a month for 20 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $2,412 less than RingCentral for a medical practice in Boston, MA-NH of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Monthly list price for a 20-person medical practice
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$399.00$4,788.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$380.00$4,560.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$460.00$5,520.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$499.00$5,988.00
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$540.00$6,480.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$600.00$7,200.00

Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.

Getting a local number in Boston, MA-NH

NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 8 area codes. 781 has the most, with 763 of 3,063 exchanges (25%). A local number lets patients in Boston, MA-NH call without dialing out of area. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, and which numbers are open in an area code depends on carrier inventory when you choose.

Area codes in the Boston, MA-NH area by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
781763Eastern1997339
978642Eastern1997351
617635Eastern1947857
508282Eastern1988774
857278Eastern2001617
603203Eastern1947none
774163Eastern2001508
33997Eastern2001781

Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.

What physician practices in Boston, MA-NH get with Callata

For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.

Porting a number you already use in Boston, MA-NH is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.

AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.

Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.

Frequently asked questions

How many physician practices are there in Boston, MA-NH?

Census County Business Patterns counted 1,974 physician practices in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area in 2023. They employed 39,098 people in mid-March.

What does a business phone system cost for a 20-person medical practice?

At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 20 users cost $600.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $499.00 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $399.00.

What area code should a medical practice in Boston, MA-NH use?

Area code 781 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 978 and 617. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.

Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a medical practice?

Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute. Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.